10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Oct 14)
2. John Cena's De-Emphasis Of 'Hip Hop' Characteristics Has Been Intentional
In the introduction to this article, it was reasoned that WWE had to step away from presenting John Cena as some sort of hip-hop bad boy gangster in mid-2008. Embracing a 'PG' format, the promotion could no longer write Cena to perform rhyming promos that featured bad language and numerous sexual references.
For many, Cena's subsequent degeneration into a more child-friendly character only made him less likeable. Phrases such as, 'Baloney, fudge, mustard' and 'JBL Is Poopy' did nothing to endear Cena to adults who had grown up watching the Attitude Era. In Cena's opinion, moving away from the hard-edges of his previous rap persona were a given anyway.
Talking to ESPN, Cena said that hip-hop is a culture synonymous with youth. As much as he hates to admit it, John Cena isn't getting any younger. Therefore, he made a conscious decision to leave many of his previous rap characteristics behind, moving on from 'Thuganomics' to becoming a more wholesome on screen character.
As convenient as it was for Cena to become a champion of WWE's new child-friendly format, it seems the man himself was already willing to move on from his gangster guise.