{
  "id": 15672584,
  "title": "LL Cool J Finally Explains His Viral WWE Emote From the Early 2000s: ‘I Do What I Wanna Do. I’ll Own It.’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/ll-cool-j-finally-explains-his-viral-wwe-emote-from-the-early-2000s-i",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-19T22:51:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/ll-cool-j-explains-viral-wwe-emote-blood-ax-gesture-1236363162/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "LL Cool J recently shed light on the viral WWE emote he performed back in the early 2000s. During an appearance on WWE’s Smackdown, the rapper and actor found himself making the hand gesture towards Booker T, sparking curiosity among viewers. When asked about the origin of the move, LL Cool J revealed that he was the \"Ax Man,\" an executioner who licks his ax before delivering the final blow. He admitted to being \"bananas\" and simply going with the vibe at the time.\n\nLL Cool J emphasized that this particular move is just the beginning of his repertoire, stating, \"I do what I wanna do. I’ll own it.\" He expressed his craziness and willingness to explore all aspects of his artistic persona. The rap legend mentioned that he has much better stuff to showcase, hinting at future surprises. LL Cool J's iconic gesture originated from his appearance on Smackdown in 2002, where he promoted his film Rollerball. You can watch the full interview for more details.",
  "summary": "The actor & rap legend trolled wrestler Booker T with the move during a 2002 appearance on Smackdown .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}