Swerve Strickland Says His Early Rap Records Kept Wrestling Out
AEW wrestler Swerve Strickland told Billboard that his first few rap records contained no wrestling references at all. The interview was published on 21 October 2026 and was conducted by Carl Lamarre inside Billboard's New York offices. It is Entry 023 of Billboard's "Mic Drops and Elbow Drops" series.
Strickland wrestles for All Elite Wrestling, known as AEW, a US wrestling company. He is described as the first Black AEW World Champion. Before he joined AEW, he competed for WWE, the larger American wrestling company that is also known for its rivalries and storylines.
In the interview, Strickland said that he kept his rap work separate from the ring. His early records did not use death matches or his world championships. Wrestling fans who know him from the ring may be used to seeing those things front and centre, so the choice stands out.
Rap has also brought him attention from people outside wrestling. Rappers Raekwon and Bun B have given him what the music world calls a "co-sign", which means public backing from an established name. Billboard's report notes those endorsements.
His newest music is a collaboration with the rapper Max B. Strickland and Max B released a single called "Coo Coo" on 14 September 2026. It is available on all the major streaming services, the apps where people listen to music online. A press release for the single describes it as the second release on Strickland's new record label. The same release also names Raekwon and Bun B in connection with the track.
For listeners, the simplest way to hear the change is to start with "Coo Coo" and then go back through his older work. The full interview gives more of Strickland's own account of how he moved between wrestling and rap.
