Flavor Flav

William Jonathan Drayton Jr. (born March 16, 1959), known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and hype man. Known for his yells of "Yeah, boyeeeeee!" when performing, he was a founding member of the rap group Public Enemy alongside Chuck D; with them he has earned six Grammy Award nominations, and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After spending several years out of the limelight, he starred in multiple VH1 reality series, including The Surreal Life, Strange Love, and Flavor of Love. Early life and education Drayton was born in Roosevelt, New York, and grew up in nearby Freeport, two communities within the Town of Hempstead. Drayton is the cousin of former Penn State basketball player Shep Garner, and of Brooklyn MC Timbo King of Royal Fam. He is also a cousin of rappers Ol' Dirty Bastard, RZA, and GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan. He taught himself piano and began playing at the age of five. He sang in the youth choir at his church and mastered the piano, drums and guitar at an early age. According to Chuck D, Drayton is proficient in fifteen instruments. By the time he dropped out of Freeport High School in the 11th grade, he had been in and out of jail for robbery and burglary.