Black Widow
06-19-2010, 01:01 AM
Good luck trying to find someone else more happy to be working with the WWE right now than R-Truth. Early in his career, he was with the company for a few years before being released in 2001. Now, he's finally made his way back and is starting to reap the rewards.
He's cleaned up his life after having a few scrapes with the law and now he's soaking up life. He's enjoying his work with the WWE and outside of the company as he continues to write and produce music.
This Sunday, he'll challenge The Miz for the U.S. Title at the Fatal 4-Way pay-per-view (8PM ET / 5PM PT), a championship he held before losing it this past Monday night on Raw. FanHouse spoke with R-Truth about his music, returning to the WWE, his recent opportunities there and more.
FanHouse: You're been singing the 'What's Up' song even before you came back to the WWE (in 2008) and the crowd really gets behind it. How much has it done for your career?
R-Truth: Man, it's done tremendous. I think that song is what starting my career steamrolling. Sometimes I think there is too much of the 'what's up' but it seems like it's still gaining momentum. When you think about it, you never get tired or hearing that glass break when (Steve) Austin comes out. You never get tired of hearing 'can you smell ... ". I don't think people get tired of 'what's up'. 'What's up' is used in everyday ordinary life.
Since you had used that music before rejoining WWE, were you concerned that they would let you use it and even sing your entrance music when you come out?
I was totally blown away by it. When I came back to the company, I gave them my ring music that I come out to and I gave them that. They listened to it, they liked it and they actually were like do you want to come out to that. I was like are you serious? And bro, Vince let me come out to the music I produced in my living room. That's a feeling beyond feeling that you can't explain.
Would you like to come out through the crowds more or just down the entrance ramp?
I like both ways. I like coming through the crowd because it gives people that up close and personal kind of feel. Feel me, touch me, be right there with me. I'll stop there and let you sing it. But then I also like coming through the regular way so everybody can see where I'm coming from.
What's the worst thing that has happened to you when coming out through the crowd? Has anyone tried to maul you?
I remember one time, we were in Mexico and they mobbed me and grabbed the mic. I'm yelling and trying to rap the song and they're grabbing my pants, grabbing my jacket. But then I think the fans felt sorry for me and let me go on through and continue to sing the song. The whole song had played and I hadn't even gone through the crowd yet.
You left the WWE in 2001 and went back in 2008. Did you think you would be back after leaving?
I was always hoping I could come back. When I left the company, I was still young. It gave me a chance to leave and mature and respect the business more, come back and know my business and be able to come back and handle business. I'm a grown man now.
Why do you think it took so long before they decided to bring you back?
Growing man. I think time has no exact point of punctuating when this is going to happen, when that is going to happen. But time does play a big part of it. I think it was just the right time and it's working. Whatever they're doing, whatever time they chose is working.
You've been in wrestling now for about 14 years. Do you feel like a veteran?
Yeah, I do feel like a veteran but I also feel like there's still so much. You never stop learning in life and in this business, you never stop learning as well. I kind of feel because I was around with guys like Road Dogg and Triple H way back in my younger years when I was K-Kwik and to now. I'm still learning and it's always fun to learn in this business.
How many of the fans still remember you from your previous time there when you were K-Kwik?
A lot. I can say to each and every last one of them right now thank you. There's a warm feeling I get when people mention that. I still get the 'hey K-Kwik' or 'get rowdy'. That's a very humbling feeling. It's awesome.
Go back a few months to WrestleMania. Was that the first one you've ever been a part of?
Yeah, first WrestleMania I've been a part of.
Tell me what that was like as you were part of the opening match on that show.
To hear 76,000 people say 'what's up', that was like the pinnacle of my career. Then again, I don't have one. I always will reach and go beyond. That's me. But that was a testimony to show that the sky is the limit. I can go beyond that. Now I have to main event one with 80-100,000 people there coming to see me. It ups the stakes. That was my biggest moment. Being at WrestleMania made me believe even more.
You've had a resurgence in your career, back with the WWE, your first WrestleMania, you recently had won the U.S. Title. It really seems like the company is behind you right now.
Yeah, they're getting behind me and it's time to shift into another gear now. I've got a lot of gears to go and I'm just coming up out of second.
Recently you moved from Smackdown to Raw which of course is a live TV show. Is that better for you?
I think it's good. It doesn't matter whether you're live on TV, there's still that live audience right there. You have to be ready and be able to deliver.
Do you feel any more pressure?
I eat pressure like a sandwich! I put mustard on it and I eat it.
How often now are you writing new songs and producing them?
All the time. If I'm in the gym, I will go to the counter and ask for a pen and a piece of paper of I'm thinking of something. OK, that metaphor sounded it real good. I think any artist will tell you, you get the best writing material and more creativity when you're just doing normal, everyday things. That's what my rhymes are all about. Normal, everyday life and pursuing life, going through it, absorbing it, learning from it ... that's music to me.
Are you working on any music right now that might be released soon?
Yes, I'm working on some things that I'll be giving Vince (McMahon) to listen to. It won't be a typical rap, hip-hop CD. It's going to be just like 'What's Up'. It's going to be entertaining. You're going to feel like that song is you. I just rap about and talk about life. And I think that's me giving back a little bit, just talking about my experiences and showing somebody else look where I'm at to where I've been at. There's no way to fear stuff when there's hope, faith, belief and you can achieve what you want to.
Does Vince like rap music?
I think Vince likes all kinds of music. If he's not a fan of it, I guarantee he knows someone that does it and there's one song he does know a lot.
Has he ever been caught dancing to you singing 'What's Up'?
I'll tell you this right now. When we were rehearsing me going out to 'What's Up' and the first time I was going to do it coming through the crowd, guess who showed me how I was going to do 'What's Up'? And guess who had the microphone dancing and he stopped, took his jacket off and showed R-Truth this is how you dance and rap 'What's Up' coming to the ring? And Vince did it to the music.
That would be quite the sight to see.
(laughs) He did it! I was like damn, my boss just did my song for me! He actually threw a spin and a dip in as well.
It's been a hot topic as of late about Bryan Danielson being released from the company. Were you surprised that happened?
I'm not surprised at too much that happens. We do compelling television and you never know what you're going to get. That situation I'm not too familiar with. I'm hearing so many different things. You could probably tell me more about that situation.
Fanhouse.com
He's cleaned up his life after having a few scrapes with the law and now he's soaking up life. He's enjoying his work with the WWE and outside of the company as he continues to write and produce music.
This Sunday, he'll challenge The Miz for the U.S. Title at the Fatal 4-Way pay-per-view (8PM ET / 5PM PT), a championship he held before losing it this past Monday night on Raw. FanHouse spoke with R-Truth about his music, returning to the WWE, his recent opportunities there and more.
FanHouse: You're been singing the 'What's Up' song even before you came back to the WWE (in 2008) and the crowd really gets behind it. How much has it done for your career?
R-Truth: Man, it's done tremendous. I think that song is what starting my career steamrolling. Sometimes I think there is too much of the 'what's up' but it seems like it's still gaining momentum. When you think about it, you never get tired or hearing that glass break when (Steve) Austin comes out. You never get tired of hearing 'can you smell ... ". I don't think people get tired of 'what's up'. 'What's up' is used in everyday ordinary life.
Since you had used that music before rejoining WWE, were you concerned that they would let you use it and even sing your entrance music when you come out?
I was totally blown away by it. When I came back to the company, I gave them my ring music that I come out to and I gave them that. They listened to it, they liked it and they actually were like do you want to come out to that. I was like are you serious? And bro, Vince let me come out to the music I produced in my living room. That's a feeling beyond feeling that you can't explain.
Would you like to come out through the crowds more or just down the entrance ramp?
I like both ways. I like coming through the crowd because it gives people that up close and personal kind of feel. Feel me, touch me, be right there with me. I'll stop there and let you sing it. But then I also like coming through the regular way so everybody can see where I'm coming from.
What's the worst thing that has happened to you when coming out through the crowd? Has anyone tried to maul you?
I remember one time, we were in Mexico and they mobbed me and grabbed the mic. I'm yelling and trying to rap the song and they're grabbing my pants, grabbing my jacket. But then I think the fans felt sorry for me and let me go on through and continue to sing the song. The whole song had played and I hadn't even gone through the crowd yet.
You left the WWE in 2001 and went back in 2008. Did you think you would be back after leaving?
I was always hoping I could come back. When I left the company, I was still young. It gave me a chance to leave and mature and respect the business more, come back and know my business and be able to come back and handle business. I'm a grown man now.
Why do you think it took so long before they decided to bring you back?
Growing man. I think time has no exact point of punctuating when this is going to happen, when that is going to happen. But time does play a big part of it. I think it was just the right time and it's working. Whatever they're doing, whatever time they chose is working.
You've been in wrestling now for about 14 years. Do you feel like a veteran?
Yeah, I do feel like a veteran but I also feel like there's still so much. You never stop learning in life and in this business, you never stop learning as well. I kind of feel because I was around with guys like Road Dogg and Triple H way back in my younger years when I was K-Kwik and to now. I'm still learning and it's always fun to learn in this business.
How many of the fans still remember you from your previous time there when you were K-Kwik?
A lot. I can say to each and every last one of them right now thank you. There's a warm feeling I get when people mention that. I still get the 'hey K-Kwik' or 'get rowdy'. That's a very humbling feeling. It's awesome.
Go back a few months to WrestleMania. Was that the first one you've ever been a part of?
Yeah, first WrestleMania I've been a part of.
Tell me what that was like as you were part of the opening match on that show.
To hear 76,000 people say 'what's up', that was like the pinnacle of my career. Then again, I don't have one. I always will reach and go beyond. That's me. But that was a testimony to show that the sky is the limit. I can go beyond that. Now I have to main event one with 80-100,000 people there coming to see me. It ups the stakes. That was my biggest moment. Being at WrestleMania made me believe even more.
You've had a resurgence in your career, back with the WWE, your first WrestleMania, you recently had won the U.S. Title. It really seems like the company is behind you right now.
Yeah, they're getting behind me and it's time to shift into another gear now. I've got a lot of gears to go and I'm just coming up out of second.
Recently you moved from Smackdown to Raw which of course is a live TV show. Is that better for you?
I think it's good. It doesn't matter whether you're live on TV, there's still that live audience right there. You have to be ready and be able to deliver.
Do you feel any more pressure?
I eat pressure like a sandwich! I put mustard on it and I eat it.
How often now are you writing new songs and producing them?
All the time. If I'm in the gym, I will go to the counter and ask for a pen and a piece of paper of I'm thinking of something. OK, that metaphor sounded it real good. I think any artist will tell you, you get the best writing material and more creativity when you're just doing normal, everyday things. That's what my rhymes are all about. Normal, everyday life and pursuing life, going through it, absorbing it, learning from it ... that's music to me.
Are you working on any music right now that might be released soon?
Yes, I'm working on some things that I'll be giving Vince (McMahon) to listen to. It won't be a typical rap, hip-hop CD. It's going to be just like 'What's Up'. It's going to be entertaining. You're going to feel like that song is you. I just rap about and talk about life. And I think that's me giving back a little bit, just talking about my experiences and showing somebody else look where I'm at to where I've been at. There's no way to fear stuff when there's hope, faith, belief and you can achieve what you want to.
Does Vince like rap music?
I think Vince likes all kinds of music. If he's not a fan of it, I guarantee he knows someone that does it and there's one song he does know a lot.
Has he ever been caught dancing to you singing 'What's Up'?
I'll tell you this right now. When we were rehearsing me going out to 'What's Up' and the first time I was going to do it coming through the crowd, guess who showed me how I was going to do 'What's Up'? And guess who had the microphone dancing and he stopped, took his jacket off and showed R-Truth this is how you dance and rap 'What's Up' coming to the ring? And Vince did it to the music.
That would be quite the sight to see.
(laughs) He did it! I was like damn, my boss just did my song for me! He actually threw a spin and a dip in as well.
It's been a hot topic as of late about Bryan Danielson being released from the company. Were you surprised that happened?
I'm not surprised at too much that happens. We do compelling television and you never know what you're going to get. That situation I'm not too familiar with. I'm hearing so many different things. You could probably tell me more about that situation.
Fanhouse.com