Maggie Stephens asked for more support for the U.S. women’s water polo team, and the captain received a particularly surprising response.
From the rap icon wearing a clock.
Moved by Stephens’ Instagram post, Flavor Fluff has come forward to support Team USA as they aim for an unprecedented fourth straight gold medal at this summer’s Paris Olympics. He is in the process of signing a deal to become a sponsor of USA Water Polo and become the official promoter of the program, which will garner greater attention.
Fluff, 65, a founding member and hype man for Public Enemy, has jumped into his new role head-on, highlighting some of the team’s best players on social media. She also says she is planning to watch the women’s team play in Paris.
“When I go out and see this water polo team…’America!’ United States of America!’ Hey, I’m going to be the biggest hype man of their lives,” he told The Associated Press on Friday. “I’m going to be bigger than any cheerleader they’ve ever been. I’m going to root for this team and root for this team to win the gold medal.”
Since the 2012 Olympics, victories have been a regular occurrence for the U.S. women’s team. However, water polo does not receive the same attention and support as similarly powerful American programs, largely because it remains a niche sport in most parts of the world.
That, along with a bit of nostalgia, prompted Stephens, 30, the last remaining member of the 2012 team, to post on Instagram. While expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to play and her love for her sport, she encouraged anyone reading this post to check out her team and explained how most Olympians struggle financially. He emphasized that he was doing it.
“I got a lot of comments like, ‘Oh, what you did was so cool.’ Unfortunately, you’re not a football player or a basketball player, because your team doesn’t want more visibility or more… We’re going to have the support of a lot of people,” Steffens said Friday from Paris, where the team is on a training trip for the Olympics.
“And instead, we’re still where we were 12 years ago, but for me that’s not my goal. I’ve always wanted to move the sport forward.”
Meet Fluff, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 with the group Public Enemy. Fluff’s manager noticed this post and decided he wanted to help.
“The one thing you can say about me is that I know what it feels like to want to see dreams come true,” said Fluff, who is known for wearing a large watch on a chain around her neck. Ta. “I understand that you want to achieve your goals. When I see you working hard, I’m the type of person who will do everything I can for you.”
Steffens said it was “so surreal” when Flav (real name William Jonathan Drayton Jr.) contacted him. Asked what he knew about Fluff and Public Enemy before hooking up, Stephens immediately imitated Fluff’s frequent refrain of “Flavor Flav!” declaration.
Steffens is one of the oldest players on the U.S. team, but 24-year-old Ryan Neuschl is in Public Enemy’s top five on music streaming service Spotify, she said. Several of the team’s coaches and Stephens’ family were also excited about the partnership.
“The whole family was like, ‘Is this real?'” Is Flav still part of the water polo world? ‘ said Steffens. “I was like, ‘I don’t know what’s going on, but I want to wear a watch right now, that’s how I feel.'”
Stephens and the U.S. team also have another notable supporter in Taylor Swift. They attended the musician’s Hellas Tour concert on Friday night at La Defense Arena, the venue of the August 10 women’s water polo final.
Women’s national team coach Allie Beck contacted Swift’s camp and surprised the team with tickets. Flav also contacted Swift’s team, but she said her ticket had already been approved.
Fluff, who is working on another tour with Public Enemy that could begin later this year, held up a T-shirt with a photo of himself that read “KING SWIFTIE.”
“We’re proud to support Taylor. … Flavor Flav is Swifty and the king of all Swifties,” he said.
That’s another connection between Fluff and his new favorite team.
