Dwayne Johnson The Rock has conquered the wrestling ring, the box office, TV ratings, tequila sales and additionally, now, he is all set to dominate the rap songs via his historic debut. Through a history-making career move, Johnson has given his rap debut featuring on Tech N9ne’s new single, Face Off. The song is getting overnight popularity throughout the globe after the release and is trending number one on YouTube, which was also mentioned by the actor on his Instagram post. Joey Cool and King Iso also feature in this amazing song named Face Off. The new single from Tech N9ne’s new album, ASIN9NE is released under the International music label, Strange Music. Moreover, the track marks a collaboration between the most successful independent rapper in hip hop and the biggest A-list actor in Hollywood.
While speaking in an exclusive interview, Johnson says, “I love music. Anytime in my movies when I can implement some musical elements, I always love doing that.” Johnson is courted by his renowned friends in the hip hop community for decades, but, when Tech N9ne DM’d him on Instagram, he knew that this was finally the right match to bang in hip hop. The Rock says, “A lot of my friends who are hip hop artists — like big names — I’ve been asked a few times. But it just has to feel right.” Do not forget to note that he appeared on his friend Wyclef Jean’s 2000 song, “It Doesn’t Matter,” shouting his titular catchphrase, but not rapping. “The biggest star in the world said something back to me! You know what I’m sayin? I am hyped. We are all hyped!” Tech N9ne raves on a recent phone call interview from his tour bus.
Tech N9ne and Johnson were actually met some years ago. A huge fan of the rapper, Johnson, who is the most followed American on the planet according to the reports, has been sharing Tech N9ne’s music on his social media for years. After a social media friendship, way before the pandemic, the duo met in person on the set of HBO’s Ballers. The sense of work ethic is the message of Face Off. Dwayne wrote his verse himself, including the lyrics, “It’s about drive. It’s about power. We stay hungry.” Johnson says, “When Tech texted me, I knew I would make this work. We’re aligned, just in terms of our work ethic and desire. When Tech and I first met years ago on the set of ‘Ballers,’ we were talking about this idea about being the hardest worker in the room. He said something that I really appreciated: basically, ‘There could never be enough food in this room or on this set that could make me full because I always want to be hungry.’ I just love that.”
When Tech N9ne first approached Johnson, the actual plan wasn’t for him to rap. The initial task of Tech N9ne was just to have Johnson recite spoken words to close out the song. But fortunately, Dwayne had a bigger vision. Tech N9ne always knew that he wanted a great fighter to be featured on the track because he visualized the song as a hype-up anthem that can be played in the gym or stadiums. He says, “This is an energy song. This is going to get people pumped up to lift weights, pumped up for fights, pumped up for the game. Period and what better person? Not Conor McGregor. I don’t know him. I know The Rock.”
The independent rapper Tech N9ne shared, “We got on the phone and structured it. He’s so talented, man. To be able to get on a song with master MCs and be a master MC himself? Dwayne did his thing. He said he wanted to go fast like us. After what he did on ‘Moana,’ I could see he had the rhythm.”
He went into the studio with his wife Lauren Hashian after writing his verse and structuring it with Tech N9ne and the very first rap of The Rock gets recorded during the pandemic. Johnson says. “I was drinking Teremana, so I had already been a bit lit and was ready to go. We sent it to Tech and his engineers and the text I got back from Tech, in all capital letters, was ‘FUCK YES….!!!!’” While unveiling about the performance of Dwayne, the rapper quipped, “he’s not quite sure how Johnson, at 6 ‘5” and over 250 pounds, even fit in the recording booth. “He’s even bigger than when I first met him on ‘Ballers’ because he’s in his ‘Black Adam’ build. Have you seen him? Look how big he is in our video. Look how cut he is! He wasn’t that cut two years ago.”
Someone asked in an interview with the Rock, now you have made your rap debut, is a music career in his future?
“I never had the ambition to be a hip hop artist or a rapper, so the direct answer is no,” Johnson says. “But I did see an opportunity here to create a song that really inspired and motivated me to push for more and fight for more. I’ve always loved music. I love hip hop, blues and outlaw country music.” But one can not deny the truth, which is also proved by Johnson, who has done anything over the years through his varied career, it’s that if he puts or diverts his mind to something, it usually turns into pure gold.
Johnson added, “If the song is right and if the collaboration feels real and authentic, I would love that, I would love to do a repeat with Tech N9ne and Strange Music. If I had the opportunity to collaborate with another artist out there — hip hop artists, blues artists, outlaw country artists — then let’s talk and let’s figure it out. If I could rap about the right words that feel real and authentic to me, then I’ll be happy to break out Teremana, take a few big swigs and jump back into the studio.” He adds more, “The things that get my attention these days and get me out of bed have to be the things that I absolutely love and am absolutely passionate about. These days, money is not the most important thing. The fame, no. That’s not the important thing. Honestly, it just comes down to passion, having fun — and are people going to enjoy it? That’s it. That’s the bottom line.”
“If Johnson ever does decide to take on the rap world, he might take some credit for giving him his big break. He has bigger things to do. I’m just so blessed that he would want to do this with me,” Tech N9ne says, before adding, “But I think he’s going to be the president, so I don’t know, laughs…!”
