13 Years Ago, A Famous Rapper Opened A Chicken Restaurant In Iowa

Hard to believe it's been 13 years. Hard to believe it happened at all. 2011 was a much simpler time that started off with a bang. It was the year the most famous chicken shop in Iowa opened its door and close.

Every year on this day, January 24, we're reminded through social media memories and other forms of reminders that Clinton, Iowa was the talk of the country. The residents or the local government weren't bringing the small eastern Iowa town national attention. It was this guy.

Flavor Flav. He was the reason why national reporters, some of the first internet foodies, and "fans" from "everywhere" flocked to Clinton, Iowa. Flavor Flav and his business partner, Nick Cimino opened Flav's Fried Chicken.

Flav's Fried Chicken Opens Its Doors

On January 24, 2011, co-founder of the rap group Public Enemy, television star, and rapper William Jonathan Drayton Jr., better known as Flavor Flav, opened up the first of what was supposed to be many locations of Flav's Fried Chicken in Clinton, Iowa.

Flavor Flav partnered with Nick Cimino, who at the time owned Mama Cimino's, a pizza shop in Clinton. Cimino and Flav met through Cimino's brother Peter who owned the other Mama Cimino's in Las Vegas, according to sources.

Peter sold fried chicken using Flavor Flav's recipe and wanted to make a national franchise. That started to become a reality when they opened up the first chain in my hometown and Cimino's hometown of Clinton.

How Was The Food At Flav's Fried Chicken?

I had a few friends that worked at Flav's Fried Chicken in Clinton. Some weren't paid, weren't impressed with how to make the food, and really didn't like working there.

Even though I lived in Clinton at the time, I never once stepped foot in there. I had someone bring me chicken from there once while I was working at Fareway and I wasn't impressed.

I asked people on my personal Facebook to share pictures and a review if they could remember what it tasted like. Former B100 morning show hosts Redhot Brian Scott and Tony Tone said the food was good. Others agreed and said the food was good, others said: "the chicken was nasty."

Flav's Fried Chicken's Other Anniversary Isn't Far Away

In just a few short months, I'll remind you how 13 years ago this April, Flav's Fried Chicken closed up shop.

Flav's Fried Chicken in Clinton didn't last long. After bounced checks, owner disputes, and awful business decisions, Flav's Fried Chicken closed its door in Clinton on April 24, 2011.

Cimino told the Clinton Herald when asked about the business failing,

“(Flav) takes credit for everything and he has to be stopped,” Cimino said. “He will keep doing this to other communities. Everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie. He didn’t know what was going on with the business, he confused everybody and he wanted to switch how I ran the business. He was supposed to be here for appearances and run with the public.”

Cimino actually apologized to the residents of Clinton for "bringing such an imposter and fraud into Clinton."

Where is everyone now? Do you really care? Me neither. Happy 13 years Flav's Fried Chicken.