Flavor Flav’s Viral National Anthem Performance May Surprise You

In a surprising moment at the Milwaukee Bucks game, Flavor Flav, member of the iconic rap group Public Enemy, took to the stage to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner.” While he may be better known for hits like “Fight the Power,” the rapper gave the national anthem his all. And while it might not have been a pitch-perfect rendition, the sincerity behind his performance was unmistakable.

Social media was buzzing post-performance. Many were quick to draw comparisons to other memorable renditions that had gone viral in the past. Remember Carl Lewis’ 1993 performance in New Jersey?

Or how about Fergie’s unforgettable take at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game? Yes, Flav’s rendition might join that hall of fame, but not for the reasons you’d expect.

The overarching sentiment wasn’t about how well Flav sang, but about the heart and effort he put into it. Comments poured in, with fans praising his courage and sincerity. One user commented, “Yo! way to go FLAV!!! I was always a fan but now I’m your hardcore fan for life. That was awesome! Yo!” Another added, “Not how well you sing it, it’s how sincere you are singing it…good job Flav.”

Flavor Flav, always one to stay connected with his fans, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his thoughts. He described the performance as a “long time bucket list item” and expressed how much fun he had. Not one to be deterred by critics, Flav mentioned, “I can’t live my life worried about what people might say about me. I won’t let that stop me from trying new things and doing things I wanna do.”

Ultimately, most people weren’t surprised that he was great—because it was terrible. People were actually surprised that it wasn’t nearly as BAD as they thought it would be; so I’d say that’s a win for Flav!

So, while Flav’s performance might not be making its way to any vocal hall of fame, it’s a testament to trying new things, putting yourself out there, and, most importantly, having fun while doing it.

See the full story at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.