Public Enemy co-founder Flavor Flav is in Paris to support his new passion: the U.S. women’s water polo team. The team has won three consecutive gold medals, and the rapper says he’s confident he can claim a fourth straight victory at the Summer Games.
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PARIS — “Hey, we’re in Paris!” rapper Flavor Flav shouted, laughing and shaking hands as he showed up at a news conference Friday at the main Olympic press center wearing a swim cap and a Team USA jersey.
“Don’t be ashamed, we’re in Paris!”
The Public Enemy co-founder has become a major promoter and “official endorser” of the U.S. women’s water polo team, which has won three consecutive gold medals at the Summer Olympics, in 2012, 2016 and 2021.
Flav told reporters he became fascinated with water polo after reading an article about the need for financial support for the women’s team.
He said it occurred to him that maybe he could help support the team.
“I said let me step in and see if I can help these girls,” he said, describing himself as a “sponsor” but declining to detail his level of financial support.
“Everyone likes to feel like they have their backs covered. It makes them feel more powerful.”
From left, Americans Maggie Steffens, Ashleigh Johnson, Madeline Musselman, Rachel Fatal and Kaleigh Gilchrist pose for photographers at the end of a U.S. women’s team press conference ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics on Wednesday in Paris.
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Members of the women’s water polo team, who are due to compete for the first time in Paris on Saturday, did not attend the press conference.
Asked about his own athletic background, Flavor Flav said he never competed professionally, but was “a hell of an athlete” in his youth.
“I just got in the pool with the girls and got to see how tough water polo is,” Flav said.
“It’s a very, very tough sport. I was in the water for seven minutes. It was the toughest seven minutes of my life.”
Flav said his Team USA outfit includes a waterproof clock necklace — a reference to the oversized clock pendant that is part of his signature look — as well as a water polo jersey and water polo cap.
“It’s a great outfit. I could wear it for the entire Olympics. I feel like an Olympic athlete.”
Water polo has long been a predominantly white sport, but this Olympic team includes Miami’s Ashleigh Johnson, who is black.
Flav called Johnson a “major inspiration” to young black people and said he hoped his own involvement could also help diversify the sport.
“I think by jumping in the water with Ashleigh, it could probably encourage more black people to play water polo. I know there are a lot of black people who can play it.”
Asked about his hopes for the Olympics, Flav said it all starts and ends with a fourth medal: “These girls got three gold medals, I want to help them get a fourth.”
The U.S. women’s rugby team also received support from singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who gifted team members tickets to one of her recent concerts.
“It was pretty incredible,” Maggie Stephens said at a press conference in Paris earlier this week of Swift’s concert.
“We want to be like her. We want to be able to enjoy the pressure, to be able to perform, to have fun and enjoy the moment.”
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