Rapper Flavor Flav and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles shared an unforgettable moment together at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.
As the first presenters of the night, the pair lit up the stage at the award show in New York on Wednesday, September 11.
What truly captured everyone’s attention and melted the hearts of fans was seeing the 65-year-old rap artist surprise the young gymnast with a bronze clock necklace.
Highlights
- Flavor Flav gifted Jordan Chiles a bronze clock necklace at the 2024 MTV VMAs.
- The Olympic gymnast was visibly touched by the rapper's supportive gesture.
- "I got you something that they can’t take away from you,” he said.
- The pair lit up the stage at the award show as the first presenters of the night.
Flavor Flav and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles opened the MTV Video Music Awards as the show's first presenters of the evening
Image credits: Noam Galai for MTV / Getty Images
Flav, who sponsored the US Women’s water polo team at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, donned some water polo gear as he handed out the bling to the 23-year-old sports star.
“I know they’re trying to take your medal away from you, but you know what—I got you something that they can’t take away from you,” said the rapper, whose real name is William Jonathan Drayton Jr.
“That’s why I wanted to turn this into an Olympic moment, Jordan,” he continued. “And guess what else, too? I got your prize money, too. I got that for you. I just wanted to surprise you with that.”
In a touching gesture, the rapper gifted Jordan Chiles a unique bronze clock necklace, symbolizing his support and admiration
The Olympic gold winner was visibly touched as the Can’t Truss It artist said, “Jordan, you did your thing. Congratulations. You deserve everything.”
Jordan’s performance in the women’s individual floor exercise final was one of the most talked-about subjects from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The initial results ended with the U.S. gymnast finishing in fifth place behind Romanian gymnasts Ana Barbosu and Sabrina Maneca-Voinea with a score of 13.666. However, Jordan’s coaches appealed the score as they believed her difficulty score was underrated.
They argued that her leap should have been credited more because it involved a 540-degree turn, and their appeal was successful. The judges consequently adjusted Jordan’s score to 13.766, which elevated her to the bronze medal position.
“I know they’re trying to take your medal away from you, but you know what—I got you something that they can’t take away from you,” the 65-year-old rap artist said
As she moved to third place, the 18-year-old Romanian competitor Ana was bumped off the podium. But Jordan’s moment of glory did not last forever, as the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee responded to the turn of events by submitting a request for a review.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) finally ruled in favor of Ana, citing that Jordan’s coach had submitted the appeal four seconds past the allowable time frame.
This meant Jordan was forced to give up her bronze medal.
Jordan’s performance in the women’s individual floor exercise at the 2024 Paris Olympics initially earned her fifth place. However, an appeal led to a bronze medal, only for the medal to be later rescinded
Hearts went out to the gymnastics powerhouse following the gut-wrenching turn of events.
Fans and celebrities, including Flavor Flav, rallied behind her with support.
The rapper said last month that he was collaborating with his clockmaker to create a custom bronze-studded version for Jordan. He clarified that the clock can’t replace an Olympic medal, but it was to shower her with love and respect for her talent.
Flavor Flav previously said the bronze clock was a gift of "love" and "appreciation" for her performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics
"One of the best feelings that an athlete can have is when they're winning or when they won something, you feel me," he told USA TODAY. "I'm quite sure that for Jordan Chiles, and any other athlete that ever went through that...how devastating the feeling can be."
"The bronze clock that I made for Jordan Chiles, it's a gift of love. It's a gift of appreciation. It's a gift of 'We recognize who you are, we appreciate who you are,'" he added. "That girl went out there and performed her behind off for that medal. She rightfully won the medal."