Rakim, Eminem, Jay-Z and Nas together form John Cena’s Mount Rushmore of rap.
The WWE Superstar has a character based on white boy hip hop, but beyond that, Cena told Club Shay Shay that rap was a form of rebellion during a time when he felt he needed more attention.
“I was one of five boys and I was very afraid of the way the household was run. I was a rebel. This music found me at the right time,” Cena said during his interview with Shannon Sharpe.
The athlete is credited with bringing hip hop into the sport. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) was widely viewed as a rock and roll company, according to Cena.
They had no depth to hip-hop and I heard my own music and thought, ‘I can do better than that,'” Cena said. “I called a friend who knew a friend who had a studio. We got some beats and made an album. And that was it, that was it.”
Growing up, Cena was inclined toward wordplay, poetic beats, and thought-provoking lyrics. The athlete/artist admits that the social justice anthem “F*ck The Police,” both necessary and poignant, was relatable even to him.
John Cena visits SiriusXM Studios. Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images
“For a 13-year-old boy, the police officers are my parents, and I was the one who thought, ‘Fuck it.'”
Cena’s debut album is his only album. It appeared on the Billboard 200 list at number 15. The album was called You can’t see me.
He also counts Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant among his influences – athletes who pursued careers in music.
Cena recently announced his impending retirement from WWE. VIBE reporter Armon Sadler has compiled a list of wrestlers the athlete needs to face before he calls it quits.
Watch Cena’s interview at Club Shay Shay below:
