WaleMania returns for Wrestlemania weekend, highlighted by two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T

Steven Muehlhausen

WaleMania returns for Wrestlemania weekend, highlighted by two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T image

A staple to kickoff professional wrestling's biggest weekend of the year is returning. 

Platinum-Selling recording artist and Grammy-nominated rapper, Wale, will host the fifth annual WaleMania on Thursday, April 4 at Sony Hall in New York City. 

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The musician will serve as master of ceremonies for the event that will feature a live podcast, fan festival, party and concert. The guest of honor for the event will be five time World Heavyweight Champion, Booker T. On Monday, WWE revealed that Booker will become the third person and the first-ever African American to be inducted into their Hall of Fame on two occasions. The Texan entered the Hall of Fame as a solo act in 2013 and will be inducted again in 2019 as one half of lauded tag team, Harlem Heat, alongside his brother and tag team partner, Stevie Ray. 

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Booker T will be a special guest on the live edition of the WrassleRap Podcast, hosted by Emilio Sparks and Kazeem Famuyide. Joining Booker T for the podcast will be current WWE superstars Lio Rush, Samoa Joe, former Ring of Honor champion and cast member of “The Bachelor,” Kenny King, former EVOLVE champion Shane Strickland and former WWE superstar MVP. 

Sporting News has exclusively learned that WWE star Bobby Lashley will also be joining the festivities.

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Also appearing will be recording artists Smoke DZA, Westside Gunn and the G4 Boyz. In addition to the live podcast, party, and concert, Mache Custom Kicks and Chalkline Official will be auctioning off a pair of one-of-a-kind custom sneakers and jackets respectively and donating 100% of the proceeds to charity.

The evening will end with a concert and peformance by Wale. Doors for the event open at 7 p.m. ET. 

WaleMania originated in 2015 as an unofficial jump-start to Wrestlemania weekend and has only gotten bigger in stature. Wrestlemania 35 takes on place on Sunday, April 7 from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Tickets are available on TicketMaster and Sony Hall.​

Steven Muehlhausen

Steven Muehlhausen Photo

Steven Muehlhausen is a contributing writer for DAZN News. He writes features and news stories, and provides analysis relating to the world of boxing. Over the past five years, he has interviewed some of the biggest names in combat sports, including Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Terence Crawford, Vasiliy Lomachenko and Bill Goldberg.