The Best Rap Album EVER?

Macho Man Randy Savage wrestles his way through a new rap album
By Pauline M. Millard
NEW YORK (AP) — This may be the first time a pro wrestler has insisted that he’s keeping it real.
But now that Randy (Macho Man) Savage is a rapper, it’s only fitting that he’s got a real beef.
On the title track of his new CD, Be a Man, Savage goes at longtime foil Hulk Hogan — questioning why Hogan won’t step up to him one last time, talking trash about his acting skills and challenging him to a match:
“Ya hidin’ man but when I find you it’s on, And when I slam ya to the dirt you’ll wish you’s never born, I smell a coward mmmm is that you Hogan, Macho’s gonna kick ya butt is the slogan.”
Savage insists that he’s serious.
It’s just the latest career move for the 51-year-old muscleman, who “won” five world titles in a long wrestling career, performed for 93,000 fans in 1987’s Wrestlemania III, acted in the movies Spider Man and Tarzan II and served an arduous tour of duty as the spokesman for Slim Jim beef jerky.
The album, on the independent Big 3 Records, is mostly rap with rock influences, plus one love song for good measure. It was written mostly by Big 3’s in-house team of writers, Da Raskulls. DJ Kool of Let Me Clear My Throat fame offers his help on one track, Hit the Floor.
Savage talked about his project in his trademark low, gravelly voice via phone from Los Angeles.
AP: Are you a rap fan?
Savage: I grew up on rock ’n’ roll but recently I got into Eminem and Run DMC and other rap and hip-hop acts.
AP: Why record an album? Why now?
Savage: I’ve always been a fan of music so when I met the chairman from Big 3 records (Bill Edwards) I realized I should take the opportunity. At first it was hard, getting into rapping and all, but I had a great writing team, Da Raskulls, and they wrote me some great stuff.
AP: What are your goals as a musician?
Savage: I’m just trying to have fun, but I can’t stress enough that this isn’t a novelty act. I’m in this for the long haul. I’m not writing a book about my life like most people do. Instead, I’m making music.
AP: What about your beefs with Hulk Hogan?
Savage: Hulk Hogan and I have many beefs, mainly because he has been spreading a lot of untruths about me and my family in the media. I asked him a while ago to face me in the ring one more time and settle it. The proceeds for the fight were supposed to go a children’s hospital in Florida and he wouldn’t do it.
AP: Didn’t you guys used to be friends?
Savage: We were acquaintances at best, even when we were a tag team. But in wrestling there is a lot of backstabbing and basically that’s what happened with Hogan and I.
AP: Is this a real fight or just a fake wrestling fight for publicity?
Savage: This is a very real fight. All I want is to face Hogan one more time and then we can be at peace. I think it’s the best way. After all, if a man gets called out, you have to answer to that, but Hogan won’t face me.
AP: I read that there was some lip-syncing at one of your concerts.
Savage: That’s not true at all. Hulk Hogan sent his people out to the show wearing T-shirts that read “Macho Man Sucks.” Luckily, the security guys didn’t let them in and they had to stay across the street. It was just Hulk Hogan trying to start with me again. Then he had some fans write on some web site that I was lip-syncing at the concert. But sometimes perception is reality and people believe what they read in the media.
Savage: I think that it has gotten to a point where everything is so over the top and they just keep pushing the envelope. Some of these recent story lines I’ve heard are just so bizarre. Luckily, there are some good leaders in the WWE like the Rock and The Undertaker who are positive role models. However, I still say that Hogan and I need to go face to face one more time and then we can move on and pass the torch to the next generation.