Maggie Steffens requested for extra help for the U.S. girls’s water polo group, and the captain acquired one notably shocking response.
From a clock-wearing rap icon.
Moved by Steffens’ Instagram put up, Taste Flav has stepped ahead to assist the U.S. group because it goes for an unprecedented fourth consecutive gold medal on the Paris Olympics this summer season. He’s finalizing a deal that can make him a USA Water Polo sponsor and the official hype man for a program in search of an even bigger highlight.
The 65-year-old Flav, a founding member and hype man with Public Enemy, has jumped headfirst into his new duties, highlighting a number of the group’s greatest gamers on social media. He is also planning to look at the ladies’s group play in Paris.
“After I come out and I watch this water polo group … ‘USA! USA!’ Yo, I’m going to be the most important hype man that they ever had of their life,” he informed the AP on Friday. “I’m going to be larger than any cheerleader that that they had of their life. I’m going to cheer this group on, and I’m going to cheer this group into successful a gold medal.”
Successful has been the same old consequence for the U.S. girls’s group for the reason that 2012 Olympics. Nevertheless it hasn’t attracted the identical consideration or help as equally dominant American packages, largely as a result of water polo stays a distinct segment sport all through many of the world.
That — together with just a little nostalgia — prompted Steffens, 30, the final remaining member of the 2012 group, to put up on Instagram. Whereas expressing gratitude for the chance to play and her love for her sport, she additionally inspired anybody studying the put up to take a look at her group and highlighted the fixed monetary wrestle for many Olympic athletes.
“We’ve gotten a number of feedback you already know of ‘Oh, it’s so cool what you’ve completed. Bummer you’re not a soccer participant or a basketball participant, as a result of your group could be getting far more publicity or far more help,’” Steffens stated Friday from Paris, the place the group is on a coaching journey forward of the Olympics.
“And as a substitute we’re nonetheless sort of the place we have been at 12 years in the past, which for me isn’t my purpose. I’ve at all times wished to propel the game ahead.”
Enter Flav, who was inducted with the group Public Enemy into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame in 2013. Flav’s supervisor introduced the put up to his consideration, and he determined he wished to assist.
“One factor about me, I do know what it feels wish to wish to see a dream come true,” stated Flav, who is understood for carrying a giant clock on a sequence round his neck. “I do know what it feels wish to wish to obtain a purpose, and I’m the kind of person who, if I see you making an attempt, then I’m going to do no matter I can that can assist you.”
Steffens stated it was “very surreal” when Flav — whose authorized identify is William Jonathan Drayton Jr. — reached out. Requested what she knew about Flav and Public Enemy earlier than the connection, Steffens promptly imitated Flav’s frequent “Taste Flav!” declaration.
Steffens is likely one of the oldest gamers on the U.S. group, however she stated Ryann Neushul, 24, had Public Enemy in her high 5 on the music streaming service, Spotify. A few the group’s coaches and Steffens’ household additionally have been excited in regards to the partnership.
“My entire household was like ‘Is that this actual? Flav is a part of the water polo world now?’” Steffens stated. “I used to be like ‘I don’t know what’s occurring, however I wish to put on a clock proper now and that’s how I’m feeling.’”
Steffens and the U.S. group even have one other high-profile supporter in Taylor Swift. They attended the musician’s Eras Tour live performance on Friday evening at La Défense Enviornment — the venue for the ladies’s water polo remaining on Aug. 10.
Girls’s nationwide group supervisor Ally Beck reached out to Swift’s camp and shocked the group with the tickets. Flav stated he additionally contacted Swift’s group, however the tickets had already been authorised.
Flav, who’s engaged on one other tour with Public Enemy that would start later this yr, then held up a T-shirt together with his image that learn “KING SWIFTIE.”
“I’m proud to help Taylor. … Taste Flav is a Swiftie, the king of all of the Swifties,” he stated.
That’s one other connection Flav has together with his new favourite group.
