Booker T Comments On His Infamous Promo Against Hulk Hogan

In the latest episode of his Hall of Fame podcast (via Wrestling Inc), Booker T spoke about his infamous WCW promo from the 90s against Hulk Hogan, in which he uttered the N word. Here are highlights:

On how the promo was a learning moment: “Yeah, it was definitely a learning moment, and I’m glad that you took it and used it, as opposed to taking it and using it. Just because I feel like I did make a huge mistake because I looked at myself as a role model. And a lot of young people followed my lead back then. If they felt like it was if I was cool with saying it, you know it was cool for them to do it too. I always talk about young people and being able to change your levels. Of course, when you’re in the hood, you are going to talk a certain way around your boys when you’re at the ballpark, you know what I mean? It’s all fair game. But in certain places, you’ve got to know how to change your levels, and I was in that place.”

On what went through his mind: “I had always thought about everything before I would do it. And that one moment, that one moment in time, I don’t know. I can’t tell you what happened or anything like that. But I slipped. But, none of my peers had ever heard me use that word before, and none of them have ever heard me use it after. You know, so I just felt like it was definitely a moment for me that I wish I could take back. But every time I have the chance to talk about it, I try to use it as an educational moment. Say, ‘hey man, we’re people understandably, but we’ve got to be able to change our levels, man.’”

On being glad there was no social media at the time: “I’m so glad we didn’t have social media when the anniversary of the Hulk Hogan situation happened. Just because people would have ridiculed me to the point to where I would have had to listen to it. People would have been trying to cancel me, and whatnot. You know what, I probably would have lost my job, you know what I mean? So many things could have happened living in this social media life, I get it. But you’ve gotta embrace the hate.”