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- ‘Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Ice Cube – I’m from that late-70s, early-80s era, so I like those kinds of raps’ John Barnes reveals the one rap song he wished he’d been asked to perform on
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Browsing: Raps
From mysterious footballer-turned-rapper Dide, to the likes of Moise Kean and Memphis Depay dropping albums, it isn’t unusual to see players taking on the music industry in this day and age.
But that wasn’t always the case. Indeed, for a long time, the only name that immediately sprang to mind when you said the words ‘footballer’ and ‘rapper’ was John Barnes, thanks to the former Liverpool and England winger’s iconic bars on New Order’s 1986 World Cup banger ‘World in Motion’.
Yet when asked if those revolutionary rhymes ever led to further opportunities behind the mic, Barnes is unwavering.
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‘I was never asked to be on another rap song’ – John Barnes on why his music career ended with ‘World in Motion’
“No, that never happened,” he tells FourFourTwo on behalf of Video Gamer. “These days you would be asked but, back then, it wasn’t like that at all. Glenn Hoddle and Chris Waddle did a song together, Gazza did a song, even Pele did a song. But those were pop songs especially written for those guys.
“There wasn’t a proper crossover between established music artists and footballers back then. We weren’t truly celebrities back in my day. Not like today, when you see Premier League footballers hanging out with rappers, Formula 1 drivers and movie stars and all the rest of it.

What could have been John Barnes’ album cover, in 2006 (Image credit: Alamy)
“We didn’t do that at all,” he continues. “We weren’t hanging out with pop stars. There wasn’t this idea of, ‘Hey, we’re all from different walks of life but we’re all celebrities together’.
“As good as it got for us was being invited, along with the rest of the Liverpool players, to a Rod Stewart concert or, in my Watford days, Elton John playing some songs for us.
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“Which was amazing by the way, but not a collaboration. We just didn’t have that harmony between footballers and singers like there is now. I was too old by the time that all started.”
Failure to recruit Barnes more often is British rap’s loss, in FFT’s humble opinion, given how many tunes his dulcet tones would have undoubtedly improved. When asked to name any legendary rap tunes he’s loved to have been a part of, Barnes doesn’t hesitate.
“Easy, Sugarhill Gang’s ‘Rapper’s Delight’,” he grins. “I do like Dr Dre and Ice Cube as well, but there’s too much swearing in their songs. I also love Grandmaster Flash.

John Barnes made 79 appearances for England, scoring 10 goals (Image credit: Getty Images)
“I’m from that late-70s, early-80s era, so I love the old stuff like Sugarhill Gang’s ‘Rapper’s Delight’ and Grandmaster Flash’s ‘The Message’. I like those kinds of raps.
“The New Order song, as much as it was a brilliant tune and a lot of fun to be a part of, you could say it wasn’t a real rap. Because it was a rap section added onto a New Order song, a pop song. If I had it my way these days, I’d be doing more Ludacris or something like that.”
Somebody offer this man a record deal, for the love of god.
Max Caster was known for his incredibly controversial raps in AEW, some of which actually got him canceled for a while. However, some people actually wanted him dead over his raps and now Caster has called out those people.
While speaking on HEY! (EW), Max Caster talked about dealing with backlash over his controversial AEW raps and didnâ€t mince words on his feelings toward cancel culture. He said he doesnâ€t believe in apologizing just to make angry people happy, calling anyone who does that “an idiot.â€
Caster said heâ€s apologized to people he works with, like Anthony Bowens and his boss, when he went too far, but he slammed those who want him fired or even dead, saying they donâ€t deserve an apology. He explained that many fans still enjoy what he says, and that people forget controversies quickly because something new always comes up.
“Just donâ€t apologize. Thatâ€s the number one rule. Anybody who apologizes is an idiot. Iâ€ve obviously done things to upset people close to me that Iâ€m supposed to work with. I apologized to Anthony Bowens for saying something out of line, and I apologized to my boss. But Iâ€m not going to apologize to the people who want me fired or want me dead for the things I do or say, because you know what? A lot of people like the things I do and say.
And in two days, no one will even remember it because someone else will do something crazy.â€
Caster said that in America, people love to build you up only to tear you down again. Caster added that he already hit rock bottom and rebuilt himself, so heâ€s not afraid of hate anymore.
Casterâ€s message to others who face cancel culture was clear: donâ€t apologize just to please people who want to destroy you, because itâ€s pointless. That is how heâ€s managed to survive.
“Thatâ€s how America works. People build you up just to tear you down. And once youâ€re up, they try to drag you all the way down again. I tore myself down to come back to this. Thatâ€s just how it is.
So people need to realize that. Donâ€t apologize for anything you do or say if itâ€s just people calling for your head. Itâ€s pointless. Thatâ€s how Iâ€ve survived.â€
Max Caster is unapologetically himself for better or worse and even if it lands him in trouble, he wonâ€t change how he is and some people genuinely admire that about him. Regardless, we hope Caster doesnâ€t actually get into trouble again in the future.
What do you think about Max Casterâ€s stance on cancel culture? Should public figures always stand their ground, or are some apologies necessary in entertainment? Share your thoughts below — weâ€d love to hear your perspective!
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.