On the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast, WWE Hall of Famer The Godfather detailed the origins of his most famous character, revealing that it was his wife’s idea. He also shared stories about the creation of his Papa Shango character and Vince McMahon’s original vision for The Rock.
He explained that the Papa Shango face paint came about because Vince McMahon felt his naturally friendly face didn’t match his imposing physique. “He said, ‘You have a body of a monster, but you have a baby face.’ He says, ‘We have to do something with your face,'” The Godfather recalled. “And that’s where they came up with the Papa Shango thing, to cover my face.”
Personal Struggles End Papa Shango
The Godfather was also candid about why the popular Papa Shango character was phased out. He explained that he was going through a difficult period in his personal life. “I married an exotic dancer for some really stupid reasons, and I was on a lot of drugs back then… pain pills and Jack Daniels,” he admitted. “Me, Taker, and Vince decided the best thing for me was to go home and get my mind right before something stupid happened, because I was in a bad place, man.”
His Wife Creates “The Godfather”
He credits his wife, Denise, for coming up with the persona that would define his career. “It was my wife who came up with the whole Godfather persona,” he stated. He was in the Nation of Domination as Kama Mustafa at the time and his contract was coming up. “My wife basically said, ‘You know, if we can come up with a way that these people really see how your high ass really is all the time… they would love you,'” he recalled. “I don’t want to be a pimp, man… My wife told me to do that. I didn’t want to do it. Worked out pretty good.”
Vince McMahon’s Plan for The Rock
He also revealed Vince McMahon’s foresight regarding The Rock’s career. When the Nation of Domination was being formed to get The Rock over as a heel, McMahon pulled him and Ron Simmons aside. “He says, ‘Once I get people to hate this kid, when I turn him, he’s going to be the biggest thing wrestling ever saw.’ That’s what Vince said about The Rock,” The Godfather revealed. “That’s why I got put in that group, and that was just for him. So Vince knew that.”
The Godfather character became one of the most popular acts of the Attitude Era. Thanks to his creative freedom and his wife’s ingenuity, he won the Intercontinental Championship and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit No Contest Wrestling Podcast with O’Shea Jackson with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
