R-Truth Says Hip-Hop & Wrestling Always Works Together

R-Truth spoke with the Journal Star promoting WWE’s SmackDown taping in Lincoln, Nebraska this Tuesday. Check out the highlights:

On the mix of hip-hop and wrestling: “It always works together. Wrestling is entertainment. Hip-hop is entertainment. I want to keep it real. My hip-hop is me. It helps with my character. When you see who I am, you’re getting a real character, a real person. R-Truth, that’s me.”

On how he’s maintained a long career: “By the grace of God, doin’ what has to be done and working hard, keeping my head up and my chest out. I’m a grown man now, I’ve got a family, I understand responsibility. You suit up, put the shoes on and go out and do it.”

On the wrestling industry’s ups and downs: “Characters and people change. I don’t think the wrestling has changed. It’s always been entertaining. It’s always been demanding. It’s always been a competitive sport.”

On the physicality of the industry: “We take some devastating hits out there,” said R-Truth. A lot of times we’re out there injured. I’m injured now. I’m about 80-85 percent. I hurt my shoulder. But, as they say, the show must go on. So I’m out there…I may not do the backflip, but I’ll do the splits. Or I may do the backflip but with no hands. It kind of depends how you’re feeling. You improvise. You ad-lib. You try not to hurt it again.”

On being a role model after having a troubled past: “I definitely consider myself a role model. I’m not ashamed to talk about it; I’m not embarrassed to talk about it. I’m human. I’ve made mistakes like everybody else. You have to learn from those mistakes, to do things right, to show that you can overcome those mistakes. In a way, I’m proud I made those mistakes. Sometimes a blessing will come out of mistakes.”

On what he does when he’s not on the road: “When I’m not doing this, I turn into super dad. Waking the kids up, getting them ready for school, get my coffee going, get them to school, get in my workout, pick them up from school, get them to dance class, to football practice, get them home and in bed at night. I become a husband, a father, a son and an uncle.”

On his biggest wrestling highlight: “Getting the WWF contract, the WWE contract, just coming here. My highlight is being able to do all I want to do. You can’t pick one thing. I’m working for the biggest company there is, doing what I want to do. I’ve lived the dream. I’ve accomplished the goal…It’s different when you’re on TV. You’ve got the pyrotechnics. You get to be seen on TV around the world. You have more of a chance to have your character seen, so people know who that character is. The best way to be entertained is to come to a WWE TV show. A lot of times when I’m out, I get recognized by families because the kids know who I am. We are a family-oriented show. If people haven’t ever seen it in person, I’d urge them to come out and see what it’s like. They’ll be entertained. I promise that.”

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