Lio Rush is now releasing music under the name L.I.

The WWE NXT Superstar released his debut single "Money Money" today along with childhood friend Drett1 (Marcus Phillips). You can see L.I and Drett1 in their first music video above.

Rush recently spoke with ESPN to promote the new venture and discuss his pro wrestling career. The full interview is at this link and below are highlights:

Getting heat from other wrestlers after tweeting a joke about Emma's WWE departure last year:

"It was definitely a difficult situation. I've worked so hard and spent years trying to brand myself and to show the world that Lio Rush is a top prospect in the professional wrestling world. So it was a bit rough to see so many people turn on me for that, but I've owned up to my mistakes. I have said my apologies. What else can you do? You live, you make mistakes, and you learn. I know a big thing that I tweeted out shortly after that -- 'a mistake shouldn't be your attacker, it should be your teacher'. I've definitely learned from that situation. I definitely have not let that situation change the pacing of me succeeding in anything."

Getting into the music business:

"[My passion for music] has always been there. I always knew I'd get into the music industry in some kind of capacity. I've been influenced by friends that I've made over the years and the culture that I've been around the years. That led to rapping."

"All of this is just about continuing to brand yourself. Continuing to make a name for yourself. Continuing to show that we wrestlers aren't just one-trick ponies. People are constantly asking, 'What's going on with wrestling? What's happening with wrestling?' The perception of a professional wrestler only knowing how to be a professional wrestler and nothing else is a little crazy to me. Yes, I'm still a professional wrestler. Yes, I'm still a father. I'm still everything else, but yes I can do other things, and yes I can be successful in other things. We're capable of many things, whether that's bodyslamming somebody in the ring or whether that's, for me, making an impact in the music industry."

Working under Triple H and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando:

"The fact that I'm being able to be trained and coached by one of the greatest in-ring performers who has ever lived -- and that's the 'Heartbreak Kid' Shawn Michaels -- for him to be one of the trainers there and to be able to learn from him and just follow in his footsteps is a pretty cool thing. Even Triple H. Him being the boss of everything is absolutely incredible. Being a fan, being somebody who's wanted to be a professional wrestler since they were 5-years-old and growing up watching Triple H, watching Shawn Michaels, and then to one day wake up and report to work and that's my coach. That's my boss. It's absolutely incredible."

Source: ESPN