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Kofi Kingston recently confirmed that he was being punished by WWE when Triple H called him out on live television regarding his fading Jamaican accent.
Kingston was signed by WWE in 2006 and was in developmental for about a year. He made his main roster debut in 2007 as a Jamaican character. However, he was really born in Ghana and grew up in Boston. He used a Jamaican accent on TV that was eventually phased out. During an infamous segment in 2009, Triple H called Kofi out on his disappearing accent.
In a recent discussion on Twitter, a fan noted that it was rumored at the time that the segment, wherein Triple H asked Kingston about his Jamaican accent, was a punishment. It happened because Kofi answered a phone call from Vince McMahon using his normal voice and broke kayfabe.
The former WWE Champion seems to have confirmed the rumor after replying to the fan's comments. Kingston explained that it was a long time ago when kayfabe was not dead yet.
"A time long ago, when Kayfabe was still around...," Kingston tweeted.
After dropping the Jamaican accent, Kingston was put into a high-profile feud with Randy Orton, which he ultimately lost.
Kofi Kingston happy to drop his Jamaican accent
In an appearance on the Muscle and Fitness Reps podcast back in 2020, Kofi Kingston discussed being happy after dropping his Jamaican accent. Kingston noted that it was hard to maintain it since Vince McMahon wanted him to maintain the character during interviews.
"I was so happy to be able to drop the accent," Kingston said. "Initially, Vince told me that all my interviews had to be in Jamaican. Any time I was on screen or being interviewed by anybody about anything it had to be in Jamaican. ... It was really annoying. The only other person that could identify with me was Santino (Marella)." (h/t WrestleTalk)
Years later, WWE allowed Kingston to embrace his African roots. He would return to Ghana in 2019 after winning the WWE Championship from Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35.
Did you like Kofi Kingston's Jamaican accent back then? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
