3Live Kru
Encyclopedia
The 3Live Kru was a professional wrestling
stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA). The 3Live Kru debuted in July 2003, and was initially a trio of wrestlers, consisting of Ron Killings
, Konnan
and B.G. James
. The gimmick of the 3Live Kru was that each member of the group exemplified a racial caricature
of their particular ethnicity. In addition, the Kru would rap
as they approached the ring, and each member of the group wore camouflage
clothing.
The Southern
white
James was dubbed "The Trailer Park Gangsta" or "B-Jizzle". The black
Killings, already known as "The Truth", was dubbed "The Suntan Superman". The brown
Latino
Konnan was dubbed "The Magic Stick", his New World Order
(nWo) nickname "K-Dogg", or sometimes "K-Dizzle."
In November 2005, they aligned with Kip James
, and began referring to themselves as the 4Live Kru (4LK). They have since disbanded.
, where B.G. ended up dressed like a pimp
. In the second one, they all went to a Mexican restaurant, where The Truth ordered orange juice and instead got tequila
, proceeding to get drunk. In the third one, they all went to B.G.'s "home" in a trailer park, where The Truth was lusted over by a Deliverance
-inspired redneck. It was during these vignettes that the term "3Live Kru" was born.
by winning a four-team/eight-man Gauntlet Match on November 12. On November 19 they faced Simon and Swinger
, the team of Simon Diamond
and Johnny Swinger
. The match ended with the titles held up after Killings and Swinger double-pinned each other. On November 26, the entire 3LK would face Diamond, Swinger and Glenn Gilberti
in a six-man tag team match for the titles. 3LK ultimately won the match thanks to revenge interference by America's Most Wanted
, and became the first team to win the Tag Team titles in a six-man tag team match. 3LK would defend the titles using the Freebird Rule, just as Triple X
did earlier in the year. They would beat AMW in their first title defense on December 10. They were ultimately defeated for the titles by Red Shirt Security, Kevin Northcutt
and Joe Legend, on January 28, 2004.
As part of the rap persona, they recorded two songs together. On September 24, 2003, they performed 3 Live K on a TNA pay-per-view. They performed a new song, Beware (The Remix), on January 7, 2004. Both have since been used at different times as their entrance music.
3LK would continue to make an impact in TNA throughout 2004, with The Truth eventually returning to singles action and going after the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
. He would win the title in a four-way match on May 19, 2004, over champion A.J. Styles
, Chris Harris
and Raven
. He would lose the title two weeks later to Jeff Jarrett
in the first King of the Mountain match
on June 2. Over the next few months, 3LK would feud directly with Jeff Jarrett and his hired guns, the Elite Guard (Shawn Hernandez
, Chad Collyer
and Onyx
, assembled by Jarrett specifically to foil the ethnic diversity of 3LK). Their first match in Orlando, Florida
on TNA Impact!
was a six-man tag match against David Young
and The Naturals
, Andy Douglas
and Chase Stevens
, on June 11.
3LK would finally come across the Tag Team titles once more at Victory Road
on November 7, when B.G. James and Konnan defeated Bobby Roode and Eric Young
of Team Canada
. They would lose the titles back to Roode and Young at Turning Point
on December 5.
The Kru would begin 2005 with a feud with Shazarian, Michael Shane
and Frankie Kazarian
, which embroiled TNA Impact! analyst Jeff Hammond. B.G. James and Jeff Hammond would beat Shazarian in a tag-team match at Against All Odds on February 13, a humiliation which would help precipitate Shazarian's ultimate breakup.
signed with TNA initially as "The Outlaw", he started targeting B.G., his former tag-team partner
in the WWF
, and began a campaign of sabotage
against the 3LK. This first led to The Outlaw and B.G. James being on opposite sides of the Lethal Lockdown at Lockdown
on April 24, with The Outlaw on Jeff Jarrett's team, and B.G. on the team of Diamond Dallas Page
as their "mystery partner" to replace an injured Kevin Nash
. The two avoided confronting each other, but Page's team won the match ultimately.
The next month, B.G. James asked Diamond Dallas Page to tag with him against their respective foes, The Outlaw and Monty Brown
at Hard Justice on May 15. B.G. however continued his unwillingness to come to blows with The Outlaw as "travel problems" led to him not arriving in time for the match. The Truth took his place, but he and Page lost the match when Page was Pounced by Brown.
By this time, Konnan was beginning to distrust B.G. to the point of not even recognizing him as a member of 3LK. Ron Killings, however, still trusted B.G. At Slammiversary on June 19, B.G. James promised his 3LK teammates that he would prove his loyalties. After The Truth's solo match with The Outlaw, which Killings won, The Outlaw tried to hit Truth with a steel chair. B.G. took the chair from The Outlaw, but refused to strike his former tag-team partner once more. Konnan ultimately ran The Outlaw off. Later, Konnan and B.G. James took on America's Most Wanted. They lost when Konnan was distracted by The Outlaw, causing B.G. James to not be able to tag out and get pinned after a Hart Attack. B.G. James was upset that Konnan had let The Outlaw get to him so badly, and left the Impact! Zone alone.
B.G. James stopped appearing alongside Konnan and The Truth for the next few months. However, he also refused The Outlaw's advances, despite Outlaw's changing his name to Kip James in brotherhood with B.G. at No Surrender 2005 on July 17. Kip James and Monty Brown beat Konnan and The Truth there, and B.G. finally appeared at the end of the match. Kip James gave B.G. an opportunity to join with him by hitting The Truth with a chair, but he refused to do it. The Truth saw that as hope that B.G. could be talked back into the Kru, but Konnan had long since given up, calling himself and Killings the "2Live Kru".
At Sacrifice on August 14, Truth and Konnan faced Kip James and The Alpha Male once more. On the July 29, 2005, episode of TNA Impact!, TNA Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko
, citing fear from the referee team in the face of Kip and Monty's intentional targeting of them, named B.G. James the special guest referee for the match. B.G. proved his allegiance to 3LK after two months of silence, making his decision loud and clear when he stopped Kip from using a steel chair, then attacked Kip himself. Konnan got the pin, and 3Live Kru reunited and celebrated together after the match.
Memorial Tag Team Tournament where tag teams are formed by pairing a veteran wrestler with a rookie, a quarterfinal match pitted B.G. James with Cassidy Riley
against Ron Killings and Sonjay Dutt on the August 19, 2005, episode of TNA Impact! Eventually B.G and The Truth ended up facing each other in the ring, but they refused to fight, drawing the ire of their respective partners. Ultimately B.G. hit Cassidy with the Pumphandle Drop after Cassidy, an admirer of Raven
, used one of Raven's moves on The Truth. This allowed Sonjay to hit the Hindu Press and get the pin for the victory, advancing with The Truth to the semifinals. B.G. did not seem too upset to lose the match, and celebrated with Ron and Sonjay. Konnan also participated in the tournament, teamed with Lance Hoyt
, but both remaining 3LK teams were eliminated in the semifinals. The full tandem won a match against the Diamonds in the Rough
at Unbreakable
on September 11.
In the weeks before Bound for Glory, Kip James again came to the rescue of B.G. James in situations with Team Canada, suffering the ire of Konnan in the process. He offered his protection (to neutralize D'Amore in particular, in his own words) to the group at BFG, but Konnan thought it was a bad idea. 3LK lost their match with Team Canada, but Kip James made the save when Team Canada beat down 3LK after the match. Team Canada held Konnan, expecting Kip to hit him with a steel chair. Instead, Kip proceeded to lay out members of Team Canada, saving Konnan instead. Later that night, after being eliminated from the 10-man Gauntlet Match to determine Jeff Jarrett
's opponent for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, Kip would save The Truth from elimination twice before being restrained by the referees.
3LK came to the rescue of Rhino
after he beat Jarrett for the title at the end of Bound for Glory. Kip James refereed a Hockey Stick Fight between 3LK and Team Canada at Genesis
on November 13 and called the match fairly. 3LK won the match.
Jeff Jarrett
, and almost won before the usual interference tipped the match in Jarrett's favor.
On December 3, 4LK gave an interview to Terry Taylor
along with BG's father, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong
. Armstrong opined that 4LK were the chosen one
s, and that if they stuck together they could rule TNA.
On December 11 at Turning Point 2005, Konnan hit Kip James with a steel chair at the end of their match with Team Canada. He also hit B.G. with the same chair. He offered his companionship to The Truth, but Killings was extremely upset, yelling at Konnan to hit him, too.
and the debuting Homicide
. forming The Latin American Xchange.
Kip and B.G. James had then formed a tag team called the James Gang, eventually renamed the Voodoo Kin Mafia (reminiscient of their days as the New Age Outlaws
in WWF). Ron Killings then left TNA, and signed with the WWE and is now a member of the Raw
roster. Konnan also left Total Nonstop Action due to "racial remarks" by Vince Russo
. BG James and Kip James had a (storyline) falling out as well, leading to a feud and several matches between the two. Both were then eventually released.
As of 2011, no members of 3 (or 4) Live Kru are currently with TNA.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA). The 3Live Kru debuted in July 2003, and was initially a trio of wrestlers, consisting of Ron Killings
Ron Killings
Ronald Aaron "Ron" Killings is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE working on its Raw brand. Since working for the company, he has been a one time United States Champion under the ring name R-Truth and a two time Hardcore Champion under the ring name K-Kwik...
, Konnan
Konnan
Carlos Santiago Espada Moises , also known as Charles Ashenoff and better known by his ring name, Konnan, is a Cuban professional wrestler and rapper of Puerto Rican descent...
and B.G. James
Brian Gerard James
Brian Gerard James is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to WWE as an agent and producer. He is best known for his tenure with the World Wrestling Federation as "The Road Dogg" Jesse James or simply Road Dogg...
. The gimmick of the 3Live Kru was that each member of the group exemplified a racial caricature
Ethnic stereotype
An ethnic stereotype is a generalized representation of an ethnic group, composed of what are thought to be typical characteristics of members of the group.Ethnic stereotypes are commonly portrayed in ethnic jokes.-Ethnic stereotypes:*African Americans...
of their particular ethnicity. In addition, the Kru would rap
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
as they approached the ring, and each member of the group wore camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
clothing.
The Southern
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
white
Caucasian race
The term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
James was dubbed "The Trailer Park Gangsta" or "B-Jizzle". The black
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
Killings, already known as "The Truth", was dubbed "The Suntan Superman". The brown
Brown people
Brown people or brown race is a political, racial, ethnic, societal, and cultural classification, similar to black people and white people. Like these, it is a metaphor for race based on human skin color, reflecting the fact that there are shades of skin colour intermediate between "Mediterranean" ...
Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
Konnan was dubbed "The Magic Stick", his New World Order
New World Order (professional wrestling)
The New World Order was a professional wrestling stable that originally wrestled for World Championship Wrestling . The group later appeared in the World Wrestling Federation after the purchase of WCW by the WWF...
(nWo) nickname "K-Dogg", or sometimes "K-Dizzle."
In November 2005, they aligned with Kip James
Monty Sopp
Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
, and began referring to themselves as the 4Live Kru (4LK). They have since disbanded.
The beginning
3LK began as an on-screen entity on June 18, 2003. In the preceding weeks, Konnan, James and Killings appeared together on the pay-per-views in varying combinations, but June 18 was the first time all three appeared together. At first, they did spots where the three of them were made fun of other TNA wrestlers and, occasionally, each other. They also began wrestling together as a three-man tandem in dark matches and on TNA Xplosion. Starting on July 16 of that year, they began with a series of vignettes where they all went to the settings of their individual stereotypes. In the first one, the three went to the ghettoGhetto
A ghetto is a section of a city predominantly occupied by a group who live there, especially because of social, economic, or legal issues.The term was originally used in Venice to describe the area where Jews were compelled to live. The term now refers to an overcrowded urban area often associated...
, where B.G. ended up dressed like a pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
. In the second one, they all went to a Mexican restaurant, where The Truth ordered orange juice and instead got tequila
Tequila
Tequila is a spirit made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila, northwest of Guadalajara, and in the highlands of the western Mexican state of Jalisco....
, proceeding to get drunk. In the third one, they all went to B.G.'s "home" in a trailer park, where The Truth was lusted over by a Deliverance
Deliverance
Deliverance is a 1972 American thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman. Principal cast members include Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ronny Cox and Ned Beatty in his film debut. The film is based on a 1970 novel of the same name by American author James Dickey, who has a small role in the...
-inspired redneck. It was during these vignettes that the term "3Live Kru" was born.
The titles
3LK is one of the most recognized stables in TNA, and at some points has been its most powerful stable. Killings and James got a shot at the NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA World Tag Team Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
by winning a four-team/eight-man Gauntlet Match on November 12. On November 19 they faced Simon and Swinger
Simon and Swinger
Simon Diamond and Johnny Swinger were a professional wrestling tag team most notably seen in Extreme Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. During their time in ECW, they were managed by Dawn Marie Psaltis...
, the team of Simon Diamond
Pat Kenney
Patrick Joseph Michael "Pat" Kenney , known also by his ring name, Simon Diamond, is a retired American professional wrestler, currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a road agent...
and Johnny Swinger
Joseph Dorgan
Joseph Robert "Joe" Dorgan is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Johnny Swinger and with World Wrestling Entertainment as Johnny Parisi....
. The match ended with the titles held up after Killings and Swinger double-pinned each other. On November 26, the entire 3LK would face Diamond, Swinger and Glenn Gilberti
Glenn Gilberti
Glenn Gilbertti is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling as Disco Inferno. He is also a former road agent for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
in a six-man tag team match for the titles. 3LK ultimately won the match thanks to revenge interference by America's Most Wanted
America's Most Wanted (professional wrestling)
America's Most Wanted was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of "Wildcat" Chris Harris and "Tennessee Cowboy" James Storm, who competed in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, and became the first team to win the Tag Team titles in a six-man tag team match. 3LK would defend the titles using the Freebird Rule, just as Triple X
Triple X (professional wrestling)
Triple X was a wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The team consisted of Christopher Daniels, Elix Skipper, and Low Ki . The team was originally formed in late 2002 as part of Vince Russo's Sports Entertainment Xtreme superstable...
did earlier in the year. They would beat AMW in their first title defense on December 10. They were ultimately defeated for the titles by Red Shirt Security, Kevin Northcutt
Kevin Northcutt
Kevin Northcutt is an American professional wrestler.-Total Nonstop Action Wrestling:During his time in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as part of the Red Shirt Security, he won the NWA World Tag Team Championship with Joe E. Legend & held the belts from January 28, 2004 until February 4 of the...
and Joe Legend, on January 28, 2004.
As part of the rap persona, they recorded two songs together. On September 24, 2003, they performed 3 Live K on a TNA pay-per-view. They performed a new song, Beware (The Remix), on January 7, 2004. Both have since been used at different times as their entrance music.
3LK would continue to make an impact in TNA throughout 2004, with The Truth eventually returning to singles action and going after the NWA World Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
. He would win the title in a four-way match on May 19, 2004, over champion A.J. Styles
A.J. Styles
Allen Neal Jones , better known by his ring name A.J. Styles is an American professional wrestler currently working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, Chris Harris
Chris Harris (wrestler)
Christopher Eric "Chris" Harris is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for working for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he was formerly one-half of the tag team America's Most Wanted along with partner & Former TNA World Heavyweight Champion James Storm.-World Championship...
and Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
. He would lose the title two weeks later to Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
in the first King of the Mountain match
King of the Mountain match
The King of the Mountain match is a professional wrestling match exclusive to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling . It consists of five competitors competing for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship or the TNA X Division Championship as of Slammiversary 2009...
on June 2. Over the next few months, 3LK would feud directly with Jeff Jarrett and his hired guns, the Elite Guard (Shawn Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez
Shawn Hernandez is an American professional wrestler of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring names, "Hotstuff Hernandez" and "Hernandez"....
, Chad Collyer
Chad Collyer
Chad Collyer is an American professional wrestler. A Heartland Wrestling Association mainstay, Collyer is perhaps best known for his appearances with Ring of Honor and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.-Career:...
and Onyx
Onyx (wrestler)
Kyle McNeely is an American professional wrestler. He is best known under the ring name Onyx and for his stint in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as a member of The Elite Guard.-World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment :...
, assembled by Jarrett specifically to foil the ethnic diversity of 3LK). Their first match in Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
on TNA Impact!
TNA iMPACT!
Impact Wrestling is a professional wrestling television program for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling that currently airs in the United States and Canada on Spike...
was a six-man tag match against David Young
David Young (wrestler)
David Williams , better known by his ring name, David Young, is an American professional wrestler. Though he has mainly appeared with NWA Wildside and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Young has also competed for Ring of Honor, Asistencia Asesoría y Administración and ZERO-ONE...
and The Naturals
The Naturals
The Naturals were a professional wrestling tag team made up of Andy Douglas and Chase Stevens. They are best known for their work in TNA, where they are multi-time former tag team champions.- History :...
, Andy Douglas
Andy Douglas
Andy Douglas is a retired American professional wrestler. He is known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he was a member of The Naturals alongside his tag team partner Chase Stevens.-Career:...
and Chase Stevens
Chase Stevens
Chase Stevens is an American professional wrestler. He is known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling where he was a member of The Naturals alongside his tag team partner Andy Douglas.-Career:...
, on June 11.
3LK would finally come across the Tag Team titles once more at Victory Road
Victory Road (2004)
Victory Road was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on November 7, 2004 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the first event under the Victory Road chronology, which became an annual event in 2006...
on November 7, when B.G. James and Konnan defeated Bobby Roode and Eric Young
Eric Young (wrestler)
Jeremy Fritz is a Canadian professional wrestler, best known under his ring name Eric Young. He currently performs for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he has gained popularity using a variety of comic relief gimmicks....
of Team Canada
Team Canada (TNA)
Team Canada was a heel professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which was active from 2004 to 2006.-2004 X-Cups:In 2004, wrestling promoter and personality "Coach" Scott D'Amore brought together fellow Canadians to form his own incarnation of Team Canada in Total Nonstop...
. They would lose the titles back to Roode and Young at Turning Point
Turning Point (2004)
Turning Point was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , which took place on December 5, 2004 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the first event under the Turning Point chronology...
on December 5.
The Kru would begin 2005 with a feud with Shazarian, Michael Shane
Matt Bentley
Matthew James "Matt" Bentley is an American professional wrestler best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling by the ring name Michael Shane. He was trained by his cousin, former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler Shawn Michaels, and he took the name Michael Shane as a play on...
and Frankie Kazarian
Frankie Kazarian
Frank B. Gerdelman is an Armenian-American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Frankie Kazarian or simply Kazarian. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, which embroiled TNA Impact! analyst Jeff Hammond. B.G. James and Jeff Hammond would beat Shazarian in a tag-team match at Against All Odds on February 13, a humiliation which would help precipitate Shazarian's ultimate breakup.
Kip James
The group suffered some turmoil during 2005. Soon after Billy GunnMonty Sopp
Monty Kip Sopp is an American professional wrestler, best known as Billy Gunn during his tenure for World Wrestling Entertainment. He is probably best known as one of the members of the New Age Outlaws. He also worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling under the ring name Kip James...
signed with TNA initially as "The Outlaw", he started targeting B.G., his former tag-team partner
New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
in the WWF
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, and began a campaign of sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
against the 3LK. This first led to The Outlaw and B.G. James being on opposite sides of the Lethal Lockdown at Lockdown
Lockdown (2005)
Lockdown was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion, which took place on April 24, 2005 at the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida. It was the first event under the Lockdown chronology and the fourth event in the 2005 TNA PPV schedule...
on April 24, with The Outlaw on Jeff Jarrett's team, and B.G. on the team of Diamond Dallas Page
Diamond Dallas Page
Dallas Page , better known by his ring name "Diamond" Dallas Page , is an American retired professional wrestler, fitness instructor and actor...
as their "mystery partner" to replace an injured Kevin Nash
Kevin Nash
Kevin Scott Nash is an American professional wrestler and actor. As of 2011, Nash is signed to a five year contract with WWE under their WWE Legends program and appears as part of their Raw brand roster...
. The two avoided confronting each other, but Page's team won the match ultimately.
The next month, B.G. James asked Diamond Dallas Page to tag with him against their respective foes, The Outlaw and Monty Brown
Monty Brown
Monty Brown is an American professional wrestler and former National Football League linebacker, also known as Marcus Cor Von. He is best known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, where he wrestled on its ECW brand under the ring name Marcus Cor Von...
at Hard Justice on May 15. B.G. however continued his unwillingness to come to blows with The Outlaw as "travel problems" led to him not arriving in time for the match. The Truth took his place, but he and Page lost the match when Page was Pounced by Brown.
By this time, Konnan was beginning to distrust B.G. to the point of not even recognizing him as a member of 3LK. Ron Killings, however, still trusted B.G. At Slammiversary on June 19, B.G. James promised his 3LK teammates that he would prove his loyalties. After The Truth's solo match with The Outlaw, which Killings won, The Outlaw tried to hit Truth with a steel chair. B.G. took the chair from The Outlaw, but refused to strike his former tag-team partner once more. Konnan ultimately ran The Outlaw off. Later, Konnan and B.G. James took on America's Most Wanted. They lost when Konnan was distracted by The Outlaw, causing B.G. James to not be able to tag out and get pinned after a Hart Attack. B.G. James was upset that Konnan had let The Outlaw get to him so badly, and left the Impact! Zone alone.
B.G. James stopped appearing alongside Konnan and The Truth for the next few months. However, he also refused The Outlaw's advances, despite Outlaw's changing his name to Kip James in brotherhood with B.G. at No Surrender 2005 on July 17. Kip James and Monty Brown beat Konnan and The Truth there, and B.G. finally appeared at the end of the match. Kip James gave B.G. an opportunity to join with him by hitting The Truth with a chair, but he refused to do it. The Truth saw that as hope that B.G. could be talked back into the Kru, but Konnan had long since given up, calling himself and Killings the "2Live Kru".
At Sacrifice on August 14, Truth and Konnan faced Kip James and The Alpha Male once more. On the July 29, 2005, episode of TNA Impact!, TNA Director of Authority Larry Zbyszko
Larry Zbyszko
Lawrence "Larry" Whistler is a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Larry Zbyszko. Zbyszko is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, wrestling legend Bruno Sammartino during the early 1980s....
, citing fear from the referee team in the face of Kip and Monty's intentional targeting of them, named B.G. James the special guest referee for the match. B.G. proved his allegiance to 3LK after two months of silence, making his decision loud and clear when he stopped Kip from using a steel chair, then attacked Kip himself. Konnan got the pin, and 3Live Kru reunited and celebrated together after the match.
Return
In the 2005 Chris CandidoChris Candido
Christopher Raul Candito was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Chris Candido...
Memorial Tag Team Tournament where tag teams are formed by pairing a veteran wrestler with a rookie, a quarterfinal match pitted B.G. James with Cassidy Riley
Cassidy O'Reilly
Cassidy Riley is an American professional wrestler, also known as Cassidy Reilly and Cassidy O'Riley best known for work with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment....
against Ron Killings and Sonjay Dutt on the August 19, 2005, episode of TNA Impact! Eventually B.G and The Truth ended up facing each other in the ring, but they refused to fight, drawing the ire of their respective partners. Ultimately B.G. hit Cassidy with the Pumphandle Drop after Cassidy, an admirer of Raven
Scott Levy
Scott Anthony Levy , better known by his ring name Raven, is an American professional wrestler, wrestling producer, wrestling writer, and occasional author and actor currently working for Juggalo Championship Wrestling , where he is co-holder of the JCW Tag Team Championship, as well as other...
, used one of Raven's moves on The Truth. This allowed Sonjay to hit the Hindu Press and get the pin for the victory, advancing with The Truth to the semifinals. B.G. did not seem too upset to lose the match, and celebrated with Ron and Sonjay. Konnan also participated in the tournament, teamed with Lance Hoyt
Lance Hoyt
Lance Hoyt is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling as Lance Archer. He is best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a two time NWA World Tag Team Champion with Kid Kash while the title was under the TNA banner...
, but both remaining 3LK teams were eliminated in the semifinals. The full tandem won a match against the Diamonds in the Rough
The Diamonds in the Rough
The Diamonds in the Rough was a professional wrestling stable in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, led by the eponymous Simon Diamond and consisting primarily of lower- to mid-card wrestlers...
at Unbreakable
TNA Unbreakable
Unbreakable was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event held by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, which took place on September 11, 2005 from the TNA Impact! Zone in Orlando, Florida...
on September 11.
In the weeks before Bound for Glory, Kip James again came to the rescue of B.G. James in situations with Team Canada, suffering the ire of Konnan in the process. He offered his protection (to neutralize D'Amore in particular, in his own words) to the group at BFG, but Konnan thought it was a bad idea. 3LK lost their match with Team Canada, but Kip James made the save when Team Canada beat down 3LK after the match. Team Canada held Konnan, expecting Kip to hit him with a steel chair. Instead, Kip proceeded to lay out members of Team Canada, saving Konnan instead. Later that night, after being eliminated from the 10-man Gauntlet Match to determine Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
's opponent for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, Kip would save The Truth from elimination twice before being restrained by the referees.
3LK came to the rescue of Rhino
Terry Gerin
Terrance "Terry" Gerin is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by the ring name Rhino . He is best known for his career in Extreme Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Federation / Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
after he beat Jarrett for the title at the end of Bound for Glory. Kip James refereed a Hockey Stick Fight between 3LK and Team Canada at Genesis
TNA Genesis
Genesis is an annual professional wrestling pay-per-view event promoted by Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. The name was originally used on May 9, 2003 for a two-hour DirecTV special that highlighted early moments in TNA’s history....
on November 13 and called the match fairly. 3LK won the match.
4Live Kru
On the November 26 episode of Impact!, B.G. brought Kip and the 3LK to the ring, and asked the Truth and Konnan to give Kip James a yes/no vote to be accepted into the group. After B.G. got heated with Konnan, both gave Kip "yes" votes, and the "4Live Kru" was born. That night, Kip James had a fight with NWA World Heavyweight ChampionNWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
Jeff Jarrett
Jeff Jarrett
Jeffrey Leonard Jarrett is an American professional wrestler and wrestling promoter. He is currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , an organization he co-founded along with his father and in which he holds some stock but not total control...
, and almost won before the usual interference tipped the match in Jarrett's favor.
On December 3, 4LK gave an interview to Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor
Terry Taylor , is an American retired professional wrestler best known for his time in the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Federation...
along with BG's father, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong
Bob Armstrong
Joseph Melton James is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. In the course of his career, which spanned five decades, Armstrong held numerous championships throughout the Southeastern United States...
. Armstrong opined that 4LK were the chosen one
Chosen One
Chosen One is the second Hillsong Music album in the Youth Alive series by the Hillsong Church.-Track listing:# "Let the Fire" # "Salvation" # "Sing Hallelujah"...
s, and that if they stuck together they could rule TNA.
On December 11 at Turning Point 2005, Konnan hit Kip James with a steel chair at the end of their match with Team Canada. He also hit B.G. with the same chair. He offered his companionship to The Truth, but Killings was extremely upset, yelling at Konnan to hit him, too.
Aftermath
In the weeks that followed Turning Point, "Bullet" Bob Armstrong tried to reform the Kru. Kip and B.G. James were both suspect but went along with the plans. Ron Killings was finished with 3LK, and didn't want any part of the situation. Konnan pretended to be convinced, then turned around and assaulted Armstrong backstage with the aid of ApoloGermán Figueroa
Germán Figueroa is a Puerto Rican professional wrestler, better known as Nuevo Gran Apolo, or simply Apolo. Figueroa began performing in Puerto Rico's independent circuit, before entering the International Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Council...
and the debuting Homicide
Nelson Erazo
Nelson Rodriguez Erazo is an American professional wrestler of Puerto Rican descent, better known by his ring name, Homicide...
. forming The Latin American Xchange.
Kip and B.G. James had then formed a tag team called the James Gang, eventually renamed the Voodoo Kin Mafia (reminiscient of their days as the New Age Outlaws
New Age Outlaws
The New Age Outlaws, later known as the James Gang and the Voodoo Kin Mafia, were a professional wrestling tag team in World Wrestling Federation, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling , Jersey All Pro Wrestling, and Maryland Championship Wrestling consisting of B.G...
in WWF). Ron Killings then left TNA, and signed with the WWE and is now a member of the Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
roster. Konnan also left Total Nonstop Action due to "racial remarks" by Vince Russo
Vince Russo
Vincent James "Vince" Russo is an American creative writer and author, well known for his work in the professional wrestling industry. He is notable for his tenure with World Wrestling Federation, World Championship Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
. BG James and Kip James had a (storyline) falling out as well, leading to a feud and several matches between the two. Both were then eventually released.
As of 2011, no members of 3 (or 4) Live Kru are currently with TNA.
Championships and accomplishments
- Total Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action WrestlingTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
- NWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA World Heavyweight ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
(1 time) - (Ron "The Truth" KillingsRon KillingsRonald Aaron "Ron" Killings is an American professional wrestler and rapper. He is currently signed to WWE working on its Raw brand. Since working for the company, he has been a one time United States Champion under the ring name R-Truth and a two time Hardcore Champion under the ring name K-Kwik...
) - NWA World Tag Team ChampionshipNWA World Tag Team ChampionshipThe National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Championship is the professional wrestling world tag team championship within the NWA framework.-History:...
(2 times) - (once all three, won in a Six-Man Tag; the second time, B.G. and Konnan won the titles, with Killings also defending the titles as per the Freebird Rule)
- NWA World Heavyweight Championship
See also
- The Filthy Animals
- The New Age Outlaws
- Team PacmanTeam PacmanTeam Pacman was a heel professional wrestling tag team in the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling promotion. The team, originally consisting of National Football League player Adam "Pacman" Jones and his partner Ron "The Truth" Killings, held the TNA World Tag Team Championship once, but when Jones'...