Legendary rapper Flavor Flav is now officially the new hype man for the U.S. men’s and women’s water polo teams, signing a five-year sponsorship deal that includes multiple poolside appearances at competitions, social media collaborations and a financial contribution to the 2024 Olympic women’s water polo team.
In May, Taste Taste answered the call of US women’s water polo team captain Maggie Steffens to support the team ahead of his attempt to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.
“These women are out here working their asses off, making the United States look good, chasing gold,” Flavor Flav said Monday on “CBS Mornings.” “They’ve won three gold medals in a row. My manager showed me their story and my heart went out to these hard-working women.”
Flavor Flav admitted that he wasn’t that familiar with water polo and had only watched it on TV during the Olympics. But as he learned more about the sport, he began to feel sorry 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,” said Flav, born William Drayton Jr.
Steffens, who joined the rapper on “CBS Mornings,” said she shared the team’s story in May because she wanted to raise awareness and hope their efforts would be recognized. She said she was very surprised and excited when she heard Flavor Flav wanted to get involved and that the partnership has had a positive impact on the team.
“It’s a beautiful, beautiful expectation and relationship that’s changed, and he’s really opened a lot of doors, and has really been a hype man for us. It’s amazing,” she said.
According to Steffens, the rapper brings positivity to the team, especially with the Olympic Games less than 30 days away.
“His energy helps relieve pressure, stress and anxiety,” Steffens said.
During the appearance on “CBS Mornings,” Flavor Flav also announced a surprise for the Olympic women’s water polo team, revealing that each player would receive a Virgin Voyage cruise and a $1,000 donation. He plans to attend the opening games of the Olympics and cheer them on, with hopes of them winning a fourth gold medal, and also hopes his involvement 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 partnership with Red Lobster. When he learned that the restaurant reportedly closing some locationshe gathered some support by posting on social media. This led to another unexpected collaboration when he became their ambassador for their Crabfest special, along with a commercial appearance.
“When I saw them closing a lot of their doors … one thing about me, I’ve always loved Red Lobster since 1987, 1988, I brought my family, that’s always been one of my favorite family places, and I said I want to help them,” he said. “We have to save the biscuits.”
