Maggie Steffens requested for extra help for the U.S. ladies’s water polo group, and the captain acquired one significantly stunning response.
From a clock-wearing rap icon.
Moved by Steffens’ Instagram submit, 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 time. He’s finalizing a deal that can make him a USA Water Polo sponsor and the official hype man for a program looking for 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 among the group’s finest gamers on social media. He is also planning to look at the ladies’s group play in Paris.
“Once 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.”
Profitable has been the same old end result for the U.S. ladies’s group for the reason that 2012 Olympics. But it surely 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 a lot of the world.
That — together with just a little nostalgia — prompted Steffens, 30, the final remaining member of the 2012 group, to submit on Instagram. Whereas expressing gratitude for the chance to play and her love for her sport, she additionally inspired anybody studying the submit to take a look at her group and highlighted the fixed monetary battle for many Olympic athletes.
“We’ve gotten numerous feedback of ‘Oh, it’s so cool what you’ve carried out. 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 mentioned Friday from Paris, the place the group is on a coaching journey forward of the Olympics.
“And as a substitute we’re nonetheless form of the place we had been at 12 years in the past, which for me isn’t my objective. 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 submit to his consideration, and he determined he wished to assist.
“One factor about me, I do know what it feels prefer to wish to see a dream come true,” mentioned Flav, who is thought for sporting a giant clock on a sequence round his neck. “I do know what it feels prefer to wish to obtain a objective, 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 will help you.”
Steffens mentioned 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 without doubt one of the oldest gamers on the U.S. group, however she mentioned 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 had 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 mentioned. “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 Area — the venue for the ladies’s water polo closing on Aug. 10.
Ladies’s nationwide group supervisor Ally Beck reached out to Swift’s camp and stunned the group with the tickets. Flav mentioned he additionally contacted Swift’s group, however the tickets had already been accredited.
Flav, who’s engaged on one other tour with Public Enemy that might start later this 12 months, 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 mentioned.
That’s one other connection Flav has together with his new favourite group.
