Titus O’Neil on Overcoming a Generational Curse in His Family, His Message of How to Bring About Positive Change

– WWE Superstar and Global Ambassador Titus O’Neil took part in Friday’s (Jul. 1) WWE community service event at Three Square Food Bank in Las Vegas. The event was in partnership with UNICEF USA, Credit One Bank, and the National Medal of Honor Museum to help provide meals and support families around Las Vegas in advance of Independence Day. Titus O’Neil is an amazingly powerful and uplifting force through his consistent community service and charity work and always practices what he preaches. 411mania had the chance to speak to Titus during Friday’s event about what inspires him to be such a positive force for global change. Below are some highlights:

Titus O’Neil on what helped instill his values to help and inspire others: “I’m a product of a rape. I’m not even supposed to be here. My mom had me at 12 years old against the wishes of many. I grew up poor in the projects. I was labeled as a kid who would be dead or in jail, and I believed that for a greater part of my young adult life. I had people invest in me and give me an opportunity to the Boys & Girls Club — and being at those places, I learned about having people from all walks of life invest in one thing and one thing only, and that’s humanity and giving people an opportunity. And I’m a recipient of that. First person to graduate from high school in my family, first person to graduate from college in my family. Done so many amazing things, traveled all around the world, both with and without WWE. And I get a chance to see my kids continue to break that generational curse that I broke years ago broken. I want to see other people’s families have that same opportunity. And so I’m inspired every single day. I can never repay those folks who helped me one way or the other, financially, but what I can do is continue to treat people with dignity and love just as they did when they were in a situation to do it for me. And that’s how I continue to make that domino effect happen.”

On if he wanted to get that open slot at Money in the Bank [Note: this interview was recorded before Friday’s SmackDown]: “Now is not the time *Laughs*. Now is not the time. It could be the time in the very near future, but definitely, not tomorrow. I think whoever wins that match [on SmackDown] will definitely have earned that spot, and I definitely look forward to seeing who comes out of both the men’s and women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Matches to not only cement their place in WWE History as the Money in the Bank winners, but also to continue this journey of where their next championship opportunity will come.”

His message to the WWE Universe on how to help make the world a better place: “I appreciate all the love and support every member of the WWE Universe gives us. Obviously, we would not be able to do what we do without you. But my message to you would also be to utilize every platform, resource, and minute you can to go out and make the world a better place. We get the chance to bring you to arenas, around televisions, and around streaming devices to see what we do hours and hours throughout the week. Spend some of those hours that you’re not watching us making the world a better place. Don’t get caught up in all the noise of the negativity that’s going on because I can assure you there’s a lot more positive out there in the world than there is negative. Just unfortunately, the way that media goes, the way that social media goes, people have chosen to put more negative messages out, and it’s up to us who want to see real change and positive change to not just protest, but to do things on a transformational level. That takes time and consistency. Don’t be transactional.”

Thank you to Titus O’Neil for taking the time to speak with us. You can check out a full video of our chat with him in the player below: