The Rock Shocks WWE Fans with Lil Wayne Remix: 'Tha Block Is Hot'

Dwayne Johnson attends the “Black Adam” premiere at Cine Capitol on October 19, 2022 in Madrid, Spain.

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WWE fans got an electrifying surprise when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson switched up his iconic entrance music on the latest episode of SmackDown. Instead of his usual theme, the arena erupted with a remix of Lil Wayne’s 1999 classic “Tha Block Is Hot.”

As Johnson made his entrance, the screen behind him lit up with imagery of New Orleans—the city where SmackDown was taking place. But this wasn’t just a random tribute. Moments later, The Rock took the mic to make a huge announcement: WrestleMania 42 is officially coming to New Orleans next year!

After the event, Johnson explained why he chose Lil Wayne’s track for his entrance.

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“I’ve always been a big fan of Lil Wayne. I’ve always been a big fan of Louisiana Hip Hop from Master P, Juvenile, Birdman, 504. All of those guys. Those are my guys,” he said. “I came up in Miami and South Florida. Those are my influences. I love all of those guys. I felt like, we’re coming to New Orleans.”

He continued, “I have a big announcement: we are bringing WrestleMania to New Orleans. For years, before I would go out and wrestle in these matches, whether here in New Orleans or around the world throughout the United States, I was always listening to all of those guys. I figured, now I’m going to go out, let’s take a moment. I wanted to give love and respect to the OGs.

“This is Lil Wayne’s city. I love Kendrick, that’s my guy. I love the NFL and I love the Super Bowl. I loved his performance. It was my way of showing love to the OG of New Orleans and that’s Lil Wayne. ‘Tha Block Is Hot,’ specifically, I wanted that one.”

Adding to the night’s star power, rap legend Snoop Dogg also made an appearance, joining the commentary team. This marked his fifth WrestleMania appearance—his most memorable being WrestleMania 39, where he unexpectedly stepped into the ring and performed The Rock’s signature move, The People’s Elbow.

Kayla MorganWriter

Kayla is the midday host on Detroit’s 105.1 The Bounce. She started her career in radio back in 2016 as an intern at another Detroit station and worked her way here. She's made stops in Knoxville, TN, Omaha, Ne and other places before returning to Detroit. She’s done almost everything in radio from promotions to web, creating content on social media, you name it. She’s a true Michigander, born and raised. So, you can catch her camping or vacationing up north to exploring the downtown Detroit or maybe even catching a sports game. During her free time, Kayla enjoys watching movies, roller-skating, crafting, and music festivals. She and her husband together dip into many of the great things Michigan has to offer. Together they also like to travel. A few hobbies of hers include wine and beer tastings, crafting, hiking, roller skating, movies, home improvement projects, gardening, and festivals. She’s always looking to take on more local events happening in the community. She loves connecting with the community. When writing, Kayla covers topics including lifestyle, pop culture, trending stories, hacks, and urban culture.