For over 30 years, Flavor Flav has remained a beloved beacon of fun within the hip-hop community. Beginning his career with Public Enemy in the late 1980s, fans fell in love with the enthusiastic rapper and hype man. The symbolic clock neck pieces he wears have always been a part of his uniform, even when he crossed over into reality television in the early 2000s. During a recent visit to Harvard University, the adored MC gifted the school with his famous clock chain.
Flav spent much of Tuesday meeting with staff and students at the Ivy League school. Scholars were left with an unforgettable experience as Flav read Emily Dickinson’s 1896 poem “A Clock Stopped.” In “Flavorful” fashion, the 64-year-old hilariously recited the poem, even finding a way to tie it into his iconic timepiece. “I sound like I graduated from Harvard, and I haven’t even went to school here,” he told the room of onlookers.
Flavor Flav at Harvard’s Square Homeless Shelter
He then completed the reading of the poem by generously handing off his famous piece of jewelry. Professors Henry Louis Gates and Tommie Shelby were present to receive the gift, which the Hip Hop Archive Research Institute will now house. The school established the classroom exhibit in 2002, serving as a museum of sorts for those studying rap culture. Now, a piece of Public Enemy history will be available for all to view. In addition to his lecture and generous donation, Flav volunteered at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter. He shared images from his busy day on Instagram, which showed him in the shelter’s kitchen and meeting people around the bustling campus.
Flav was also joined by DJ Stretch Armstrong, Lupe Fiasco, and the former wife of the late Muhammad Ali, Khaliah Ali. The visit is an excellent action for Flav, who announced in October that he’d celebrated two years of sobriety. At the height of his addiction, he was spending upwards of $2,000 daily on drugs. These days, it appears the “Flavor of Love” star is in great spirits and eager to reach a younger audience. Hopefully, Harvard opening their doors to Flav is a sign of more visits from him.
