On the Halloween-themed episode of Smackdown in late-October, John Cena dressed up as Vanilla Ice and showed off his rapping skills. More so than ever before, Cena showed personality and an ability to talk. WWE officials were sufficiently impressed enough to allow him to develop a character based on his real-life love of hip hop and rap music. From that point on, Cena became the 'Doctor Of Thuganomics'. Almost immediately, the man felt like a breath of fresh air, and his pre-match rhyming promos became a highlight of Smackdown. Cena had already turned heel before the switch, but the aggressive nature of his mic skills and new found confidence were a lethal combination. This was a pivotal change in Cena's career. Had he never been shown acting as Vanilla Ice, there's a chance WWE management may not have allowed the gimmick shift. There's no doubt about it, this was a turning point for the man. Suddenly, he became more a part of Smackdown than ever before, routinely lighting up the show.
Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.
