AEW should carry on blending the worlds of professional wrestling and music according to one-half of the World Tag Team Champions Swerve Strickland.
In February this year, AEW announced an album featuring Hip Hop & R 'n B artists for Black History month, including performers such as Jon Connor, Mega Ran, Brinson, Omega Sparx, Monteasy, and Josiah Williams.
Earlier this month, Daniel Garcia's ring entrance was performed by Westside Gunn, ahead of the 'Dragon Slayer's' ROH Pure Championship win over Wheeler Yuta.
Hip Hop star Action Bronson has been training ahead of an appearance at this week's AEW Dynamite: Grand Slam.
AEW and Music
AEW has seen plenty of Hip Hop artists already, and that trend is set to continue if Strickland has his way.
Speaking on the latest episode of 'The Sessions' Strickland told host Renee Paquette how he thinks that pro-wrestling and entertainment crossovers just make sense.
"I've always been a big advocate of the crossover. Sports and media and entertainment, now we're seeing Dwayne Johnson announce the Superbowl and things like that. There's those same types of parallels that are transferring over and I've always been a big proponent for it."
Bringing it Back
While Strickland said that AEW was crossing over with music prior to his arrival in March this year, he felt that the company's interest in Hip Hop had wained in that time.
"I had a connection make the Kevin Gates thing that we did happen, and I was like 'man I feel like we can bring that back to life and provide something that has been missing for quite some time on the show.
"Especially for hip-hop culture and African American culture and stuff like that. I think that may influence, and ripple through the industry. Even when we did LA. right after Double or Nothing I brought in Jeff Hamilton to do a little one-minute backstage with me. Hip-Hop heads, true hip-hop heads through the music industry and fashion were like 'yo! What is he doing here on AEW Wrestling?'"
Responding to Critics
AEW has a huge fan base, but it is impossible to please everyone.
Speaking about recent crossovers, Strickland admitted that not everyone is on board with seeing musical artists take up time on AEW programming.
The AEW World Tag Team Champion countered that seeing artists is likely to win over people who want to watch wrestling, but don't quite know how to start.
"There were some critiques about it like 'what was this for? It was like a minute. What was that put on TV for?' Some wrestling fans were like 'I don't understand what the purpose of that was.'
"You guys are already watching, it wasn't for you as fans. It was for these people who want to like wrestling, but they're so hesitant because they don't see representation on certain shows.
It was for these people who want to like wrestling, but they're so hesitant."
Swerve Strickland on AEW's crossover with music winning over new fans.
"So now just having that 'oh Jeff Hamilton he just did the NBA 75 jackets for Lebron James and Steph Curry and all these guys. What is he doing in AEW? Oh, they're in the forum!'
"That's a pop culture thing that goes all the way through You don't have to be a wrestling fan to appreciate those connections. And that's why I try to find."
The Future
AEW has shown no signs of easing up on their involvement with music now that Strickland is around, and he has big plans for the future.
When asked what he hopes to be the next step, Strickland said that with Hip Hop artists coming to AEW, it's time for AEW to enter their domain.
"I want to see us transfer over there to that side a little bit more. Because when you look at a lot of wrestling that gets involved with rap and music or doing it, it always feel like its very charicature, where it's a parody of the music."
For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.