Rapper Melle Mel talks about being a natural weightlifter and the current state of pro bodybuilding.
Melle Mel American hip hop recording artist who was the lead vocalist and songwriter of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. But beyond that, he has always been a rapper who presented a muscular physique. He’s also passionate about the sport of bodybuilding and has been a fan watching the sport for years. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Melle Mel talks about being all natural and his thoughts on the use of PEDs in pro bodybuilding.
We first spoke with Melle Mel way back in 2015 for a long form interview on Iron Cinema. Since then a lot has changed in the world and in bodybuilding. That’s why we’ve circled back to reconnect with Melle Mel and discuss his thoughts on the latest developments in bodybuilding.
Melle Mel is a huge fan of bodybuilding. He also likes to train like a bodybuilder and his physique showcases that. That being said, he understands that there is a big difference between bodybuilding for your health and bodybuilding for sport. Melle Mel claims to be all natural. This is because he firmly believes steroid use for bodybuilding is unhealthy.
On the flip side, he doesn’t want pro bodybuilding to change. He understands that performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) are a part of that lifestyle. But that’s for the athletes – not for someone like him who simply appreciates sculpting his physique and watching the sport.
Watch our GI Exclusive interview segment with Melle Mel above!
Melle Mel is also very blunt about his opinions on PEDs in pro bodybuilding. He doesn’t believe the statements made that hard work beats out steroid use. While he does agree that hard work is necessary in addition to steroids, he also states that a bodybuilder cannot be successful without using PEDs.
“No there is no other way [other than using PEDs],” Melle Mel states in our interview. He goes on, “And I like bodybuilding the way it is. People don’t go to a bodybuilding show to see guys that look like normal guys. They go to bodybuilding shows to see big super ripped guys.”
Melle Mel doesn’t just stop there. While he does overall like pro bodybuilding and the freaks involved. He does think that it’s gone to a level that is too freakish even for him.
Melle Mel continues, “With that being said, they kind of went too far. And now you can’t come back. ”
He goes on to point out the bubble guts and the lack of symmetry on some of the guys. He even says that Big Ramy is so massive that he looks like a literal cartoon depiction of a bodybuilder. The kind of Hulk insanity that you would only see in comics and cartoons.
When he talks about not being able to come back – that’s where the PEDs come in. Melle Mel believes that bodybuilding physiques have gotten so freakish, that there is no way that a natural person can compete on the top tier such as Mr. Olympia.
Melle Mel then goes on to comment on Natural Bodybuilding leagues and how they have the reverse problem. The physiques are too normal. He claims that he could step onto a natural bodybuilding show without any prep and win third place. That’s the problem. There seems to be no middle ground.
You can watch Melle Mel’s full comments on PEDs in bodybuilding in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above. Stay tuned for more clips from our interview with Melle Mel in the coming weeks!
