CNN
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Flavor Flav is transferring by means of life today like he’s obtained no time to waste.
In current months, he’s been noticed backstage at a Bruce Springsteen live performance, opening for U2, talking at Harvard, gushing over Cher and Donny Osmond, and buying and selling friendship bracelets with the Swifties at an “Eras Tour” present. The last word hype man, nevertheless, is not any stranger to fame himself.
Flav’s personal profession kicked off in 1985, when he co-founded the rap group Public Enemy. He went on to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame, and star in a number of in early aughts actuality exhibits, together with “The Surreal Life” and “Taste of Love.”
He hasn’t misplaced his enthusiasm for all times, his fellow artists – or his signature clock necklaces – alongside the way in which. Now 65, Flav’s subsequent venture is a actuality collection that can give attention to his pursuit to acquire a highschool diploma.
CNN lately caught up with Flav to see if we may bottle a few of his seemingly infinite enthusiasm. Our dialogue, which touched on his hopes to satisfy Megan Thee Stallion and staying extra humble than King Kong, follows. It has been frivolously edited for readability and size.
CNN: Are these clock sun shades you could have on?
FF: “Yep. These all classic frames, child classic frames.”
CNN: So, as a fan, who have you ever met lately that you simply’re liking?
FF: “I obtained to satisfy Donny Osmond final week, you already know what I’m saying?”
CNN: As a Swiftie, are you excited for the brand new album that got here out this week?
FF: “I like Taylor Swift. Yeah. , energy to the Swifties, energy to the Swifties.”
CNN: You two each love carrying your clocks.
FF: “That’s proper. That’s proper. And we each maintain ‘em on 12, too. Yep. And the explanation why I maintain my clock on 12 is as a result of 12 o’clock factors straight up. And proper now I’m straight up with you on daily basis.”
CNN: Find it irresistible. Okay, let’s get into it. What do you assume’s occurred in the previous couple of years with you? Have you ever come to understand artwork and artists extra?
FF: “, the world has a number of love for Public Enemy. what I’m saying? Yeah. And there’s a number of younger artists which have a number of love for Taste Flav as effectively. So what I’m doing is I’m simply embracing all of that and I’m embracing their music as effectively.”
CNN: How do you could have all this vitality? You could have a younger spirit.
FF: “I’m simply attempting to maintain up with what’s occurring, you already know what I’m saying? With the entire new stuff that’s occurring and, and all of those youthful, new artists. Simply attempting to maintain up.”
CNN: You lately met Cher, are you able to discuss that second for you?
FF: “I don’t know if she precisely knew who I used to be. Yeah. However I may inform that she knew I knew who she was. I’ve been attempting to satisfy this lady for the longest, so after they informed me that she was going to be on the iHeart Awards, I stated, you already know what, now this may very well be my probability. The one factor I do know is that I needed to ensure that that lady knew who I used to be, the place I got here from and why I used to be there. And the one factor I may say, mission completed, child.”
CNN: And you’re keen on Billie Eilish, ideas on her?
FF: “My love for Billie Eilish comes from, from the kind of individual that she is, primary. And as a younger artist, she’s very unimaginable. And never solely that, however she’s making historical past. She’s very, very formidable, a go-getter. And I’m a go-getter. Yeah. Identical to Billie Eilish, I like her, man.”
CNN: You lately made it backstage to satisfy Bruce Springsteen, what was his response to you?
FF: “I hoped he knew who I used to be. However I inform all people this, I by no means took gymnastics, however I used to be flipping. I used to be flipping. The most important factor was when he got here off the stage to stroll into the viewers. As he handed by me, he gave his boy Taste Flav a pound.”
CNN: Have any huge names been wanting to satisfy you?
FF: “Yeah. And never solely that, a number of these celebs that I’ve been assembly, I’m fairly positive they’ve been wanting to satisfy me too. It’s simply that I obtained to them first earlier than they obtained to me.”
CNN: Who’s nonetheless in your checklist to satisfy?
FF: “I haven’t met Megan Thee Stallion but.”
CNN: Who’s probably the most well-known particular person in your cellphone proper now?
FF: “Beside myself? Babyface Edmonds. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Jelly Roll! LL Cool J.”
CNN: What do your youngsters consider all this fame and fanning?
FF: “My youngsters are having a ball with all of this man, simply being themselves. My on a regular basis life is, getting up, taking my son to high school, selecting him up from college, you already know?”
CNN: How would you describe life for you at this second?
FF: “I’m having enjoyable with my life proper now. I’m actually having a number of enjoyable with my life proper now. Let me inform you this, as a result of you already know, this life that we reside bodily, we solely get it one time.”
CNN: Isn’t that the purpose of your clock necklace?
FF: “Yeah. So my factor is that this, whereas we’re residing this one, one bodily life, let’s get all out of life whereas we are able to, let’s have all of the enjoyable we are able to whereas we are able to. As a result of once we die, we change into nothing however reminiscences. However we wanna be probably the most optimistic reminiscences, probably the most influential reminiscences, probably the most modern reminiscences, you already know, probably the most optimistic reminiscences that’s talked about years after our loss of life.”
CNN: You’re aware of that on daily basis?
FF: “Hey. Since you get up on daily basis realizing that life ain’t promised to you.”
CNN: Any ultimate ideas in your thoughts you need to get out?
FF: “Let me say this. , when folks see me, lots of people see me as this actual huge big star. Like greater than King Kong, however to me, I’m not that measurement. I’m solely this human measurement, you already know? And also you gotta maintain it humble, man. You gotta maintain it humble. And I feel that’s one other factor that individuals love about me most is as a result of I’m humble, you already know? I’m a fan, but in addition I do give folks the time of day when folks come and ask me for an image, they get it. After they come and ask me for an autograph or a hug, I give it to ‘em. And that stuff goes a really, very great distance.”