With WrestleMania XL inching nearer, Wale’s anticipation is mounting. This Thursday (Apr. 4), the wrestling fanatic received’t be lacing up his boots for a bruising Philadelphia Road Combat, nor will he be strolling down the ramps of Lincoln Monetary Subject, vying for WWE domination towards the Head of the Desk, Roman Reigns. That’s as a result of he’ll be busy grappling with producing one of many premier highlights of WrestleMania weekend, WaleMania.
Since its inception in 2015, WaleMania has been a singular fusion of hip-hop and wrestling. It’s not simply one other occasion on WrestleMania weekend, however a close-knit gathering the place followers {and professional} wrestlers unite to have fun the daring athletes who danger all of it within the squared circle each night time.
“I’m a maniac yearly due to that,” Wale instructed Billboard forward of the occasion. “I all the time lean on [my partner] Kaz, however yearly he all the time will get it finished. I am going by means of the phases of nervousness, and because it approaches, I’m cool, and Kaz is like, ‘It’s nice, it’s nice.’ Yearly, there’s stress as a result of we’d like sure issues to occur. I’ll be cool. It’s gonna be a great time, it’s gonna be packed, it’s gonna be bought out. It’s the identical nervousness I really feel once I hit the stage for an enormous present.”
Former music journalist and ex-WWE author Kazeem Famuyide joined Wale’s expedition round a decade in the past, after the 2 realized they shared a profound love for wrestling. Through the years, Famuyide and Wale have produced unimaginable occasions for WaleMania, reeling in main expertise from each arenas, together with Scott Corridor, Massive E, The Usos, Westside Gunn, Flatbush Zombies and extra. This yr, the stage will probably be even brighter in Philadelphia, because the WWE celebrates the fortieth anniversary of WrestleMania. With Wale and Famuyide on the helm, count on nothing in need of resounding outcomes main into the most important Mania ever.
“I believe that with Wale’s apparent expertise and my expertise in tradition, we will carry one thing totally different to an trade that doesn’t see numerous that,” says Famuyide. “I believe that’s why it stands out a lot and why it’s gotten so huge over time.”
Billboard spoke to Wale and Famyuide about placing collectively WaleMania, bridging the hole between hip-hop and wrestling, making a secure area for Black wrestlers, and extra.
It’s been 9 years because the inception of WaleMania, what have been a few of your favourite moments of the primary iteration of it?
Wale: The juxtaposition of it. Nothing like it’s now, however you might see that we had one thing.
Kazeem Famuyide: I do not forget that first one — and Wale, you bear in mind Rey Mysterio wasn’t in WWE on the time? He was concerned in a tragedy the place the dude he was within the ring with handed away.
Plenty of the wrestlers acquired to see Rey [for the first time in a minute] – JR, Scott Corridor – there was numerous love within the room for Rey. From my perspective, I believe we noticed for the primary time as followers the actual cameraderie that basically occurs and the love there for a man like Rey.
Wale: Contained in the neighborhood – it doesn’t matter what firm you’re employed for, they only having a great time. They consoling Rey. You look again at it, we’ve misplaced so many individuals in that enterprise and it hits 10 instances more durable while you get to this reunion yearly. And see them get exterior their character.
KF: I believe the wrestlers like it much more than the followers. Plenty of instances WaleMania is the one time they’ll see one another all yr lengthy. I believe the expertise and the oldsters behind the scenes like it as a lot because the followers do and it form of reminds you of the neighborhood of wrestling that’s larger than simply placing on a five-star match.
It was numerous cats who have been closet wrestling followers. Now for no matter purpose, they really feel like wrestling is cool once more. Do you are feeling like WaleMania is chargeable for taking part in an element in hip-hop being extra receptive for his or her love of wrestling?
KF: Wale won’t ever say, it however I’ll say it for him: Wale was spending his personal bread to go to those occasions any time WWE was on the town. That very same WrestleMania weekend [where] we’re in San Jose and he’s spending hundreds of {dollars} was the identical week he’s dropping The Album About Nothing. And we’re in a church watching Ricochet wrestle and Apollo Crews and Wealthy Swann and all these guys. He has a legit love for the enterprise and the folks in it.
He’ll by no means take credit score for the hip-hop reference to wrestling, however all you gotta do is take a look at it. He’s been the nucleus of all of it. Whether or not it’s in entrance of the digital camera, behind the digital camera or creating relationships in WWE or AEW, he noticed this world {of professional} wrestling the place everybody can kick it and get alongside treating it extra like an expert sport. The respect round it grew. Plenty of of us that grew up within the Perspective Period are like, “Okay, it’s not an actual sport, however as a grown man, you possibly can respect the athleticism and what it takes to do it yr in and yr out.” Wale’s been there — and it’s not only for the appears.
As any person who has coated hip-hop tradition as a author/producer, I may see the shift. WaleMania, as huge because it is part of his model, I consider how huge it’s gotten with everybody else. I believe that’s an enormous a part of why it’s been simpler to be digestible for the widespread/informal fan of wrestling.
Wale: The largest [genre of entertainment] on the market, arguably.
I believe it’s dope that it’s not simply WWE-centric.
Wale: We acquired guys that solely acquired one match beneath their belt. It’s simply an expertise for them to satisfy some folks and get in some rooms. Plenty of stuff goes on behind these doorways. That’s among the stuff I take pleasure in most to see folks. Keep in mind when everybody picked Kofi [Kingston] up and we knew he was gonna win the subsequent day?
KF: Booker T was in that constructing too. Despite the fact that we felt it was gonna be Kofi’s second, there was that little little bit of uneasiness. We have been like, “Man, in the event that they don’t do proper by our man, it’s gonna be tough. At the least we acquired tonight.” At the least we acquired to bask within the love for Kofi, and he was variety sufficient to tug up and obtain that love.
Wale talks about of us with one match beneath their belt. That very same weekend we’re lifting up Kofi on our shoulders is once I kicked it with Swerve [Strickland] for the primary time. He simply signed to NXT and he had a buzz. He got here by means of, and clearly wasn’t as huge as he’s now. Simply seeing the evolution of parents which have pulled as much as expertise it, there are of us that pulled up that I’m a fan of that I didn’t know pulled as much as earlier WaleManias. Like, “I used to be simply kicking it within the again making an attempt to have a great time.”
I believe the expansion with this trade, Wale and the complete occasion has been useful, as a result of on the middle of all of it it’s all the time been about celebrating one another, having a great time and giving again to the trade. It’s in all probability the wildest weekend of the yr – hell, we’re gonna have fun y’all and actually take pleasure in it.
Taking a look at previous movies, WaleMania provides off a household reunion vibe. How essential is it to supply that looseness not only for the followers or wrestlers, however for everybody concerned together with the hip-hop acts?
Wale: I’ve been on tour and needed to do WaleMania, and I’ve been off tour, however I’ll say this — that is by far the busiest day of our yr. It’s essentially the most hectic. We’re passive-aggressive to one another, we’re imply to one another, however when the lights come on, it’s exhausting to clarify. There’s numerous the universe working in our favor on them days. The timing of all of it is loopy, and the transferring items and never getting folks in or telephones not being on – it’s so much. However it’s price it to see everybody comfortable the place they’re. It’s price it to tug as much as WrestleMania and Triple H say, “I heard you guys had a blast final night time.” That acknowledgment from the higher-ups and the OGs – folks like Booker T – that s–t be making it price it.
KF: As huge because it’s grow to be, it’s nonetheless very a lot a grassroots occasion. It’s not an enormous manufacturing placing this factor collectively. It’s myself and Wale hitting folks up personally. It’s been phrase of mouth. I believe the status of the occasion perceives itself. It went from this underground, “If you realize, you realize” kick-back occasion to folks saying, “I’m flying to Philadelphia, and if I don’t get to WrestleMania that’s nice, so long as I get to WaleMania.”
It’s been a typical theme — and I believe that’s due to what Wale has helped construct with this factor. It’s a extremely distinctive, one-of-one scenario and occasion, the place for those who wanna come take pleasure in totally different components of the tradition, there’s other ways to expertise it, and that is a kind of methods. I don’t assume we’ve ever had anybody come from the hip-hop world that has no thought what that is that doesn’t say “this s–t was hella enjoyable,” and a tremendous expertise. That’s what I really like about it. I do know the wrestling neighborhood goes to be super-supportive, however what I get a kick out of is of us that aren’t even wrestling followers in any respect which are like, “It is a vibe that’s enjoyable as hell.” They arrive and revel in themselves, [hear some] good music and meet of us they might by no means meet beneath these circumstances.
Is there any stress on WaleMania to reside as much as the momentum of Wrestlemania XL, understanding that this would be the largest Mania up to now?
KF: I believe the explanation we get alongside a lot is we’re each ultra-competitive in our personal methods. I believe we’re each making an attempt to outdo the final yr, have larger moments, higher companions, larger experiences for the individuals who purchase tickets and doing it in larger venues. I believe simply naturally each of us being tremendous aggressive. I evaluate it to when LeBron [James] and D-Wade teamed up — they’re each these extremely rivals, however that competitiveness is what they’ve in widespread, and why they’re so nice collectively.
There’s all the time stress and stress. There’s one million issues that might go flawed, nevertheless it by no means actually does. By the point the night time will get there and the vibes get there, it all the time finds a approach to be an unforgettable night time. As a lot as there are advantages to the present manufacturing, it’s actually the reminiscences we create. You possibly can scroll down the #WaleMania hashtag and see the pictures, movies, the pure natural pleasure and reminiscences folks make from it. To try this, you gotta put stress on your self otherwise you get complacent. “It was good, nevertheless it wasn’t [this year]” – I by no means wanna hear that. I wanna hear that it will get higher and higher each trip.
It’s a various crowd that comes by means of nevertheless it’s been dope to see you guys spotlight the Black neighborhood. You give that area to Black wrestlers to be showered and praised. How essential has that side been for WaleMania?
Wale: I believe it’s a kind of stuff you by no means wish to be heavy-handed with, as a result of it’s already implied. To be heavy-handed, it doesn’t really feel such as you’re doing it for the precise causes. They know this can be a secure area for us. We gon’ love on one another, we gon’ assist one another, we gon’ speak about no matter’s on our minds, we gon’ dap and we gon’ sip one thing good collectively and chill. We’ve friends of honor yearly, so it’s form of implied. We by no means wanna make it the place there’s so many platforms that try this, nevertheless it’s cool. To make it how it’s, it’s distinctive.
How do you phrase it, Kaz? You the loquacious one. It’s a singular factor we’re doing, the place we don’t wish to be heavy-handed with it, nevertheless it’s extraordinarily implied.
KF: WaleMania is for everyone. After we first began doing it, the roster didn’t appear like the roster now. I’ll say within the final 4 years plus, there hasn’t been a greater time to be a Black wrestler.
Wale: Or a Black wrestling fan.
KF: There’s prime stars, followers, work-rate guys, super-entertaining guys. After I was rising up, in leisure generally, you fell into the lure of the tokens. They’ll throw you a token Black man right here and there, and there’s normally one spot for the token Black man, and that’s the gimmick.
Now, like we’ve seen in lots of types of leisure, it’s been much more various. Simply so far as the various other ways the Black expertise takes place. That helped with the expansion of WaleMania. It’s undoubtedly implied, like sure, that is the celebration for the n—-s. On the similar time, everybody desires that invite. I don’t wish to say the “C” phrase, however everybody desires to really feel like I’m cool sufficient to be on this constructing. This yr, we’ll have these sort of parents like, “I can’t imagine this man is up in right here.” You’ll be able to normally inform when the oldsters are extra snug across the brothers and sisters.
I’ll let you know a narrative, even final yr and years previous, Rob Van Dam is certainly one of my favourite wrestlers rising up. Rob Van Dam is a staple of WaleMania. We love RVD. He brings his lady, he would possibly roll a jay or two, he’ll come and kick it with everyone and placed on some music. It’s so many wrestlers of all creeds and colours that pull up.
Wale: Jim Ross, I believe [was at] WaleMania Cleveland. Me and the nice ol’ JR have been smoking a great ol’ jay a pair years in the past. It’s for everyone. That is perhaps why they arrive to get one thing totally different.
I simply wish to say we undoubtedly wish to shout out numerous the opposite pillars in our neighborhood, like Smoke DZA, Westside Gunn, Flatbush Zombies and the blokes who come by means of. They arrive by means of off the love. We gon’ go to their stuff too. It takes a village. We not in competitors with anyone. Sadly, all through the years we’ve seen folks attempt to compete and it didn’t go effectively. We not in competitors with nobody.