In 2006, wrestlers JTG and Shad Gaspard debuted on the WWE essential roster as Cryme Tyme. The tag team became one which shall be fondly remembered by fans but sadly, Gaspard died in 2020, making it bittersweet when JTG reflects on their old tag team. Speaking on Rewind Recap Relive, JTG offered some insight into how their partnership actually functioned.
“We each had crazy ideas and we met in the center,” JTG explained. “We got here from opposite sides of the spectrum. … On camera, I would appear to be the one – I’m all hype and overvalued – but behind the scenes, I’m the coolness one and Shad is the hype one. … We got here up with ideas, especially match ideas or finishes, we had to satisfy in the center. Everybody was completely happy, though.”
JTG reflected on how young each he and Gaspard were once they began appearing on national TV, which he credits to the duo’s performances in Ohio Valley Wrestling catching the eye of the suitable people in WWE. Once they began getting over with the gang there, any person brought it to the eye of Vince McMahon, and he called the duo up without having seen any of their matches.
“They were like, ‘Okay, we ran out of tag teams so that you can wrestle but you guys still must recover from. Here’s a camera, go rejoice, go shoot a vignette. … Show us your personality,'” JTG continued. “Me and Shad checked out one another like, ‘Alright.’ And we put our brains together, and that is what Vince saw.”
Back when the WWE locker room was known to be a politically cutthroat place, Cryme Tyme’s quick ascent earned them some enemies. Though they’d later make a return, their initial time on the WWE roster was short-lived.
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