An Extensive History Of Rappers Rapping About Video Games
Hip-hop and video games have shared the same cultural orbit for years—from beat-'em-up Def Jam: Fight for NY with its roster of basically every rapper active in the early 2000s, through to Dr. Dre releasing his first music in over a decade through GTA Online earlier this year. Rappers love video games, and video games love rappers. It's a relationship that goes both ways too. Hip-hop is full of references to video games and video game consoles—whether it's Lauryn Hill rapping about the ColecoVision, Eminem professing his love for The Legend of Zelda, or JAY-Z name checking the Sony PSP. These are some of the most notable (and surprising) collisions of rap and gaming.
In his 1994 hit Juicy, The Notorious B.I.G. reflects on how success has changed his life and drops the most famous video game reference in hip-hop history. "Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis," he raps. "When I was dead broke, man, I couldn't picture this." But Biggie wasn't the only rapper to give Nintendo's 16-bit console a shout out. In Friday by Ice Cube, taken from the soundtrack of the classic 1995 comedy, he raps: "Smoking indo, playing that Super Nintendo, hear a rat-a-tat-tat on my window." Skepta also name checks it in his 2011 track Mike Lowery. "Been producing since Mario Paint on the Super Nintendo," he raps, referencing the game's famous built-in music sequencer.
Related: Why Is Everyone Buying Mango Farms In Cyberpunk 2077?
As for the Genesis, Sega's 16-bit contender gets a few shout outs too. In Nosetalgia by Pusha T, taken from his 2013 debut album, Kendrick Lamar raps: "Smokers repeatedly buying my Sega Genesis, either that or my auntie was stealing it." Busta Rhymes references it in his 1997 track Get Off My Block: "The presence of a small-time,
Read more on thegamer.com
