They just don't make 'em like "Macho Man" Randy Savage anymore. The WWF legend flexed, strutted, and "Oooh Yeaaaah"-ed his way into public consciousness during the past three decades. In addition to his professional wrestling acumen, he was the perfect personality for action figures, videogames, and to provide a hearty endorsement to "snap into a Slim Jim."
All of this tragically came to an end this morning in Tampa when Savage suffered a heart attack behind the wheel and crashed head-on into a tree. He was 58.
One chapter of Macho Man's life that should never be forgotten is his musical career, highlighted by the 2003 disc Be a Man.
Although the album came long after Savage's peak fame as a pro wrestler in the late '80s and early '90s, it still encapsulates everything great about the Macho Man. It's hip-hop, which allows him to unleash the full weight of his one-of-a-kind rasp on his adversaries. On the title track, it's his one-time pal Hulk Hogan:
The best battle rap is strictly for the ring, and although Macho Man and Hogan were estranged as friends for more than a decade, they had recently patched up their friendship. Upon hearing the sad news, Hogan Tweeted: "I'm completely devastated, after over 10 years of not talking with Randy,
we've finally started to talk and communicate. He had so much life in his eyes & in his spirit, I just pray that he's happy and in a better place and we miss him. We miss him a lot. I feel horrible about the ten years of having no communication. This was a tough one. I just pray that Randy's happy and in a better place and we miss him."
Having heard the raucous Be a Man for years within my circle of friends, I can confirm that the album is directly in-tune with the wild antics of professional wrestling. Not so different from the caricatures the most successful rappers create for themselves, if you think about it. Woefully out of print, the album can still be obtained for $40+ on Amazon.com or eBay.
