For years, the worlds of hip hop and wrestling have been circling each other, trading larger-than-life personas, energy, and media reach through mutual cameos. 4th Rope – the wrestling promotion launched by Westside Gunn and Smoke DZA – doesn’t just blur these lines, it tears them down. Built not on a trend but on a lifelong obsession, the project channels the duo’s shared passion for suplexes and 16 bars into one fully-formed universe.
Onyx performing “Slam”, followed by a Benny the Butcher performance, with The Hardy Boyz securing a Tag Team Champions title in a triple threat ladder match in between? With 4th Rope, this is business as usual, and it’s exactly what their name stands for: Nodding to wrestling’s three-rope setup, the independent company’s formula adds something extra, something that wasn’t there before. It’s not for rap fans or wrestling fans – it’s for both, at once, in real time.
In this ring-shaped world, Westside Gunn and Smoke DZA aren’t just fans-turned-promoters, but authentic culture carriers with deep roots in both scenes. Their passion shows in everything: from the handpicked matchups of their “Heels Have Eyes” events (with accompanying musical projects) to the sought-after merch, running over with 90s and Y2K wrestling references that only real ones could catch.
Still, 4th Rope seems unlikely to fall into the trap of stagnant nostalgia anytime soon: With legit indie talent and an aesthetic that could’ve come straight out of a dusty mixtape cover shoot, the promotion bridges eras with both grit and flair. One night, rising wrestling star Zilla Fatu steps up under the bright lights – the next, The Hardy Boyz remind you why they’re still icons. Just as naturally, OGs Pete Rock and DJ Premier shut down the same stage as newer artists Boldy James and Dave East.
Cameos from underground rap royalty, walkouts that feel like album drops, and refreshing booking: While the big players in wrestling are locked into TV deals and sponsor demands, 4th Rope moves like pirate radio – free, fast, and deeply tuned to the culture.
Now, 4th Rope is taking their “Heels Have Eyes” show global: After turning heads in Chicago, Las Vegas, and Atlanta, the fourth event called “Pray Four Paris” – dubbed after Gunn’s acclaimed 2020 album – is set to shake up Paris Fashion Week, continuing to weave together worlds that for Westside Gunn and Smoke DZA have never been separated in the first place.
