Music and wrestling go hand in hand, it’s used at least twice every match with the entrance themes.
Additionally, WWE brings in celebrity musicians to perform various segments on shows, usually pay per views, to add a crossover feeling between wrestling and pop culture.
Multiple WWE superstars have diversified and moved into the world of music; whether it’s been Chris Jericho and his world-famous band Fozzy or it’s been someone who’s incorporated music into their gimmick, like Jeff Jarrett. Normally, we see these incredible musical performances on a Wrestlemania card featuring some of the most well-known celebrities to the modern world.
However, we do get to see some on the weekly shows by the superstars we know and love. This list will highlight 10 must see performances.
New Day vs The Uso’s Rap Battle – Smackdown July 4th 2017
Upon their return from hiatus, The Uso’s dropped their former gimmick of Samoan wrestlers. They replaced it with a heel gimmick, involving both men wearing trainers and cargo trousers, as well as a more ‘ghetto’ demeanour. It somewhat resembled a more modern version of John Cena’s Doctor of Thuganomics. During most of 2017, and the following years, they were embroiled in a feud that was eventually based on respect, with The New Day, a feud that gave us some absolute bangers inside the squared circle.
A new aspect of The Uso’s gimmick was freestyle rapping on their opponents prior to matches.
On a special July 4 episode of Smackdown, we got a rap battle between The Uso’s and The New Day, with it being mediated by rapper, Wale. Despite Wale announcing the winners as The New Day, which came as a dubious decision after The Uso’s referred to Wale as New Day’s fourth member. Once Big E and Kofi had made references to Rikishi and the fact The Uso’s were wrestling in shirts to cover their bellies, Xavier got on the mic and produced the more offensive content.
He would bring up Jimmy Uso’s wife and how he was nothing until she put him on Total Diva’s. Xavier would also tell The Uso’s they should get back to carrying bags for their cousin, Roman Reigns. The reaction of the twins to these two lines in particular is what caused them to be disqualified for trying to be physical. I can see why Xavier brought up those topics as earlier in the rap battle, they would tell Big E to keep his rapping PG, not rated R like ‘his boy’ Xavier Woods, referencing the incident involving Paige, with this line getting a huge pop from the crowd. Both teams are utterly class on the mic and this segment was brilliant, the entourages were not needed but it did make the ring seem fuller.
John Cena Interrupts Elias – Wrestlemania 35
Elias is the most criminally underused competitor in WWE. The man has absolutely everything, including, the ability to play three instruments at the same time; albeit, with the help of technology. Elias would appear on the titantron playing the drums and piano before the real him would be in the ring with his guitar, doing his usual schtick. Before he could properly start to play, a video would appear on the titantron of Babe Ruth, with the event being held in New York and Ruth being a New York Yankees legend. ‘Basic Thuganomics’ hit the speakers and out came John Cena as his former gimmick, The Doctor of Thuganomics.
Cena came down to the ring, hit a freestyle rap on Elias, doing what he always did and basically, buried someone with it. In 2019, John Cena was 42 years old, rapping and acting like it was 2002; that sentence is a mad thing to type. Cena was also allowed to do whatever he wanted in 2019, he could say what he wanted, which he did. He used insider terms like ‘turning heel’ and referenced his ‘nuts’ which he does every single time he would freestyle. He also said WWE stood for ‘Wasted Wrestling Experience’ if Elias didn’t have his guitar.
That, was a pointless burial because Elias is a class wrestler but just doesn’t get to show it. Cena would eventually hit an Attitude Adjustment on Elias and leave. I get that this was a nice nostalgia pop and Elias has always been a comedy foil but he is an unbelievably good asset to have and WWE need to realise this as soon as he’s back from his current injury.