John Cena the rapper or the boy scout??

[Savion83]

I was just thinking to myself after watching the beginning RAW last night with the segment between Vince McMahon and John Cena. And the whole thing looked like a "throwback" to the atittude era where at the top of the hour, we would see a segment.confrantation between Mr. McMahon and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

With that being said. I remember back in early 2003 on Smackdown where John Cena started doing the white trash rapper gimmick, which wasn't far from being himself in real-life. I really got into John Cena back then. Mainly because he spoke in words and did actions that the common wrestling fan related to. I missed when Cena dissed his opponents by freestyling about them and even the "rap battle" segments he had with them. As well as other things like the jersey's, the chain around the neck, and even the trucker hats.

But as times must change as we all know. When Cena first won the WWE/World title belt and has drafted over to the RAW brand. We saw the evolution that is the John Cena we all know and see today. He's stopped the rapping. On his entrance to the ring he does a salute to the WWE universe (saying it's a tribute to the troops fighting in Iraq). And is the poster child for the WWE's "PG Generation"! Which I can't stand!

My question is, which John Cena persona was the best one or the better fit?? Personally I gotta go with him being the rapper. Atlease I paid attenion whenever Cena spoke on the mic. You?

 

[>HERO<]

You are asking which Cena persona was a better fit. The answer is quite simple, rapper gimmick for adult show and current cena for PG show. I have been watching wrestling since long time now and i think it's really wrong to blame cena for his current style. He was badass back in 2003-04 and fans loved him. But since the show became PG, he had to change his style. John cena is shown as a role model by WWE for kids and teens. And it's the business need. So im not blind hater of cena. He is doing what circumstances call for. He is an average wrestler and athlete. For you and me who are attitude era fans he may be boring and we want him to change and go back to his old persona but for the fans(kids) that adore him, this is how they want to remember him. In his current role model style. Anyways, in order to choose which gimmick is better you have to take the rating of the show in consideration, if you know what i mean. But my personal favourite is obviosly rapper gimmick.

 

[LSN80]

I much preferred Cena the rapper, but it was a little bit harder to take him seriously. The gimmick was dropped when they tried getting him over as WWE champion and setting the stage for a long title reign. They pretty much ended the gimmick altogether, outside of his dress, after he defeated HHH at WM 22. That's when he became the boy scout. Sure, he would rap on his opponents from time to time, but he took on a more serious "The WWE title is my life" type of mentality.

The problem I have mostly with his boyscout image is that they still have him cut cutesy promos on serious subject manners. When he and Batista had their confrontation via titantron, he came across as smarmy in a promo that he should have been taking seriously. Im a huge John Cena fan, but part of me couldn't help but want Batista to wipe the smirk off his face.

So I wouldn't mind him going back to the rapper gimmick, as long as he only used it sparingly. Not to be funny, but to drive home whatever point he was trying to make. Otherwise, Id go with the boyscout gimmick, as long as they have his character take his serious promos i dont know, seriously?

 

[Poop Master Flex]

Personally I gotta go with John Cena the rapper over the boy-scout. Not the greatest rapper no doubt, but I gotta admit I definitely got a few chuckles out of some of the things he said (like the Angle vs. Cena rap battle). He also had a lot more attitude back then, he did more than 6 moves (for all the people who think Cena can't wrestle is just ridiculous, its not Cena its the office) and I got behind him alot more back then also. His rapper gimmick made me a Cena fan and when he went to boy-scout, I just couldn't get behind him nearly as much, I've seen the Hogan thing and I'm just not a big fan of it, it worked in the 80's but now its just played out.

I also felt Cena was more himself when he was the rapper and I always believed that the best way for a wrestler to get over is to be themselves, just amped up a bunch of notches. I believed in his character more when he was the rapper and although he plays the boyscout well(not a fan of it but you gotta give the guy his due), it sometimes feels forced. I miss the Cena who cheated once in a while, said profane things and was in your face.