WWE is saddened to learn that Jerome Young, known in ECW as New Jack, passed away today at the age of 58.
With his fierce, competitive style, New Jack was well-known for pushing the limits of hardcore wrestling to their furthest extremes. Young broke into the sports-entertainment circuit with the Memphis-based United States Wrestling Association in 1992. Upon arrival in the Smoky Mountain Wrestling promotion, New Jack teamed with Mustafa Saed to form The Gangstas tag team.
The Gangstas shook up ECW with their debut in 1995, immediately battling Public Enemy in one of the promotion’s most storied rivalries. New Jack teamed with Mustafa and Eliminator John Kronus for multiple ECW Tag Team Title reigns. With a trash can filled with makeshift weapons and his signature staple gun in tow, New Jack became one of ECW’s most popular antiheroes and a sports-entertainment firebrand who courted controversy and chaos with equal measure.
New Jack left a cultural imprint with the use of “Natural Born Killaz” by Ice Cube and Dr. Dre as his theme music that would play throughout matches. He was also mentioned in the Weezer single “El Scorcho” and appeared on the television shows “Early Edition” and “Daily Show.”
WWE extends its condolences to Young’s family and friends.
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