Current:Home > NewsFlavor Flav goes viral after national anthem performance at Milwaukee Bucks game: Watch -WealthMindset Learning
Flavor Flav goes viral after national anthem performance at Milwaukee Bucks game: Watch
View
Date:2025-04-15 03:32:01
Flavor Flav might not have immediately come to mind as an option when the Milwaukee Bucks said during the offseason that the team was seeking performers for the national anthem.
But the rapper, a member of the legendary group Public Enemy who famously rapped "Fight the Power," sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Sunday night's Bucks game at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, making his mark as the second performer of the new season.
The rendition certainly caught the attention of many on social media.
Flavor Flav, who donned in a No. 59 Milwaukee Bucks jersey, white hoodie and red blinged-out medallion, sang the anthem to the best of his ability, as the crowd looked on. A few Milwaukee Bucks players were seen trying to hold in or hide their laughter.
Flavor Flav received a small applause from the crowd after reaching the high note on "the rockets red glare" and "the land of the free."
Once he reached "home of the brave," he repeated the final verse three times, receiving applause with some in the audience giving a standing ovation.
Though some weren't fond of the performance, others compared Flav's performance to other renditions from the past that went viral, such as U.S. Olympian Carl Lewis' rendition in 1993 in New Jersey. The nine-time Olympic gold medalist's rendition was considered so poor that ESPN hosts famously struggled to make it through the segment.
There was also Fergie at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. That performance went viral as NBA superstars were caught on camera unable to hold in their laughter.
Flavor Flav did take to X, formerly known as Twitter, following the performance. He said the anthem was a "long time bucket list item" and he had "fun" during his performance.
"I can't live my life worried about what people might say about me," he added. "I won't let that stop me from trying new things and doing things I wanna do. Some people might not like that. But a sure failure is you stop trying."
Flavor Flav is known for bringing star power – or as Public Enemy group mate Chuck D said in his fine art book, "Livin’ Loud: ARTitation," Flavor Flav's job is "to come into the room and 'suck the stardom out of it.'"
"You can be the icing on the cake and be the spectacle, but it takes the rest to be spectacular," Chuck D told USA TODAY. "I always urged him, 'You’ve done the spectacle. Now work on the spectacular.' But it’s always good (between us)."
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY
10 years later:the 'worst anthem' singer is on a Star-Spangled redemption tour
veryGood! (52)
Related
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- Alabama’s attorney general says the state can prosecute those who help women travel for abortions
- The Lineup for Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween Is Here and It's Spooktacular
- Families face waiting game in Maui back-to-school efforts
- Costco membership growth 'robust,' even amid fee increase: What to know about earnings release
- Delaware judge orders status report on felony gun charge against Hunter Biden
- Amal and George Clooney’s Date Night in Italy Is the Perfect Storm for Amore
- Rule allowing rail shipments of LNG will be put on hold to allow more study of safety concerns
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- 'Only Murders' post removed from Selena Gomez's Instagram amid strikes: Reports
Ranking
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- ESPN goes dark for Spectrum cable subscribers amid Disney-Charter Communications dispute
- Behind the scenes with Deion Sanders, Colorado's uber-confident football czar
- Horoscopes Today, August 31, 2023
- Federal Spending Freeze Could Have Widespread Impact on Environment, Emergency Management
- He collapsed in 103 degree heat working his Texas UPS route. Four days later he was dead.
- Cities are embracing teen curfews, though they might not curb crime
- Velocity at what cost? MLB's hardest throwers keep succumbing to Tommy John surgery
Recommendation
Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
Dog repeatedly escapes animal shelter, sneaks into nursing home, is adopted by residents
Emergency services leave South Africa fire scene. Now comes the grisly task of identifying bodies
FIFA president finally breaks silence, says World Cup kiss 'should never have happened'
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Triathlon
Affected by Idalia or Maui fires? Here's how to get federal aid
Biden approves Medal of Honor for Army helicopter pilot who rescued soldiers in a Vietnam firefight
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah Director Defends Adam Sandler's IRL Kids Starring in Film