Legendary rapper Flavor Flav is now officially the new hype man for the USA Men's and Women's National Water Polo Teams. She has signed a five-year sponsorship deal that includes multiple appearances poolside at competitions, social media collaborations and is making a financial contribution to the 2024 Olympic women's water polo team.
In May, Flavor Flavor answered the call from US women's water polo team captain Maggie Steffens support the team ahead of his bid for an unprecedented fourth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Olympic Games this summer.
“These women are out here busting asses, making America look good, chasing gold,” Flavor Flav said on “CBS Mornings” Monday. “They've won three gold medals in a row. My coach showed me their story and my heart went out to these hardworking women.”
Flavor Flav admitted that he had not been that familiar with water polo and had only seen it on TV during the Olympics. But as she learned more about the sport, she felt for the women.
“They're not just athletes; they're regular people who work two or three jobs and don't make a lot of money at the Olympics,” Flav, born William Drayton Jr., said.
Steffens, who joined the rapper on “CBS Mornings,” said she shared the team's story in May because she wanted to raise awareness and hoped their efforts would be recognized. She said she was very surprised and excited when she heard that Flavor Flav wanted to get involved and that the partnership has had a positive impact on the team.
“It's been a beautiful, beautiful expectation and relationship that's changed, and it's really opened a lot of doors for us and really been a hype man for us. It's been amazing,” he said.
Steffens said the rapper brings positivity to the team, especially with the Olympics less than 30 days away.
“Their energy helps relieve pressure, stress and anxiety,” Steffens said.
During the appearance on “CBS Mornings,” Flavor Flav also announced a surprise for the women's Olympic water polo team, revealing that each player would receive a Virgin Voyage cruise and a $1,000 donation. She plans to attend the opening games of the Olympics and cheer for them, with aspirations of a fourth gold medal, and also hopes that her participation will inspire more celebrities to support Olympic teams.
Collaboration with Red Lobster
In addition to his involvement with the water polo teams, Flavor Flav shared his recent collaboration with Red Lobster. When he discovered the The restaurant would close some locations, gathered some support by posting on social media. This led to another unexpected collaboration, as he became their ambassador for their Crabfest special, along with a commercial appearance.
“When I saw that they were closing a lot of their doors … one thing about me, I've always loved Red Lobster since 1987, 1988, I've taken my family, it's always been one of my family places favorites, and I said I wanted to help them,” he said. “We have to save the cookies.”
