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John Cena And The Complicated History Of Rap In Wrestling

04/02/2025

The road to WrestleMania 41 is heating up, and with rumors swirling about a potential main event between Cody Rhodes and John Cena, the wrestling world is buzzing. At first, I wasn’t sold on the buildup, but the last few weeks of promo battles—and even some physical altercations—have gotten me hyped. And I’m not alone.

One standout moment from these recent verbal showdowns? John Cena referencing one of his most iconic (or infamous, depending who you ask) contributions to wrestling: the Spinner Title.

Back in hip-hop’s “bling era,” rappers flaunted their wealth with massive chains, oversized rims, and flashy designs—the spin was in. Think 50 Cent and the G-Unit spinner chain. Wrestling, always one to mirror pop culture, followed suit. After winning the WWE Championship in April 2005, Cena introduced the Spinner Belt—a custom gold-and-diamond design reflecting his hip-hop persona. It remained the WWE Championship’s design until 2013.

Cena recently called the belt a “toy” and teased its return—not to elevate it, but to take it off Cody and off TV entirely.

With all this talk about the Spinner Title, it got me thinking about wrestling’s complicated, sometimes beautiful, sometimes cringey relationship with hip-hop. From bar-heavy promo segments to wild crossovers, rap and wrestling have collided in unforgettable ways. Sometimes it’s fire—like the New Day vs. Usos Rap Battle. Other times it’s… not. (Looking at you, Durag Vince.)

Here are five of my favorite moments where hip-hop and pro wrestling came together—authentically, hilariously, or even bizarrely.

1. The New Day vs. The Usos – SmackDown Rap Battle (July 4, 2017)

I’ve told this story a few times—most notably on the New Day Podcast (they really need to bring that back). This Independence Day episode of SmackDown Live delivered arguably the best use of rap culture in wrestling history. Hosted by Wale, it saw The New Day and The Usos exchange freestyle bars that were funny, clever, and sometimes a little too real.

Unlike past attempts at hip-hop segments in WWE, this one felt authentic. Both teams leaned into their characters and delivered lines that made fans and hip-hop heads nod in approval. The battle even earned praise outside the wrestling bubble, proving how powerful—and natural—the fusion of wrestling and rap can be.

2. John Cena’s Weekly Diss Raps (2002–2004)

Before he was a 16-time world champion, Cena was just trying to stand out in a stacked roster. His answer? Become The Doctor of Thuganomics—a freestyle-spitting, chain-rocking heel who roasted his opponents in rap form.

Drawing from underground battle rap, Cena’s weekly pre-match disses were a highlight of SmackDown. They were brash, offensive, and wildly entertaining—though many of them wouldn’t fly in today’s PG era. But that character helped him break through and evolve into one of WWE’s biggest stars.

Even after dropping the gimmick, Cena occasionally dusts it off—like at WrestleMania 35, when he returned as Thuganomics Cena to clown Elias. Will he drop bars on Cody this time? We’ll see.

3. The No Limit Soldiers in WCW (1999)

Hip-hop’s influence wasn’t limited to WWE. In 1999, Master P and his No Limit Soldiers made their way into WCW, becoming one of the earliest high-profile rap-wrestling crossovers.

The Soldiers—featuring artists like Silkk the Shocker—feuded with The West Texas Rednecks, a stable led by Curt Hennig, who responded with the ironically iconic country track, “Rap Is Crap.” Hot take: it’s a low-key banger.

Ironically, I wasn’t a No Limit fan and kinda found myself rooting for the Rednecks (definitely not the intent). The run was short and plagued by bad booking, but it set the stage for future hip-hop crossovers and brought rap artists into wrestling beyond just one-off cameos.

4. WWF Aggression Album (2000)

Before wrestlers had full hip-hop entrance themes, WWE dropped WWF Aggression, a 2000 album reimagining classic themes with verses by hip-hop legends. Think Run-D.M.C., Method Man, Redman, and Snoop Dogg all rapping over wrestler intros.

I’ll admit—I didn’t expect much. But it SLAPS.

Method Man’s “Know Your Role” for The Rock and Run-D.M.C.’s remix of the DX theme were standouts. While the album didn’t become a mainstream hip-hop hit, it was one of the few times wrestling fully embraced rap culture and it actually worked.

The tracks weren’t officially used as entrance themes (except DX once), but imagine if this project dropped today—with more creative freedom? I’d be first in line.

5. AEW’s Modern Hip-Hop Vibes

Shoutout to AEW for continuing to keep hip-hop alive and well in modern wrestling.

We’ve seen Action Bronson appear, Westside Gunn and Bun B rap Swerve Strickland to the ring at All In, and Swerve himself blend hip-hop style into his presentation—while making music on the side. Props to AEW for finally giving Westside Gunn a proper title card. (Now do Smoke DZA next, please.)

This era of wrestling’s connection to hip-hop feels less like cosplay, more like culture—and that’s the key. When it’s genuine, it hits different.

Hip-hop and pro wrestling are both forms of performance art that thrive on charisma, storytelling, and competition. From battle rap-style promos to real-life rappers stepping into the ring, these moments show how seamlessly the two worlds can collide. As hip-hop continues to evolve, its influence on wrestling will only grow—whether through wrestlers embracing rap culture, mainstream artists collaborating with promotions, or fans demanding more authentic representations of hip-hop in the squared circle.

Just don’t let them get physical without any training. Thanks!

I’m currently on tour, come on through and catch a live show!

Mega Ran supporting MAGIC SWORD and STARBENDERS

Thanks for reading.

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Mega Ran is a rapper, teacher, and lifelong wrestling fan. Follow him @MegaRan on all platforms.