- Title: USA: Hip-hop goes interactive with the new video game, Def Jam Rapstar
- Date: 9th October 2010
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) KEVIN LILES, DEF JAM ENTERPRISES PRESIDENT AND CEO, SAYING: "Listen, at the end of the day, we wanted everybody to have an opportunity to rap to their favourite songs, to rap over the hottest tracks from producers around the world and to battle people around the world. Hip-hop is about showing your best. So whether it's your style, you're showing your videos with you and your friends, whether it's partying, whether it's people coming together to say 'hey you're hot, you're not', a promoter, a publicity person, a manager, an artist, you can be everything at Def Jam Rapstar.com."
- Embargoed: 24th October 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- City:
- Country: USA
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Science / Technology
- Reuters ID: LVA953Q3P0YVDA8G4JWEPSYRK868
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- Story Text: Hip-hop has finally gone interactive with the launch of the new video game, 'Def Jam Rapstar'. The hip-hop karaoke game was officially launched in New York City on Wednesday (October 6) at a party attended by the who's-who of the hip-hop music industry.
While the concept of music-based video games isn't anything new, 'Def Jam Rapstar' represents hip-hop's first foray into the video gaming industry.
"At the end of the day, we wanted everybody to have an opportunity to rap to their favourite songs, to rap over the hottest tracks from producers around the world and to battle people around the world. Hip-hop is about showing your best. So whether it's your style, you're showing your videos with you and your friends, whether it's partying, whether it's people coming together to say 'hey you're hot, you're not', a promoter, a publicity person, a manager, an artist, you can be everything at Def Jam Rapstar.com," explained Def Jam Enterprises President and CEO, Kevin Liles.
'Def Jam Rapstar' allows users to be the star, by rhyming, using a console camera, and uploading videos to the fully integrated online Def Jam Rapstar community. Players are also able to freestyle over tracks by some of the world's hottest hip hop acts and producers, and can upload the performances to the internet to be judged by the industry and fellow gamers.
For those in the hip-hop music world, the game is already proving to be a winner.
"Because you can actually be the artist, you know what I'm saying? And it's fun and it's hip-hop. You know what I'm saying? So if you love hip-hop then you'll love this game but not just that, you can turn into the artist. It's just amazing," record producer DJ Khaled told Reuters Television.
Hip-hop artist 'Method Man' said it made sense for hip-hop to be part of the $60 billion dollar (USD) video game industry.
"If you look at the charts, we account for a lot of the record sales and top of the charts sales and stuff like that and we deserve the same respect, if not more, than rock'n'roll sometimes," the hip-hop artist said.
British R&B singer Estelle said the launch of 'Def Jam Rapstar' reflected a resurgence of hip-hop music.
"I think the hip-hop scene is already reenergised. I feel like people are getting excited about it again. It's coming back to the real culture of the music. This just kind of stands as a barometer of how far we've come, you know? I feel like every 10 years it reenergises itself and this is kind of a great moment," Estelle said.
One notable absence from the official launch party was the face of 'Def Jam Rapstar,' jailed rapper, Lil Wayne. Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter and who also goes by the moniker 'Weezy', was sentenced to one year jail after he pleaded guilty to a gun possession charge in a 2007 incident.
Def Jam Enterprises defended the decision to have a convicted criminal as the game's hip-hop representative.
"Lil Wayne is hip-hop. One thing you'll know about us at Def Jam Enterprises is that we're still about hip-hop. We might have sold the record company in '98 but we still own the brand and the brand is about hip hop and Lil Wayne is everything about hip-hop. Cash Money is everything about hip-hop," Liles said.
Music producer DJ Reach said hip-hop music wasn't perfect - and nor the artists.
"You know, that's what's so dynamic about hip-hop and hip-hop culture is that you know, hip-hop is authentic to the people, and it's not always polished and it's not always politically correct, it's not always legal, you know? People download it illegally, you know, music in general is the sound check to people's lives and real things happen. Sometimes people find themselves in compromising positions, and maybe the law catches up with them or you know, just kind of bad situations come about. So I think you know, it's understandable. He is the embodiment of hip-hop right now. He is everything that hip-hop is about, so, it would be, you know, almost a shame to have anyone else represent the game other than a guy like Lil Wayne," DJ Reach said.
Liles said he was disappointed that Lil Wayne couldn't be present for the game's official launch.
"I'm disappointed that he's not seeing his daughter. I'm disappointed that he's not seeing his family. Whether he's here tonight, he's with us every day. Free Wayne," he said.
Lil Wayne was was recently sentenced to 30 days in solitary confinement after prison officials found an MP3 charger and headsets in his cell. His fellow rappers expressed sympathy with the jailed artist.
"You know? It's like you've got to deal with it while you deal with it. Shout out to Weezy - what up boy? You know, it's just life in incarceration. Sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down. You know?," said hip-hop artist Shyheim.
Lil Wayne is due to be released on November 4. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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