More than ever, hip-hop’s fondness of wrestling is becoming increasingly clear. Last night (May 28), Sexxy Red made her debut on WWE’s NXT, where she not only unveiled a new women’s title for the budding brand but announced she’ll also be heading to Vegas to host the company’s upcoming premium live event NXT Battle Ground on June 9.
Aside from her twerking skills and spunky attitude taking centerstage, Sexxy’s appearance last night on WWE TV minimized the gap between hip-hop and wrestling considerably. In past interviews, Cardi B has revealed her love for the sport and wanting to collide in the ring with some of today’s top superstars. Rappers including Wale and Westside Gunn have been longtime admirers of the sport and have even developed business endeavors that pay homage to wrestling, most notably Wale’s annual WaleMania event.
With WWE and now AEW proving to be staunch supporters of rap, it’s only a matter of time before more rappers take the plunge — and perhaps even getting in the ring one day, like Bad Bunny or Logan Paul.
“I think it’s just cool now, man,” WWE superstar Big E previously told Billboard. “I don’t know exactly what to point to, but you have The Rock involved now. You have [WWE president] Nick Khan involved. You have so many connections with sports and entertainment. I feel like a lot of people were closeted wrestling fans because it wasn’t cool, because it was the nerdy thing to do — but now that it’s becoming more accessible for people, I think a lot of people are coming out of the woodwork.”
Billboard compiled a list of the ten best wrestling moments featuring some of today’s biggest hip-hop stars.
