The Unusual Inspiration Behind the Clock Necklace
Flavor Flav, the eccentric hype man of the legendary hip-hop group Public Enemy, recently revealed the unexpected inspiration behind his signature clock necklace during a chat with Roxanne Shante on SiriusXM’s Have a Nice Day radio show. Flava Flav’s necklace origin story involves a drug addict, a stolen bag of shower clocks, and a dare that turned into a fashion statement.
A Dare Turns into a Fashion Statement
Flav narrated, “This crackhead came through my projects, you know what I’m saying? Selling these shower clocks that she stole from a place called Fortunoff.” The tale took a twist when his friend, Son of Berserk, decided to swap Flav’s stopwatch for one of these stolen clocks. The result? Laughter and a dare to wear the clock on stage.
Flav took the dare seriously. “So when we went to open up for the Beastie Boys in Passaic, New Jersey, in 1986, I wore the clock, Roxanne, and then the next day on the front page of Newsday, New York Times, New York Post, the look of the clock was dope.”
Explore hip-hop fashion further in Stylishly Defiant: 90s Hip-hop Fashion Leaders
Flavor Flav’s Clock Necklace: From Joke to Iconic Symbol
Public Enemy, known for their politically charged lyrics and strong criticism of the American media, became a symbol of resistance in the hip-hop community. Flavor Flav, with his clock necklace, added a unique visual element to the group’s image. Initially a joke, the clock became an indelible part of Flav’s persona and Public Enemy’s brand.
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