What makes The Rock the 'Best' on the Mic?

[Midgetmania619]

So many go on and on about how Rock is the best, I'll agree he is one of the best, but why do you think he's the best? Is it the inflection he puts in his voice? Or his catchphrases?

Do you think it's interesting his WWE promos are more entertaining that his acting in movies? In his movies he's so forced and bland, unlike Rock in WWE, who like I said before, is one of the best.

Why?

 

[TheOrtonRevolution]

I think it's becuz he had more practice when he was in school learning about mic skills. Acting is a little different than cutting a promo/dissing someone. Also, for your original question, it's most likely his voice with a dash of his iconic catchphrases. Now, who wants some pootang pie?

 

[SSJPhenom]

The Rock is the best talker in WWE history for plenty of different reasons. His charisma, fan involvement, catch-phrases, he isn't forced to say one thing or another, he is himself to a degree, and I could on and on.

What happened with the Rock and Austin if you care, is that when they first came into the WWE, they were forced to be gimmicks. The Rock was Rocky Maivia and Austin was the Ringmaster. The fans hated it. So what happened? They became, pretty much, themselves. The Rock came out and said, "To hell with you people. I give you my blood, sweat, and tears and you boo me? Let the Rock say this....." Austin came out and did pretty much the same thing. They didn't follow a script and they weren't playing characters that was far from their own feelings.

That's what's missing in today's product. Cena has to play the superhero and be PG. The Miz has to play super villain and do it in a PG setting. That's why all of us who remember the good ole days mark the fuck out over the Great One. He reminded us just how far we've fallen since he and Austin left us.

 

[dtroppe]

The Rock is hands down one of the best Mic guys. I think several things play into this.

1. The promo/interview has to sound natural- many wrestlers do not sound like they are speaking baturally, more like reading or reciting.

2. The tone of voice. Guys like the Rock, Stone Cold, Bret Hart, etc... all have a tone of voice that sounds larger than life. Just like when listening to music, a lead singer or instrumentalist that stands out will sell more albums and be around longer. If you just listen to a promo by the Rock and compare it to someone like the Miz or Morrison or even Cena, the Rock sounds like a star. He has a large voice that is full of confidence. Exam any great mic guy and you find this quality. .

3. Timing. Guys like the Rock are stars because they have perfect timing. They can read an audience and deliver the punch lines at exactly the right moment.

4. Vamping. If you stick to a script, youll never really be able to sell what you are trying to say. Some of the best promos that Rock or Stone cold do involve a moment when they leave the script to address another matter. Of course they usually do this in a very witty and humorous manner.

Notice I never mention content. It is more how you say than what you say that makes you a great mic guy.

Very few guys in wrestling have the ability to mix these attributes together and create an absolute star. In my opinion, the Rock is one of the Best mic guys in wrestling history. Stone Cold may be the only guy as good or better.

 

[avi01]

I remember reading how it is imposed on wrestlers today to do scripted promo while the likes of The Rock and Austin were much more spontaneous. Some of the most memorable moments in history are spontaneous one and in the context of such entertainment, scripted promos aren`t really that flexible. Add to that the fact that the Rock has a natural charisma and a well build culte following character, it is difficult to find any better guy for that job.

 

[reynolsg]

I remember reading how it is imposed on wrestlers today to do scripted promo while the likes of The Rock and Austin were much more spontaneous. Some of the most memorable moments in history are spontaneous one and in the context of such entertainment, scripted promos aren`t really that flexible. Add to that the fact that the Rock has a natural charisma and a well build culte following character, it is difficult to find any better guy for that job.

I'm reading Jericho's book at the moment and he mentioned Brian Gerwitz starting, it would have been in 2000 and he mentioned that promos from then on had a framework and the wrestlers didn't have complete control.

So with that in mind, guys like Austin, Rock etc. would have had a similar system to what is in place now. Hell, look at Rock's promo from Monday, that was probably scripted but the delivery was just off the radar!

 

[PowerHouse]

The Rock like Austin and Ric Flair all had catchphrases but thats not what made them great on the mic and IMO the 3 best ever on the mic. When these guys gave a promo they put emotion into it. Look at Flair for example he gets so fired up veins all over his head and neck pop out he turns red he looks like he is really mad. These guys put real emotion into there promo which is what sets them apart.

 

[rockneddie]

You guys may not agree with me but i think cutting promos at the level of the likes oh rock austin y2j, is just something you cannot learn i think your born with it, same as in a way with in-ring ablitiy yes you can teach them the basics or evan a few classy moves but cena is never going to be a GREAT wrestler same as hogan never was imo. the best promo guys are just being themselves but with the volume turned way up and beliving what they say on the most part.

 

[Boondocks]

I think that The Rock is best, because it's his talent. If you look all around the world, any one person has one thing, they're just gifted at. For Rock, it was this. He was given the gift to tell a story like nobody else can with a microphone. He just knows how to work his voice, connect with the crowd, and even make somebody else look good! It's a talent some people just have. Lemme tell you, I'm currently involved in the acting program in my school, and I think I have an ability to talk, not on quite the same level as Rock. But I definately hold my own (full scholarship to University of Minnesota Twin Cities for acting). And I wasn't taught. It just happens. Rock was luckily born into a family of wrestling, raised on wrestling, and had this gift, and he made himself the best on the mic, to me, there ever has been.

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

The Rock has just been blessed with infinite amounts of charisma. It is hard for anyone who does not have the natural talent to have that kind of charisma and presence. The Rock could get the crowd on his side by just raising his eyebrow. How many people can do that?

A lot of things have helped The Rock. He was probably lucky that he got to play himself rather than be saddled with a character. As he has mentioned himself The Rock was just Dwayne Johnson turned up a few notches. His speech training classes probably helped him a bit as well but even with training and the freedom to play one's own character I do not think that there will ever be someone as charismatic as Rocky.

 

[Kidd]

The Rock has the perfect blend of humor, intensity, and charisma.

As someone else here said, some people are just born with it. It's not anything that can be taught.

This is why it takes a special person to be a comedian. It's something you're born with. The ability to not only make a funny observation but the timing and ability to to deliver the line in a humorous manner as well.

 

[Professor]

I've never actually been much of a fan of rocks promos at all. Sure he has great promo skills and owns the crowd and ring, but they dont appeal to me because I dont find him funny at all, like zero funny. He was always too juvenille to me. I much prefer to watch an old big poppa pump promo, when he was calling out his hooches, and picking fights with the crowd ect, now that was hilarious.

So basically I think the rock is overrated on the mic because his humour might not be funny to everyone. He is no Flair on the mic.

The reason he stood out the other night is because everyone sucks on the mic these days compared to the old days. Even the good talkers like cm punk are too low key, like pretty much everyone.

 

[manstis1804]

Its his phrasing, and distinctive booming voice. He's got some things that just can't be recreated, even if the writers wrote the exact same promo for someone else. I also feel like his ethnicity gives him a lot of leeway in how he can act without seeming corny or out of place, if that makes any sense. I just don't think many white guys could pull off the whole "jabroni eatin! lalalallalalowwww! pie eatin!" Muhammad Ali-esque things he does. Its just a combination of great delivery, timing, and wit.

 

[manstis1804]

I've never actually been much of a fan of rocks promos at all. Sure he has great promo skills and owns the crowd and ring, but they dont appeal to me because I dont find him funny at all, like zero funny. He was always too juvenille to me. I much prefer to watch an old big poppa pump promo, when he was calling out his hooches, and picking fights with the crowd ect, now that was hilarious.

So basically I think the rock is overrated on the mic because his humour might not be funny to everyone. He is no Flair on the mic.

The reason he stood out the other night is because everyone sucks on the mic these days compared to the old days. Even the good talkers like cm punk are too low key, like pretty much everyone.

I feel like the more low key, conversational style guys like CM Punk use adopted that style in response to the 80s and 90s promos where everyone was always yelling and spouting cliches. Punk is low key, but he's not too low key, he's just got a whole different style going on. There is definitely room for both.

 

[Decarow]

I think it's hard to judge who is the best, as it's a matter of opinion. But he's up there. Why? Because of his charisma, delivery, talent, and the ability to successfully pull off a lifestyle where somebody talks in 3rd person their whole life.

But it comes down to this: he's comfortable. He goes out there, he feels no pressure. He owns that ring (or backstage area).

But honestly, there are some really good mic workers these days still. Cena, Punk, Edge, Christian, HHH, Santino, Kane, hell even Big Show when the WWE doesn't water him down. But that's because they are comfortable with where they are at. Big Show can be one of the funniest guys you'll ever see. I laughed my ass off when Edge lost the WWE title, stole Kofi's spot in the EC to win the WHC, and appeared on Raw telling everybody (even calling out a kid) that they were wrong.

 

[Midgetmania619]

I much prefer to watch an old big poppa pump promo, when he was calling out his hooches, and picking fights with the crowd ect, now that was hilarious.

So do you think the promos are better when they connect directly with the crowd? Such as directly talking to fans or abusing certain people, not indirectly (mentioning fans in general, etc).

 

[Calderownz]

First thing we have to remember is that the "best" for anyone is also objective and based on two extra elements: when they saw this person and what they saw in this person.

Fans who love The Rock that much, chances are, grew up watching him as a kid. They loved what he was saying, and how they could call out what he was about to same. It was like a game. They were entertained. They also saw someone with something when they were younger that they wished they had. That being the ability to murder someone, verbally. Most people, of any age, don't have that.

My personal favorites are Jake Roberts, The Rock, Roddy Piper and Ric Flair in no particular order. None of those guys are guaranteed to be the best ever. However, for me, when I was growing up, they all had things that I enjoyed and wished I had in some respects.

 

[Midgetmania619]

I remember reading how it is imposed on wrestlers today to do scripted promo while the likes of The Rock and Austin were much more spontaneous.

You're right, a lot of the stars who's gimmicks weren't so strange and mysterious (such as Kane, Undertaker to name two). Anyway, those stars didn't really have much choice to improvise. WWE knew what they were doing and they made it work, they couldn't have improvised it.

When Rock and SCSA got 'into' their character they could envisage what the character would think, say and do.

 

[Professor]

So do you think the promos are better when they connect directly with the crowd? Such as directly talking to fans or abusing certain people, not indirectly (mentioning fans in general, etc).

The best promos are convincing and entertaining. The type of promo depends on the character. These days most of them are crap because the wrestlers are not convincing and look like they are reading off a cue card, the mannerisms are not natural and look contrived and fake, like bad B grade acting ect.

 

[Midgetmania619]

the mannerisms are not natural and look contrived and fake, like bad B grade acting ect.

You're right, it's as if they're told to do certain things exactly. I don't know what the deal with Cena is as he often starts monotone, calmly and quietly until he just starts raging at the end, screaming at the top of his voooiiiiice!

The Rock always kept it 'sane' and could often make fun of himself for his MISTAKES OR ANTICS.

In that video he makes fun of his cold (I think it was a cold) and he connected with the crowd by acknowledging it, not just brushing it off like he's better than that.

 

[streicher187]

he comes from an era where the wrestlers where turned free, they where losing to WCW so they tried many things and it gave them a chance to be themselves.

He was the best on the mic during the attitude era which where some of the most upredictable times and you never knew what he would say or do and he always had fun with it.

That is what is wrong with today, I can due without the language or blood but it's the mic work that I miss from the attitude era. Today they are told what to say and how to act instead of being set free and we see the same promos over and over again. There is nothing original or suprising with the scripting today the Rock just came from a different time before wrestling went hollywood

 

[Hawkeye]

It's all about charisma when you're doing these things. You can't be afraid to wing it if you have to, because I'm sure they have scripts. You have to know in your heart that your audience will get behind what you have to say, be it positive or negative reaction based on your character. It's probably frowned upon to deviate from the script, but if you take that risk and the fans love it, then the higher ups have no choice than to go along with it.

 

[Uncle Chester]

People enjoy repetitive promos with good timing which rely on funny catchphrases instead of actual substance. Rock was good early on when he was 'chilled' but he changed- became more than a jock- which meant he turned into a fast paced, high pitched child. He was charismatic, an entertaining worker but sneakingly unfunny. His was good at maintaining popularity through funny moments but they were few and far between, people forget that. Look at his promo in 04(I believe) in Miami. Horribly repetitive and tedious shit with the same formulaic structure.

His promo on RAW was great but this was due to nostalgia and that aura we haven't felt in a long time but unless his appearances aren't regular, the aura will fade and we'll be left to hearing the same delivery, the same jokes, the same everything. I like the Rock- he was good and he made the crowd care like few have but his promos are overrated. And it's a damn shame people put his mic work above that of Foley's, Austins, Flairs and even Pipers.

 

[arkady]

You guys may not agree with me but i think cutting promos at the level of the likes oh rock austin y2j, is just something you cannot learn i think your born with it, same as in a way with in-ring ablitiy yes you can teach them the basics or evan a few classy moves but cena is never going to be a GREAT wrestler same as hogan never was imo. the best promo guys are just being themselves but with the volume turned way up and beliving what they say on the most part.

I feel I should add to this that no amount of natural talent alone will make you The Rock on the mic. He worked damn hard on it too.

It's hard to say what makes him so good. While normally I'm pretty much a smart (despite my better instincts not to be) The Rock makes me absolutely mark out every time he grabs a mic.

I think the biggest thing he has going for him is a real instinctive understanding of how to read the crowd. He can hear in what they cheer and how they cheer and how loudly they cheer EXACTLY what they want to hear, and then deliver it. (He doesn't do it consciously, I don't think - CM Punk is pretty good at this too, but I can't help feel he is quite deliberate about it, while Dwayne Johnson would probably describe himself as going with the flow, or something akin to that.)

The charisma and confidence were a huge help for him. He could make big, outlandish statements with enough conviction that you'd believe he'd actually take that announcer table, polish it, shine it, spit on it for good measure, turn it sideways and stick it up your candy ass! Whenever he promised to Layeth the Smackdown he was (usually) able to back up his talk with his ability, adding to his mystique.

Finally, The Rock was a silly, over-the-top cartoon character in quite a grunged out WWF. He stuck out like that.


I have to agree with Uncle Chester's final point too. Foley, Austin, Flair (never saw Piper) all had superb - if more understated - mic skills. Foley in particular was a natural storyteller who could really get you behind or against his character in far more subtle way than Johnson ever managed.

 

[TheOrtonRevolution]

Any1 else agree? It seems to me that the biggest part of his mic-skills is the fact that his voice is epic like a narrator in a movie. Sure with a catchphrases like jabroni, pootang pie and candy asses it'll still be great, but I think he wouldn't be where he is now if he hadn't have that voice we all come to know and love once his entrance music hits.

My question is:

Would the Rock be where he is now if he didn't have his legendary voice?

If not, how would his career have been different if he didn't have his voice?