Cheating sparks argument, ends in Flavor Flav’s arrest, police report indicates

By William D'Urso

Published Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 | 11:39 a.m.

Updated Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 | 4:48 p.m.

An argument between reality TV star Flavor Flav and his fiancée of eight years over his cheating on their relationship escalated into a physical confrontation and resulted in the former hip hop singer’s arrest early Wednesday at their Las Vegas home.

Flavor Flav, 53, whose real name is William Drayton Jr., was arrested on counts of assault and battery and assault with a deadly weapon, Metro Police said.

A domestic battery report released Wednesday afternoon by Metro indicated police were called around 3:30 a.m. to the Via Ventura Court home shared by Drayton and his 39-year-old fiancée.

The woman told police she had confronted Drayton for cheating on her. The argument became physical, the woman told police, when Drayton grabbed her and twice threw her to the ground. During the scuffle one of her earrings was ripped out causing her to bleed.

The woman told police her 17-year-old son then confronted Drayton, and the two males began fighting. Drayton, the woman told police, grabbed two knives from the kitchen, began chasing the teen and threatened to kill him. The boy ran upstairs to a room and locked himself and his sister inside.

Drayton, still holding both knives, kicked the door open and made additional threats to kill the 17-year-old.

When police arrived, Drayton confirmed the accounts related by the teen and his mother, except that Drayton denied chasing and threatening to kill the boy.

Drayton, the police report noted, suffered a cut on his hand from one of the knives.

Clark County property records list Drayton and his fiancée as co-owners in joint tenancy of the house at 7896 Via Ventura Court.

Drayton was part of the hip-hop group Public Enemy and later starred in the reality TV shows “Flavor of Love,” “The Surreal Life” and “Strange Life." Flavor Flav is known for wearing a necklace with a giant analog clock.

The entertainer has lived in Las Vegas for the past eight years. During that time, he has been photographed with Strip headliners Criss Angel and Carrot Top and other celebrities. He celebrated his 50th birthday at the Mirage,

Flavor Flav has become a fixture at UNLV home basketball games, where during the 2011-12 season he was seen performing with the pep band and participating in halftime contests. In 2011, he launched LeFLAV, a signature vodka line, in Las Vegas. Earlier this year, he was on hand for the opening of Flavor Flav's House of Flavor, a restaurant at 3333 S. Maryland Parkway that offered such menu items as fried chicken, fried shrimp and red velvet waffles. The restaurant closed, but on Labor Day the House of Flavor concession opened inside Blondies Sports Bar & Grill in the Miracle Mile Shops at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino.

Earlier this year, he appeared with Las Vegas headliner Elton John in Pepsi's much-heralded Super Bowl commercial.

Drayton had a brief run-in with Metro Police in May 2011, when he was arrested in connection with misdemeanor traffic warrants.

A Las Vegas Justice Court official said Drayton posted bail and was out of jail.