Hip-Hop, Wrestling Collide at Westside Gunn’s ‘Heels Have Eyes’ at the UIC Forum

Buffalo, New York rapper and businessman Westside Gunn (Photo Credit: Vani Digital LLC). Hip-hop music’s influence on pro wrestling — believe it or not — goes back decades.& When the New World Order (NWO) —& one of wrestling’s most influential factions — became a cultural flashpoint featuring Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, they utilized the phrase “4 Life,” a riff off West Coast rapper Mack 10’s 1995 track, “For Life.” Currently, WWE Superstar “Main Event” Jey Uso, one of wrestling’s most popular figures, benefits heavily from hip-hop’s influence on the sport.& Despite recent naysaying from wrestling fans who bristled at the fact that Smackdown’s rebranding features a track from rapper Megan Thee Stallion, rap’s influence on the sport is here to stay.& Buffalo, New York rapper Westside Gunn, who grew up an avid wrestling fan and a front-row fixture at many wrestling promotions, appears to have the gravitas—and, most importantly, the financial backing—to pull off “Fourth Rope,” a wrestling promotion that’s aligned with his concert series “Heels Have Eyes,” along with his new album “Still Praying.” The event, which took place last weekend at Chicago’s UIC Forum, featured musical performances from Dave East, Boldy James, DJ Premier and...