Using the new generation to hype them up tho feels odd.
Well, Oda did use Luffy to hype Kaido.
And not for nothing, but Blackbeard and Shanks aren't really part of the "old" generation. Shanks has only been a Yonko for 6 years, and Blackbeard has been one for maybe 1 year. Sure, they've been around for a long time, but in terms of being almost at the peak of the Pirate World, it hasn't been that long. Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido were there for decades. Blackbeard and Shanks, not so much.
Does he? What's the point for him to go after Shanks after Wano if he set his mind on the poneglyphs and the man with the mark. Going specifically for Shanks won't help him to get to the Laughable unless Shanks has the road poneglyph Kid is missing.
That was the whole point of him creating an alliance with Hawkins and Apoo, was to go after Shanks.