Freeport's Matthew Drayton, grandson of hip-hop icon Flavor Flav, is charting his own course with aspirations for a professional lacrosse career. Drayton, a midfielder at Hampton University, aims to build his own legacy distinct from his grandfather's renowned musical achievements.
"He does wear a clock — and I’m fortunate for him to be my grandfather," Drayton said of his famous relative. "But I’m making my own legacy…and I want to play professionally."
Drayton, 20, demonstrated his lacrosse talent during his high school career at Freeport, setting a single-season record of 74 points in 2023. His grandfather, known as Flavor Flav, was a football player in high school and has shown support for Matthew's lacrosse journey, though he initially envisioned him as a football player.
Drayton has intentionally kept his family connection quiet to establish an independent athletic identity. He has not emphasized his grandfather's fame to his Hampton team staff, who learned of the connection through a former coach. This approach reflects his desire to make a name for himself without relying on nepotism.
His collegiate lacrosse path has included stops at St. Thomas Aquinas College and Nassau Community College before transferring to Hampton on scholarship for the 2026 season. As part of the Lions at Nassau, Drayton was involved in a national championship run in 2025. He played through significant hand injuries during that tournament, having received 16 stitches in each finger after a knife cut days before the championship game. Despite the pain, he played with the understanding that a severe check could result in losing a finger.
At Hampton, Drayton is focused on helping the team end a 70-game losing streak dating back to 2019. "I’m really on this mission of shocking the world. I live by ‘shock the world,’" he stated, expressing hope for being named team captain next season and leading Hampton to its first Division I win in 13 years.
Drayton trains with childhood friend and fellow midfielder Ryan Baston, who also played at Freeport. Baston, now a graduate of Alfred State, described their training as a competitive dynamic, with himself being defense-minded and Drayton being offense-minded, embodying the principle that "iron sharpens iron."
Baston, who plans to coach at Freeport after a potential career with the NYPD, credits his training with Drayton for earning him second-team all-conference defensive midfielder honors last season. Baston noted that he is too young to have personal memories of Flavor Flav's music.
Drayton shared that his grandfather is supportive of his lacrosse endeavors and is interested in assisting with fundraising for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) like Hampton. Flavor Flav also expressed his pride, encouraging Drayton to continue his hard work and acknowledging their shared desire to "shock the world."