You probably didn’t know that John Cena released a hip-hop album that went platinum. That wasn’t on our bingo card.
During a recent appearance on Club Shay Shay, WWE superstar and now actor John Cena spoke about his early connection to rap music, describing it as an act of rebellion at a time when he craved more attention in his household.
“I was one of five boys and was very afraid of the way the household was run. I was a rebel. This music found me at the right time,” Cena told Shannon.
Like many young people who love real rap music, Cena was drawn to intricate wordplay, poetic beats and thought-provoking lyrics. He revealed that even a powerful social justice anthem like NWA’s “F”ck The Police,” while intense, resonated with him on a personal level. Interesting…
“To a 13-year-old boy, the cops are my parents, and I was the one who thought, ‘Fuck it,'” Cena explained to Shannon Sharpe during the interview.
Let’s get to the heavyweights… Cena also talked about his biggest influences in rap, naming Rakim, Eminem, Jay-Z and Nas as his personal “Mount Rushmore of rap.”
“So for me, it’s Jay-Z, Eminem, Nas and Rakim. Man, Rakim’s voice. Everybody has their bias. I know this list is obviously going to cause an uproar. We all have our bias. We all have our favorites. That’s what makes music special. That’s what makes creativity special. I grew up on East Coast boom bap. I love wordplay, I love poetry. That’s what I built my character off of, so I think it’s all super clever, and that’s my list,” Cena said.
Just think about it: Cena is widely credited with introducing hip-hop to WWE, a company that was traditionally viewed as the domain of rock and roll. Looking back, Cena recalls, “They had no depth for hip-hop and I heard my own music and thought, ‘I can do better than that.’ 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.”
That album, You Can’t See Me, remained Cena’s only music release, but it made an impression, peaking at number 15 on the Billboard 200. Cena cited athletes such as Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, who were also involved in music, as influences on his own musical career.
In case you missed it, Cena has announced his impending retirement from WWE, marking the end of an era for the Superstar who not only excelled in the ring but also brought hip-hop into the wrestling spotlight.
On the way to bigger and better things, especially Hollywood and beyond, we are sure.
