WrestleMania XL is upon us. As WWE followers of all ages put together for the Tremendous Bowl of professional wrestling this weekend in Philadelphia, WWE Celebrity Huge E is without doubt one of the firm’s brightest ambassadors and constructing blocks for what will likely be an iconic 48 hours.
Following a devastating harm in 2022, when he suffered a damaged neck throughout a match on Smackdown, the previous WWE champion has change into an important determine exterior of the ring. He undertook a major endeavor, crafting a poignant quick movie concerning the lifetime of Ruby Bridges, the primary Black pupil built-in into an all-white college. Collaborating with Grammy-nominated MC Rapsody, who recorded unique music for the NAACP-nominated venture, Huge E infused his love for hip-hop and historical past. He remodeled a heavy second in Black historical past into a lightweight and stirring dialog starter for youths dwelling within the trendy period.
“I feel there are such a lot of tales of Black heroes, and we’re so usually taught as younger individuals: MLK, Rosa Parks, slavery, and that’s about it,” he says. “However our historical past is a lot deeper. The Black women and men who’ve contributed to this nation and our legacy have been unimaginable. We need to proceed to inform these tales as a result of there are such a lot of on the market, and we need to do it in a enjoyable method.”
Huge E’s love for hip-hop and historical past is palpable. It blossomed throughout his tenure at Iowa College, the place he grew to become an avid lover of the Weblog Period. Whereas taking part in faculty soccer as a defensive lineman, Huge E grew to become a fan of Wale and his seminal 2008 venture, The Mixtape About Nothing. After E ventured into the WWE and realized of Wale’s fandom in 2012, their mutual appreciation in the end become a close-knit friendship.
“We ended up DMing years in the past, and we linked extra than simply him being a wrestling fan and me being a fan of him,” he recollects. “We linked on life. So many occasions, we have been texting about life on the street much more than simply being business mates. I’m such a large fan of him, not simply as an artist however as a human being.”
Although Huge E stays in nice form, possessing the identical burly physique that made him an elite champion, he’s having fun with the sidelines, watching his friends, most notably the Black WWE superstars, carry the torch throughout his hiatus.
“It’s actually simply been an unimaginable time for Black expertise, and I simply assume it’s gonna continue to grow and rising,” he says. “We’ve made a variety of progress, and I nonetheless assume we’ve extra progress to go.”
Billboard spoke to Huge E forward of WrestleMania XL about hip-hop and wrestling turning into synonymous, his friendship with Wale, working with Rapsody on his quick movie Bridges, his “Huge 3” within the WWE, and extra.
This yr marks the fifteenth anniversary of Wale’s debut album Consideration Deficit. You guys are clearly mates and shared a WrestleMania second when he carried out your entrance track “Really feel the Energy” in 2021. When did you first change into a fan of his?
I’m a giant Seinfeld fan. The Weblog Period for me was once I was in faculty. That was once I actually first realized about Wale. Then, when he got here out with The Mixtape About Nothing, that modified issues for me. So I began actually paying extra consideration after which I began following him on Twitter and noticed that he was a wrestling fan. So between his Seinfeld stuff, him being an unimaginable MC and in addition being a wrestling fan, I used to be identical to, “I gotta attain out to this man.”
It’s been a pleasure to have him carry out for me at WrestleMania for me in my hometown. That was particular. I’m so grateful to have Wale on my crew. He’s additionally executed a lot to make wrestling cool.
I really feel like wrestling is at this nice stage proper now the place you’ve The Rock round, all these celebrities who wanna be concerned, however let’s give some credit score to the homie Wale for making wrestling cool and for doing WaleMania each single yr. I’ve reached out to so many people who find themselves excited for WrestleMania, however truthfully, the largest factor for them is WaleMania. Like, “What’s my WaleMania match? I can’t wait. What’s the lineup?” Shout-out to Wale for what he’s executed for the tradition, and what he’s executed for hip-hop and wrestling.
There have been so many closeted wrestling followers, particularly within the hip-hop neighborhood. Why do you assume so many individuals are popping out and embracing the game now greater than ever earlier than?
I feel it’s simply cool now, man. I don’t know precisely what to level to, however you’ve The Rock concerned now. You may have [WWE president] Nick Khan concerned. You may have so many connections with sports activities and leisure. I really feel like lots of people have been closeted wrestling followers as a result of it wasn’t cool, as a result of it was the nerdy factor to do — however now that it’s turning into extra accessible for individuals, I feel lots of people are popping out of the wooodwork.
I feel again to his celeb flag soccer recreation I did a few years in the past proper earlier than the Tremendous Bowl, and I used to be amazed that Diplo knew who I used to be. He wished to speak about storylines and whatnot. That stuff at all times blows me away. However you’d be shocked how many individuals watched again within the day after they have been youngsters, and watch proper now and love what we do. You recognize, when Wale began WaleMania a few years in the past, it wasn’t actually the cool factor to do. Individuals felt like they needed to preserve it in, however now, it’s much more mainstream. You see the WWE titles on a regular basis. You see how proudly individuals put on these WWE customized belts after they win a Tremendous Bowl or World Sequence. It’s simply actually cool to see our product change into mainstream once more.
I spoke to Jey Uso some time again and we touched on the well-known freestyle battle between The Usos and The New Day. What have been you so shocked about from a lyrical standpoint in that battle?
Effectively look, I used to be hesitant to do it as a result of I’m a hip-hop fan, however I can’t rap [Laughs.] The three of us can’t rap. Me, Kofi [Kingston] and [Xavier] Woods can’t rap. All of us knew this — however man, that section was a lot enjoyable. Having Wale be part of it and be the host of that factor [was great]. The Usos, I advised them some time in the past that they should drop an EP or one thing. They’ll really spit. They received some bars. They did their factor. That section was a variety of enjoyable.
One of many issues I keep in mind was Daniel Bryan — who’s such a wrestling head that I assumed can be essential [of the segment] — he mentioned, “Man, you guys may have executed that for an hour and I might have been locked in and entertained.” I feel lots of people went into that with trepidation as a result of segments like that in wrestling aren’t excellent and are very corny. However I feel with Wale being there, The Usos actually bringing it, actually simply added a lot to our programming and our rivalry. I additionally assume we did it the best method. That’s a section that I’m actually pleased with.
Over time, we’ve seen wrestlers like John Cena to even just lately Montez Ford launch music. Has there been anyone within the locker room that impressed you from a rapping standpoint?
I haven’t heard something unique from him, however Omos will shock you. Omos can spit a complete Jay-Z verse. He’s a giant hip-hop head. Omos is a type of dudes who haven’t been capable of present his full charisma and full character on TV, however he’s positively a giant hip-hop head, and a dude I like speaking hip-hop with.
Since you grew up within the Weblog Period, you understand the massive three is Drake, Kendrick and J. Cole. Who would you say from a wrestling standpoint is the holy trinity of the WWE and why?
That’s a extremely good query. You recognize what? I’ll go Randy [Orton]. He’s simply one of many GOATs who I really feel like generally as a lot credit score as he will get, he nonetheless doesn’t get sufficient credit score. So I’ll go Randy, Cena and I gotta put another in there. That is onerous. I’ll go Roman [Reigns]. He’s been doing his factor.
Discuss Roman’s present run as champion — particularly heading into Mania — contemplating we haven’t seen a run like this since Hulk Hogan. Lots of people need to see his reign finish this weekend.
It’s simply a type of issues that I feel a variety of followers have been so locked into. You say everybody needs it to finish — however not everybody although. There’s nonetheless lots of people using with Roman that wanna see him push by way of.
After I see his run, I consider somebody who reinvented himself — as a result of you may consider somebody who was actually being pushed as “The Man,” and a variety of followers didn’t settle for him as a lot. He’s actually discovered his footing because the pandemic. Since he got here again, this has been a generational run. That’s what I feel he’s an actual testomony to.
I feel lots of people are impatient with expertise and so they need them to have all of it found out proper now, however generally, you want time to develop. You want time to actually get in your toes and know, “That is who I’m.” So Roman was a man who clearly had a ton of expertise first getting on the primary roster, however he wasn’t fairly himself but. He wasn’t as comfy as he may have been, however now I feel you’re seeing him at his absolute best. You’re seeing him at his most pure. That is the man he’s at all times been.
Don’t get me fallacious, he was a great dude within the locker room and whatnot, however he at all times had that alpha mentality. He performed soccer at Georgia Tech. He was all-ACC. I used to be a defensive sort out on the similar time and watching him, listening to his identify. So he’s at all times had that perspective of an alpha. I feel so many occasions that he was positioned as a babyface and as a man who needed to fake he wasn’t that man, however I feel he’s much more comfy and also you see it now. You see how pure his promos are. You see how comfy he’s on this place. So once I consider his run, I simply assume it’s a testomony to using a wave.
With Bianca Belair gracing WWE 2K24, the emergence of Jade Cargill and the rise of Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams in NXT, how would you describe this present renaissance we’re seeing proper now with Black wrestlers?
It’s been lovely to see, man. It’s a very long time coming, and it’s a type of issues the place I simply go searching and I’m actually pleased with Black expertise as a result of I don’t assume you may have a look at any of the Black expertise in WWE who’re within the spots they’re in and say, “Oh, they’re simply given [these opportunities] as a result of it’s a quota system or due to the colour of their pores and skin.
What I like is how completely different everyone seems to be and the way they standout on their very own. All of them deserve these spots. All of them deliver one thing to the desk. The Black males are killing it, however to see Black girls doing their factor [is amazing]. You see what they’re doing on the primary roster, however we received a crop coming behind them in NXT, as effectively. We as Black individuals, we dominate within the NBA and the NFL, it additionally is smart to do the identical factor right here in WWE and professional wrestling. It’s been an thrilling time and I’m actually proud to see the quantity of Black expertise doing unimaginable issues and standing out on their very own.
Seeing the way in which Jade has got here in and the way the followers have taken to her has been unimaginable. Somebody like Naomi, who doesn’t get sufficient credit score for the way she’s impressed younger Black girls to enter this enterprise as effectively, [has been great too.] It’s actually simply been an unimaginable time for Black expertise and I simply assume it’s gonna continue to grow and rising. We’ve made a variety of progress, and I nonetheless assume we’ve extra progress to go. I consider somebody like a Montez Ford and he hasn’t even approached his ceiling. Not even shut. And [Angelo] Dawkins as effectively. Lots of people sleep on what Dawkins has been doing. One other tremendous proficient dude. There’s a bevy of Black expertise in our business. I like seeing it and I wanna see extra of it.
What was your expertise working with Rapsody in your short-film “Bridges,” which honored Ruby Bridges, the primary Black pupil to be built-in into an all-white college within the Sixties?
It was an actual labor of affection for us. It’s referred to as Bridges. We received an NAACP nomination for it. It’s on YouTube proper now, in case you Google, Our Heroes Rock, nevertheless it’s one thing that we’re actually pleased with. We wanna inform extra of those tales. Rapsody did an unimaginable job. She recorded an unique track for us and we made a music video as effectively. It tells the story of Ruby Bridges in a method that I feel is extra participating. I feel for lots of people, historical past could be heavy and could be dry, however we wished to make it extra participating. So I voice this nine-foot tall robotic who takes you thru this futuristic museum and exhibits you all of the myriad of Black leaders, politicians, and writers from all completely different backgrounds who’ve helped form our historical past.
We simply felt the primary story we wished to steer with was Ruby’s story as a result of it’s a six-year-old Black lady merely making an attempt to go to high school in 1960 and being built-in in an all-white college for the primary time. Seeing the kind of vitriol, the anger and nastiness that this little lady who was merely making an attempt to go college was met with — in case you can’t emphasize, do you actually have a coronary heart in any respect?
One of many nice issues that I like about her story too is that there was one instructor who determined to remain. Dad and mom have been pulling their youngsters out of college, lecturers have been refusing to show Ruby, however one instructor who was named Barbara Henry — nonetheless alive and with us — was capable of say that one thing was fallacious and did the best factor. I feel there’s so many tales of Black heroes and we’re so usually taught as younger individuals MLK, Rosa Parks, slavery and that’s about it, however our historical past is a lot deeper. The Black women and men who’ve contributed to this nation, to our legacy as Black Women and men have been unimaginable. We simply wanna proceed to inform these tales as a result of there’s so many on the market and we wanna do it in a enjoyable method.