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From Suplexes to Sixteens: John Cena’s ‘You Can’t See Me Album,’ 20 Years Later

Ahead of John Cena's title defense against Randy Orton Saturday night (May 10) at Backlash, Carl Lamarre revisits 'You Can't See Me '20 years later.

The album’s title track became his armor — its hook both a taunt and a shield — as he swatted away skepticism with a single phrase: “You can’t see me.” The song became both a gift and a curse: a champion’s anthem and rallying cry, but also a punchline for detractors who turned it into an easy jab, diminishing Cena even as he continued to dominate. Hip-hop’s footprint in the ring is larger than ever: WaleMania just celebrated its 10th anniversary at WrestleMania, while wrestlers like Montez Ford and Trick Williams proudly showcase their rap chops with original music, and genre superstars like Drake, Metro Boomin, Lil Yachty, and Quavo now flood wrestling arenas with the same fervor and excitement as the everyday diehards beside them. Much of this stems from Cena’s early efforts to meld both worlds — what began as a desperate bid to save his WWE career ended up bridging a gap between music and wrestling, one that remains tightly connected to this day.

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