At the recent MTV VMAs, both gymnast Jordan Chiles and rapper Flavor Flav took the stage as presenters. The event created a unique moment, blending the worlds of gymnastics and music. Flavor Flav, a well-known fan of Chiles, had previously promised to gift her a bronze medal after a controversial ranking in the floor exercise final at the Paris Olympics affected her position. That night, he fulfilled his promise, handing her a specially made bronze clock necklace.
The scene at the UBS Arena, typically reserved for musicians, became a place for Chiles to receive her symbolic medal from Flavor Flav. The rapper, clearly a devoted fan, made the moment even more special by saying, “I got you something that they can’t take away from you,” leaving Chiles visibly moved. Her smile widened as she stood in awe, simply responding, “I don’t even know what to say here.” After a month, the clock necklace, which represents Flav’s support, finally found its true owner.
The backstory to this moment began in August, when the gymnastics world was shocked by the International Gymnastics Federation’s (FIG) decision to alter Chiles’ ranking in the women’s floor exercise final at the Olympics. Flavor Flav, who had been an enthusiastic supporter of Team USA throughout the Paris Games—having even financially supported the women’s water polo team—couldn’t ignore Chiles’ disappointment. On August 11, he took to social media to announce that he would be making a bronze clock necklace for her, a unique gift that no one else had. The next day, he shared a snippet of the completed necklace, but Chiles, having stepped away from social media, wasn’t there to see it. Her mother, Gina, however, took notice and promised to let her daughter know about the heartfelt gesture.
Even though Chiles had retreated from social media, the saga around her medal continued to affect her deeply. During the Forbes Power Women’s Summit on September 11, Chiles opened up about how the incident impacted her, saying that losing the medal was more than just a loss in sports—it was a loss of recognition for who she was, both as an athlete and a person. She expressed frustration that despite doing everything right, she still faced this setback. In her emotional speech, she explained, “It’s not about the medal, it’s about my skin color. It’s about the fact there were things that have led up to this position of being an athlete. And I felt like everything has been stripped.”
Chiles further shared that the loss made her feel as though she had returned to 2018, a time when she had lost her passion for gymnastics. However, the overwhelming support she received from her fans, and from people like Flavor Flav, has continued to fuel her resolve to fight for justice. She ended her speech on a determined note, stating, “It’s not over.” Flavor Flav’s symbolic medal now serves as a reminder of that continued fight.
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While the saga of Chiles’ ranking remains unresolved, the bond between the gymnast and Flavor Flav highlights how people from different worlds can come together in support of a cause. The rapper even used his moment on stage at the UBS Arena to call out those responsible for the ranking controversy, adding another layer of emotion to an already unforgettable night.
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