ONE strawweight world champion Jarred Brooks is one of the most colorful characters on ONE Championship’s roster today.
While he prepares to challenge Mikey Musumeci for his ONE flyweight submission grappling world title at “ONE Fight Night 13: Allazov vs. Grigorian” live in North American primetime via Prime Video on Friday, August 4, “The Monkey God” has been reflecting on what has helped shape his persona on the global stage, and he credits one of his lifelong passions: rap music.
The outspoken Brooks has featured in a series of memorable press conferences across his perfect 4-0 slate in “The Home of Martial Arts,” where he has breathed fire on his opponents thanks to the influence that some of the biggest rap icons of the 90s have had on him.
“I would say Kid Rock, Eminem, those guys really, really pushed me into wanting to be a rapper. So you know, listening to those 1999, 1998 albums that they came out with, that’s what really pushed me into it. Seeing Slim Shady’s hair color and stuff like that and stuff that he was saying. It’s just stuff that I never would have realized hearing as a kid,” he said.
“I would say as far as rap, it was more that you’ve got to put yourself out there. Eminem, he was putting himself out there more than he wanted, and he was even calling out guys in the United States Congress. He just really didn’t care. So, that’s what really pushed me into being fearless in whatever I do.”
Brooks still writes and produces rap music in his spare time, but the Detroit native admits that he no longer intends to play the villain before and following his fights.
With his first child due to arrive later this year, impending fatherhood has changed the strawweight mixed martial arts king’s outlook on the image he portrays in the public domain.
That said, he also doesn’t intend to shy away from a verbal battle should it come his way.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’ll talk sh-t when somebody talks sh-t, but I’m not going to be that guy that is making me look like a dumbass to my daughter,” Brooks said.
“I’m game, though, if anybody wants to team up and do that, let’s go. But, like I said, I’m not going to push myself into being the heel anymore.”
Given his new approach to pre-fight chatter, it is almost fitting that “The Monkey God’s” upcoming opponent is Mikey Musumeci.
“Darth Rigatoni” has remained undefeated in competition so far in ONE, and his positive and respectful demeanor outside of competition has won hearts across the world.
Brooks knows that the ONE flyweight submission grappling world champion will not engage in a war of words with him, so he intends to take a completely different path when trying to get under his skin.
“I’m not going to talk sh-t to Mikey Musumeci. He’s a great kid, and I mean, he’s not even a kid. He’s an adult. But he’s somebody that I look up to, and everybody else should look up to in the industry,” he said.
“I don’t know if I’m going to be making a diss track on Mikey Musumeci. I think the best way you beat Mikey Musumeci is if you out-nice Mikey Musumeci. So, I’m going to try to out-nice that guy. They might even get pissed off at me that I’m being that nice to him.”
