Former WWE Superstar JTG was recently interviewed by our friend Andrew Ravens at eWrestlingNews.com. Below are some of the highlights.
On the origins of his “Cryme Tyme” tag-team gimmick alongside former partner Shad Gaspard: “It kind of came up organically. We were down in OVW, and Al Snow said ‘You guys are over, and you’re heels, but you guys are over and you can’t wrestle every week. We’re running out of opponents for you guys. You can do other things to get over other than winning a match and being champion, so why don’t you guys do some vignettes or do a promo – do something unique to get yourselves over.’ Shad and I decided to do some training videos or vignettes. We got the cameraman and went and shot different stuff in different areas and just had fun with it. We heard that Vince McMahon got with it and he was very entertained by the videos, and he signed me – cause I wasn’t signed at the time, Shad was signed. He signed me just off those videos.”
On how he feels about his run as a singles competitor in WWE: “I don’t like to have regrets. There are some things I could’ve done different, some things I wish I hadn’t listened to and applied, some things I wish I did listen to and apply, you always look back in retrospect and say ‘I wish I did that.’ But everything was a learning experience and everything happened for a reason. But my singles run could’ve went a lot better (laughs). I had all the components. I had the charisma, I had the look, I had the talent, I had the unique style in the ring. I was told Vince McMahon was a big fan of me, he told me I was very charismatic, and that would get me far, but I also had to play the game, which I talked about in my second book.”
On what led up to his second release from WWE: “I was home for nine months, but I was told that ‘creative has nothing for you at the moment.’ They give that speech to everyone.”
Check out the complete JTG interview at eWrestlingNews.com.