LL Cool J Finally Explains His Viral WWE Emote From the Early 2000s: ‘I Do What I Wanna Do. I’ll Own It.’

The actor & rap legend trolled wrestler Booker T with the move during a 2002 appearance on Smackdown. LL Cool J at the 78th Emmy Awards held at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Gilbert Flores/Variety Trending on Billboard LL Cool J has finally explained himself. The rap legend and actor stopped by 7PM in Brooklyn With Carmelo Anthony, and toward the end of the interview, he was asked by co-host Kazeem Famuyide about the infamous hand gesture he made toward Booker T during an appearance on WWE‘s Smackdown back in the early 2000s. “They didn’t have to tell me. I already knew,” he said after Melo asked him if the WWE staff told him to create his own signature move. “I’m the ‘Ax Man.’ It’s like an executioner that licks his ax before he chops your head off and all that. I was bananas. I was there five minutes, look at that. I just went with the vibe. I’m vibin’.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news He then added that specific move is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of things he has in his repertoire. “I’m just nuts, man. Ya man is nuts. I do what I wanna do. I’ll own it,” LL continued. “I’m crazy, I do all of it on purpose, but I got better sh– than that in the cut. This is just the start, this ain’t nothin’. I’m wondering where the good stuff is at. That ain’t nothing, I’m way past that.” For what it’s worth, he did address the gesture in 2023 after someone on X asked him what it meant. “It means I’ll lick the blood off my blade after I chop your head off,” he tweeted. “Who wants it? Haha.” LL was on Smackdown in 2002 to promote his film Rollerball. You can watch the full conversation below. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up