Wrestlemania 39 takes place on Saturday (April 1) and Sunday (April 2) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., highlighted by a highly-anticipated matchup between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Over the last several years, another annual event has become synonymous with The Showcase Of Immortals: WaleMania. The gathering brings together some of the brightest names in professional wrestling, Wale’s Hip-Hop peers, and fans to have a grand time before the matches and excitement ensue.
The Folarin II rapper has worn his wrestling fandom on his sleeve, going as far as to name a track from his 2016 project Summer On Sunset after WWE’s primary weekly television shows with “Smackdown / Raw” featuring a skit from former WWE and current AEW announcer Jim Ross. He has even appeared on WWE television multiple times. Who can forget when the Washington, D.C. rapper hosted the incredible rap battle between The Usos and The New Day in July 2017? How about when he delivered Big E’s theme song, written and performed by himself, at Wrestlemania 37 in 2021?
Wale is not alone in his love for the intense action that happens within the squared circle either.
Whether it be through television appearances, rap lyrics, or social media posts, several rappers have publicly expressed their fandom and appreciation for “graps.” Multiple wrestling promotions have increased their efforts to infuse the popular genre into the programming and appeal to the Hip-Hop community.
Check out this list of Hip-Hop’s biggest wrestling fans below.
Snoop Dogg
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Snoop Dogg loves a good time, so his affinity for professional wrestling should come as no surprise.
The Long Beach, Calif. rapper served as the Master Of Ceremonies during the Playboy Bunnymania Lumberjack match at Wrestlemania XXIV at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. He made a stylish entrance and memorable exit, knocking out former WWE superstar Santino Marella before sharing a passionate kiss with former WWE superstar Maria. One year later, he also was the guest host of Monday Night RAW and delivered a spear to former WWE superstar Chavo Guerrero.
In 2016, one night before Wrestlemania 32, the Doggystyle rapper was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame. His weekend didn’t stop there, as he performed his original theme song for his cousin and former WWE superstar Sasha Banks ahead of her Women’s Championship match at the Dallas event. Snoop also made a brief appearance in All Elite Wrestling in 2021, supporting Cody Rhodes in his match against Matt Sydal. The West Coast legend even got active in the ring, delivering a frog splash to Serpentico.
Last August, during the Wrestlemania Launch Party promoting this year’s event, the “Gin And Juice” rapper was presented with a custom gold WWE title. It makes sense for one of the most ubiquitous rappers in Hip-Hop history to be given such honors by the biggest sports entertainment brand in the world.
Griselda
Any time you’re watching professional wrestling, there’s a chance that you will be able to spot Westside Gunn ringside. The Griselda rapper and his comrades have loaded their lyrics with wrestling references and he has maintained a physical presence in the wrestling sphere. FlyGod even got a special shoutout while in attendance at a December 2021 episode of NXT 2.0.
However, being a fan wasn’t enough for the Buffalo rapper. In August, he announced 4THROPE, his own professional wrestling franchise. The franchise is an extension of his Fourth Rope brand, which created its own wrestling-themed merchandise and limited edition art. One month later, he performed Daniel Garcia’s entrance theme on an episode of AEW Dynamite.
It hasn’t all been positive for Gunn, though. In January 2022, he was forced to take down several songs from YouTube due to their inclusion of WWE audio. He also got into an internet squabble with former WWE announcer Greg Hamilton due to the inclusion of his voice on the Hitler Wears Hermes 7 track “Undertaker vs. Goldberg.”
Conway made reference to former WWE General Manager Eric Bischoff in Westside Gunn’s track “George Bondo,” spitting “I’m impactin’ the culture like Eric Bischoff.” This is just one of the many lines the trio have used to nod to the professional wrestling culture.
Migos
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Prior to their unfortunate disbandment and the untimely death of Takeoff, Migos was responsible for several viral moments in connection to wrestling. In 2014, Take and Offset met up with WWE superstar Randy Orton at the airport, which sent the internet into a frenzy and has been referenced ever since.
Almost eight years later, they reconnected at WWE’s Day 1 premium live event when they joined Orton and his tag team partner Matt Riddle during their entrance prior to their RAW Tag Team Championship match against the Street Profits. The WWE used Migos’ 2021 record “Straightenin’” as Day 1’s theme song, and Quavo handled the voiceover for the pre-show video package.
Their musical alignment with the WWE doesn’t stop there, as Offset titled his popular 2017 record “Ric Flair Drip,” named after the 16-time world champion. Flair appeared in the music video and with the Atlanta rapper during his performance of the record on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Offset kept things in the family when he introduced Flair’s daughter Charlotte prior to her match with Sasha Banks during a Sept. 2019 episode.
Bad Bunny
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Anything that Bad Bunny does gets a lot of discussion, but the Latin pop star sent the wrestling world into a frenzy when pictures of him with Brock Lesnar, The Undertaker, Ric Flair, and more. The Puerto Rican sensation took his fandom to another level when he released his 2020 record “Booker T,” titled after the popular wrestler.
The WWE took notice and invited Benito to perform the song at the 2021 Royal Rumble, where Book joined him on stage and yelled his famous phrase “Can you dig that, sucka?” The Un Verano Sin Ti artist didn’t stop at performing either, as he got involved in the Men’s Royal Rumble after The Miz destroyed his laptop. Bunny’s distraction lead to Miz and John Morrison being eliminated from the Royal Rumble, and began their feud which culminated in a match at Wrestlemania 37.
The GRAMMY winner dazzled the live audience with a special entrance on a truck and his in-ring proficiency. He also had a brief stint as the WWE 24/7 champion, and returned less than a year later as a participant in the 2022 Royal Rumble. Now, he is set to be the host of WWE Backlash in Puerto Rico on Saturday, May 6. Bad Bunny has redefined what it means to be a “celebrity wrestler,” and his appearance in the recent WWE 2K23 release is a sign that he could be a mainstay for years to come. It’s crazy where being a fan and one of the biggest artists in the world can take you.
Rick Ross
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Rick Ross made his rounds in the professional wrestling world using his charisma and humor to entertain the masses. Rozay first appeared on IMPACT, formerly TNA, during their Genesis pay-per-view in 2012. Joaquin Wilde, formerly known as DJZ, was entering the arena for his match when he spotted the Richer Than I’ve Ever Been rapper standing ringside. He received a high five, then went for another one only for The Biggest Boss to show him two middle fingers.
Four years later, WWE Monday Night Raw was held in his hometown of Miami. The Rock appeared on that show and was met backstage by the “Hustlin’” rapper. They shared a brotherly moment, and Ross also was able to catch up with Ric Flair.
Most recently, Ross has gone viral for multiple appearances on AEW television. He first mediated a dispute between Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland, hilariously claiming Lee was making false accusations. A few weeks later, he aligned himself with Strickland, Parker Bourdeaux, and Trench who now call themselves the “Mogul Affiliates.” No matter where he’s been, Rozay knows how to leave a lasting impression.
Smoke DZA
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Smoke DZA was labeled the biggest wrestling fan in Hip-Hop by Sports Illustrated in 2015, and there’s certainly some merit to the claim. His love for professional wrestling was in his DNA, as he watched with his parents when he was younger. His mother was a fan of Rowdy Roddy Piper and his father loved Junkyard Dog. As for the Harlem rapper, he was big on Hulk Hogan.
The 39-year-old wasn’t afraid to express his qualms with wrestling, either. He said what Triple H was doing with the product at the time was “corny,” felt former WWE superstar Cesaro, Big E, and Dolph Ziggler were misused, and was not interested in Sting joining the WWE at Wrestlemania 31. He also didn’t believe that Roman Reigns was the guy the company tried to make him, which has completely changed in the last few years with Roman becoming one of the greatest performers of all time. The “Put You On” rapper also revealed he is a fan of indie promotions, namely Ring Of Honor.
Smoke DZA also infused his fandom into his music. He boasted two wrestling-themed EPs, with the latter, Ringside 2, displaying his take on WWE faction The Shield’s entrance music and an appearance by Big E. Though Smoke DZA may not enjoy everything about professional wrestling, he remains a fan to this day, appearing on Complex Brackets last year to crown the best wrestler ever alongside Brian “B. Dot” Miller.
Action Bronson
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Action Bronson’s wrestling fandom began when he watched it with his late grandfather. The 39-year-old rapper play wrestled with his friends, like many young wrestling fans, but recently had the chance to enter the squared circle on television.
He first appeared AEW’s All Out pay-per-view in Sept. 2022, roughing up Angelo Parker following his match with Hook, who uses his song “Chairman’s Intent” as his entrance music. Weeks later, Bronson teamed with the FTW champion to take on Parker and Matt Mennard during an episode of AEW Rampage.
Bronson rapped the record as they walked to the ring, and impressed the crowd with his rope running, clotheslines, and power slams en route to being victorious alongside Hook. The Queens rapper hopes to make more appearances and live out his dreams.
Cardi B
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Cardi B is unashamedly outspoken about everything, but it took some prompting for her to reveal she was a wrestling fan when she was younger. The Invasion Of Privacy rapper posted a video rapping along to her verse on DJ Khaled’s 2019 record “Wish Wish” in what appeared to be a backstage lounge area. A fan commented that the surroundings looked like the general manager’s office in the 2004 video game Smackdown! Vs. Raw and she replied with late WWE wrestler Eddie Guerrero’s catchphrase “I lie, I cheat, I steal.”
A Twitter user then asked how she knows about Latino Heat, to which she replied with a list of her favorite wrestlers, including Eddie, Booker T, Batista, Triple H, Edge, and Lita. Less than two years later, the Bronx rapper was name-dropped during a special Legends Night episode of Monday Night Raw which caused a lot of commotion on the internet. She was initially confused, only to realize why everyone was discussing her in conjunction with the WWE. Wale encouraged her to make her long-awaited WWE appearance, and the “Bodak Yellow” artist joked that she was headed to Wrestlemania to collect her check.
She also jokingly told Vince McMahon to count his days following the name-drop, as that wasn’t how she wanted her WWE debut to go. This led to WWE superstar Lacey Evans threatening her over Twitter, and though it is unclear whether she was being serious or participating in “kayfabe”, otherwise known as in character, Bardi took the threat very seriously due to the mention of Nicki Minaj.
While fans are still waiting for Cardi B to appear on WWE television, they got a step closer in 2021 when her hit single “Up” was chosen as the theme song for SummerSlam. We’re almost there.
Babytron
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Babytron is loved for his clever and hilarious punchlines, but his raps related to wrestling have become another standout aspect of the Ypsilanti, Mich. rapper.
“Gold chain on, slamming h*es like I’m Kurt Angle,” he spits in the 2021 record “Frankenstein.” He also titled a song “Paul Bearer,” a reference to The Undertaker and Kane’s late manager.
The 22-year-old clearly does his research, referencing AJ Styles’ run in TNA on the record “Next Level 2.” There are endless wrestling bars in the young rapper’s catalog, and they provide a fresh breath of nostalgia for those who are aware of the names he mentions.