Why is American rapper Flavor Flav at the Paris Olympics and spending time with the USA Water Polo team? Let us explain.
When it comes to things that make you go “whaa?”, the Olympics are a harvest season of true abundance, a point that’s even more driven home by this year’s featuring stuff that’s extremely, what’s the word, French. From headless Marie Antoinette metal performances to Stranger Things-meets-Phantom of the Opera opening ceremonies, there’s no shortage of curios so far at this year’s Paris Olympiad.
Flavor Flav is at the Paris Olympics
However, if you’ve been watching any of the water polo events so far, you may have noticed a recognizable figure who seems lost and, knowing him, very well might have been.
Yes, rap legend Flavor Flav has been ever-present at the US polo events. You’ve undoubtedly caught a glimpse during the broadcast so far and thought, “wait, shouldn’t he be wearing comically large clock necklaces somewhere?”
However, Flav’s presence is of a more official manner than you might imagine. And it’s fantastic.
How Flavor Flav got involved with Olympic Water Polo
On May 4th, water polo Olympian Maggie Steffens posted on Instagram that revealed how many Olympic athletes hold second and third jobs to help achieve their medal dreams.
Below that post was a comment by Flav, who wrote, “AYYY YOOO,,, as a girl dad and supporter of all women’s sports—imma personally sponsor you my girl,,, whatever you need.”
@maggie.steffens/Instagram
“And imma sponsor the whole team,” he added. “My manager is in touch with your agent and imma use all my relationships and resources to help all y’all even more. That’s a FLAVOR FLAV promise.”
How good is a Flavor Flav promise, you ask? As good as its weight in gold clock necklaces, because on July 1st, Flavor Flav officially signed a five-year sponsorship deal with USA Water Polo to cover the men’s and women’s water polo teams.
Flava Flav is sponsoring the USA Women’s water polo team, who’s won 3 consecutive Olympic gold medals, so that the team members don’t have to keep working multiple jobs just to support themselves while they’re also training.
pic.twitter.com/0fjrUJcj6K
— Women Posting W’s (@womenpostingws) July 27, 2024
Flav spoke to NBC Olympics in May to explain more of his reasoning behind the support. “For me doing this, I ain’t gonna lie, to me this is one of the biggest things that I feel that I could have ever done in life, outside of the other accomplishments that I’ve made to music,” he said. “By sponsoring a water polo team and helping these girls out, this is bigger than me winning a Grammy.”
It’s all pretty awesome and Flav looks like he’s having the time of his damn life cheering on the team, encouraging other celebrities to do the same, and even hanging out with First Lady Jill Biden.
Flav’s also not content to just cheer from the sidelines. The man wants in on the action too:
@usawomenswaterpoloteam
We got Flavor Flav in the pool y’all 👏🏼
♬ original sound – USA Women’s Water Polo
Either way, Flav has garnered a whole lot of goodwill from the gesture. Including online:
I want every rich person in this country to see what Flava Flav is doing and understand, THAT is what you are supposed to be doing with your excess wealth. Sponsor athletes, sponsor art, spend your money on things for the collective without looking for a ROI. The ROI is cultural.
— ✂️🧵🪡😵💫 (@tensmoonwalk) July 28, 2024
The fact that he became the team’s official FIVE-YEAR sponsor after learning about their financial struggles…almost like listening to women leads to progress https://t.co/mhO4ZhYxR6
— Tess Garcia (@HiThisIsTess) July 28, 2024
Love this, Flava Flav is sponsoring the USA Women’s Water Polo team after finding out members of the team were quietly working multiple jobs to pay for training and competing even after winning 3 Olympic gold medals. He’s calling other celebrities to do the same with other teams.
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) July 28, 2024
The French gonna French, but the *truly* wild image to emerge from Paris thus far is 65 year-old rapper Flava Flav embracing Jill Biden at women’s water polo.
The story behind the impromptu Flava Flav-FLOTUS summit is… very Flav, and very America: pic.twitter.com/UAbP7pZfr7
— Monica Marks (@MonicaLMarks) July 28, 2024
Honestly, they should probably just let him compete. Just for one competition that they don’t really care about. Come on, the guy’s earned it!
Of course, Flav isn’t the only old-school rap icon to be having a blast at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Snoop Dogg’s there too folks, providing interviews and commentary as only he can.
Your move, Vanilla Ice.
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