The U.S. women’s water polo team is set to begin their quest for a historic fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal on Saturday, backed by an unexpected supporter: Flavor Flav. The 65-year-old founding member of Public Enemy is generating buzz in the city as the team’s official hype man.
“This is an incredible experience for me right now because the only time I’ve ever seen the Olympics was on TV,” Flav shared while mingling with fans at the Team USA house in the historic Palais Brongniart on Thursday. “I’ve always wanted to experience it in person.”
This unlikely collaboration began in May when team captain Maggie Steffens made an Instagram plea for financial assistance. Flav, whose legal name is William Jonathan Drayton Jr, stepped in, offering his support while drawing attention to one of the most successful yet underappreciated teams in the Olympics.
“As a father of daughters and a supporter of women’s sports, I’m going to personally sponsor you all, whatever you need. I’ll sponsor the entire team,” Flav responded.
A few weeks later, Flav inked a five-year sponsorship deal with both the U.S. women’s and men’s water polo teams, aimed at elevating the sport’s visibility in the United States. Alongside an undisclosed financial contribution, he will also make multiple appearances at USA Water Polo events to attract attention to a sport that often struggles for recognition, even during the Olympics.
“I’ve been inspired by other women in sports to use my voice, which can be daunting,” Steffens noted. “I wanted people to recognize my teammates and challenge them to engage with some of the more niche sports this Olympics, particularly women’s events.”
“Flavor Flav noticed that and it sparked his interest … he has really opened up opportunities for more people to discover our team and our diverse communities, people who may have otherwise never heard of water polo.”
The U.S. women’s team has a proven track record. Three years ago in Tokyo, they became the third nation ever to secure three consecutive Olympic titles in water polo. Ranked among the most dominant teams globally, they are favorites to clinch a fourth gold in Paris, starting with their match against Greece on Saturday.
Flav’s support extends beyond financial contributions. When Steffens and her teammates visited Paris for a test event in May, Flav leveraged his industry connections to secure tickets for the entire team to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour at La Défense Arena.
Since arriving in Paris, Flav has fully embraced his role. He’s been a constant presence, easily spotted in a Team USA jersey, swim cap, and a custom waterproof USA Water Polo clock. He even held a half-hour news conference at the main press center on Friday morning.
“This is an honor and a pleasure, a perfect measure – and I’ll cherish this memory as a treasured moment,” he declared.
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Last month, Flav even jumped into the pool with the women’s team for a video that has garnered millions of views on Instagram and TikTok, even managing to score a goal against star goaltender Ashleigh Johnson. “I recently jumped in the pool and realized how challenging water polo is,” he said. “I tell everyone I managed to stay afloat for seven minutes, and those were the hardest seven minutes of my life! But the girls said I did well.”
Categorizing this partnership as unexpected would be an understatement. While making pointed social commentary on tracks like “911 Is a Joke” and “Fight the Power,” Flav has also had his share of legal troubles, including nine weeks in prison in 2002 for multiple driving offenses and various other charges over the years.
The United States women’s water polo team claimed gold at the Tokyo Olympics.
Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters
This isn’t the conventional pairing one might anticipate for an Olympic collaboration, where large corporations like Coca-Cola and Intel generally dominate. Yet, Flav’s heartfelt commitment to promoting excellence in women’s sports, clearly visible in Paris, appears sincere.
“When these athletes aren’t in the pool, they’re leading active lives, often juggling two or three jobs. Achieving a gold medal is no small feat,” he stated on Friday. “Everyone wants to feel supported, like someone has their back. When they feel that, it empowers them, boosts their confidence, and provides the energy they need to pursue that fourth gold medal.”
