John Cena: The rap album that transformed the “Doctor Thuganomics”

John Cena: From the wrestling rings to the microphone, a hip-hop legend

Before becoming one of the most acclaimed professional wrestlers of all time, John Cena was at a crucial moment in his career. Despite being considered the future of WWE in the mid-2000s, he struggled to connect with the audience. It was on a European tour, during a freestyle session with other wrestlers, where Cena found a new facet. His rhymes amazed his colleagues and gave rise to a new character: “The Doctor of Thuganomics”. This persona revitalized Cena’s career, propelling him to stardom. But his foray into freestyle on “SmackDown” wasn’t just a gimmick; it was an expression of who Cena was before the jorts and retro t-shirts. “He was a kid who liked rap, and then he became a wrestler,” recounted his friend and rapper Esoteric (also known as Seamus Ryan). Those freestyle sessions culminated in the album “You Can’t See Me”, released on May 10, 2005. The album fused Cena’s ability for witty rhymes with underground production. It debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 and generated his entrance theme, “The Time Is Now”, which he still uses 20 years later, as he approaches his retirement match on December 13.

His intentions were pure, and when he had the opportunity to merge both, he threw himself into it.

Esoteric

Cena, a hip-hop purist, knowledgeable about Gang Starr, Hieroglyphics, Black Moon, EPMD, Wu [Tang Clan], and all the good stuff.

For his album, Cena committed to working with underground hip-hop artists he admired, which led him to collaborate with lesser-known artists who had cult followings.

There were a lot of fools in the rap world when his album came out, and he probably could have worked with any of them.

Esoteric

Bumpy Knuckles, whose real name is James Campbell, a respected figure in hip-hop, with a career spanning several decades and collaborations with hip-hop icons like KRS-One and Queen Latifah. Campbell met Cena in the dressing room before the wrestler appeared on New York’s Hot 97 radio station with presenter Sway Calloway. At that time, Cena’s new character in WWE had just taken off, but Campbell didn’t know him.

I was supposed to rap [on the show], and they wanted me to judge their lyrics.

James Campbell

Campbell rated Cena’s rhymes a “4 out of 10”, but also said that it could reach a 10 if he worked with him. Afterwards, they both exchanged numbers and built a relationship that extended to the creation of Cena’s only album. Cena had an interesting motivation for making an album. At the time, WWE had generic rap music that Cena didn’t find compelling or an adequate representation of the music he liked growing up.

Maybe I can make better music than the generic rap music they’re making for me in Connecticut [WWE headquarters].

John Cena

Thus, the seeds of “You Can’t See Me” were sown. In the early 2000s, producer Jake One had just left college and was looking for his big break in music. Although he already had production credits for artists like 50 Cent’s G-Unit and De La Soul, he was still hoping to turn his hobby into a profession. Despite working with artists like Drake, Wale, Future, and J. Cole, his most recognizable song came from a CD of beats he gave to a professional wrestler for his debut rap album.

I had no idea who John Cena was.

Jake One

The Seattle producer charged $30,000 for three beats. However, one of the most recognizable themes in professional wrestling history came from that CD of beats.

He paid me with a personal check, and the deal with WWE is that you are not entitled to royalties.

Jake One

On March 17, 2005, Cena debuted his new song on “SmackDown”, “The Time is Now”, produced by Jake One. And the rest is history. Although the song has generated much more money than Dutton was paid, the producer is grateful to be part of a crucial moment in Cena’s career.

It’s one of those things that refuses to disappear.

Jake One

The producer said that it’s common to work with an artist and never meet them, but even he is surprised that Cena and he haven’t crossed paths yet.

I have never met John Cena in person, and I haven’t spoken to him since he bought the beat.

Jake One

“You Can’t See Me” is more than “The Time Is Now.” Cena, along with Trademarc, delivered a 17-song album full of bravado and arrogance. Unlike the rap performances of “Macho Man” Randy Savage, where the music seemed inauthentic and a publicity stunt, Cena exuded the elements of the culture, from the four-finger rings to his witty rhymes and an ear for production.

[Hip-hop] was part of me.

John Cena

During the creation of “You Can’t See Me”, Cena worked with several pillars of the underground rap scene. The first step to collaborate with artists who ate, slept, and breathed hip-hop was to demonstrate that he was not exploiting the culture.

I’ve seen my fair share of nasty, tasteless tricks as a fan of black wrestling, but Cena smelled of authenticity and someone who understood and cared about the culture.

Murs

Murs met Cena at a mutual friend’s apartment. Cena was sitting there, it wasn’t a fancy place, but there was a WWE superstar hanging out on the couch. They talked for a while and really hit it off. Campbell, who appeared in four songs, played an important role in the making of the Cena album. But the master of the five-knuckle shuffle wouldn’t have gotten very far if he hadn’t passed the rapper’s “Industry Shakedown” smell test.

I wasn’t just rapping for the sake of rapping.

James Campbell

Besides working on songs like “Flow Easy” and “Bad, Bad Man”, Campbell and Cena spent a lot of time together, from riding motorcycles from Long Island, New York, to Boston, to meeting influential hip-hop luminaries like fashion designer Dapper Dan, or simply listening to and talking about music.

I was taking him to the neighborhood, yes, John Cena was hanging out in the neighborhood, and I had him introduce me at S.O.B.’s before my show in New York.

James Campbell

Ryan, who appears on the album, said that the final product exceeded the expectations of a professional wrestler who intended to make a hip-hop album.

He had a voice, a delivery, and wrote his own rhymes like everyone else.

Seamus Ryan

The album received moderate acclaim, with RapReviews rating it 7.5 out of 10:

You Can’t See Me may have been a well-planned and carefully calculated marketing strategy, but at the same time it screams the passion of a man who loves to rap as much as he loves wrestling.

RapReviews

Unfortunately, that time has already passed.

Two decades after the release of “You Can’t See Me”, that version of Cena is almost unrecognizable. Although the denim shorts are still intact, the rude rhymes and brash personality have faded, giving way to a more polished and wholesome version of the wrestler.

Here, I had a personality that connected with the people who were watching, but then, slowly, the people who were watching changed and more children and more families started coming to these events.

John Cena

And that was the end of Cena’s “Doctor of Thuganomics” version and the beginning of “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect.” Today, Cena says he doesn’t consume hip-hop music like before. Since then he has “moved away” from the culture and has focused his attention on ventures such as acting. Now, at 48 and nearing the end of his career in the ring, Cena has traded his retro t-shirts and freestyles for Hollywood suits and scripts. But make no mistake, “You Can’t See Me” will remain a triumph and a crucial moment for Cena’s career. And although he is no longer immersed in hip-hop, Cena will always remain authentically hip-hop.

I don’t think WWE ever told him to act like hip-hop, I think John showed up like that.

James Campbell