Hip-Hop artists and video games may seem like an odd combination, but if one takes a peek at the lifestyle of top artists, one can say that their worlds do collide. When the famed Hip-Hop artists are not busy rapping their way to the hearts of their fans and the industry in general, they end up entertaining themselves. And one popular form of entertainment is online gaming in its various forms, as card games like poker or first-person shooter games like Call of Duty. Twitter and social media have become the silent witness to the exploits of these rappers when it comes to playing online games and casino productions. Some of these rappers play intermittently, and there are a few individuals who are known to rock the scene and influence their followers to try the games because of their commitment to gaming. Here’s a quick look at Hip-Hop’s biggest gamers, and how they are changing the gaming industry, one game at a time.
Snoop Dogg
Discovered by Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg has created a name for himself in the music industry in different capacities. Bron Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr, the rapper is also known as an actor, television personality, record producer and a song writer. When not busy with his contractual obligations and other jobs in the music industry, the rapper is known to immerse himself in a number of video games. And what’s more interesting about this habit of the rapper is that he loves to stream his gaming activities online through Twitch. For example, the rapper with a Twitch handle “Doggydogg20” has streamed on Twitch his love for SOS, a survival game. He streamed his activities playing the game a number of times, and for the rapper, team work really does matter when it comes to playing and enjoying video games. Although he is not a passionate fan of other games particularly poker, he still manages to inspire players and enthusiasts who love to play poker. A few years ago, he was invited to the Poker Stars party, and gladly entertained the crowd.
ScHoolboy Q
Beneath that rugged and serious exterior lies a gamer at heart. Schoolboy Q or Quincy Matthew Hanley of Los Angeles California is a serious gamer and knows how to play the games when he is not on tour. In a number of interviews, the rapper has shown his love and passion for classic Nintendo games like Mortal Kombat and has been known to play these games during his off days. The rapper even shared that he also loved playing Call of Duty and has played this game almost every day. Unfortunately, too much of something can become a problem and boring as well. And this has been the case with the rapper after he admitted that he felt that he is becoming a loser for playing video games during his off times or when not on tour. In fact, he even tweeted a remark saying that he felt like a loser, and even offered his PS3 to anyone who is interested. Of course, a number of fans of the rapper commented on this tweet, and we will never know if indeed Q made good on his promise to give away his well-loved PS3!
Vince Staples
Vince Staples is another rapper who knows his video games and has in fact participated in the development of a video game. In many of his interviews, he shared that he loved playing some of the popular video games around, including the classic Mario and Mortal Kombat. He also cited is prowess and love for NBA2K and has warned other gamers out there that he can easily handle them in many game sessions. But his passion for video games and online gaming can be seen in his involvement in the design of a number of games. For example, Vince Staples has been reported to have worked on Watch Dogs 2, an open-world game from Ubisoft. The game takes inspiration from a world that has been defined by the internet, Snowden and Donald Trump. When the game was first introduced to the press, Staples was present to witness the said event and even played the game before it was officially released to the gaming public. Staples is also a fan of Halo, and even played with DiCaprio at some point through FaceTime.
Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco is known in the industry not just as a rapper, but as a philanthropist and political views. When not attending to his music, fans and his business dealings, the rapper also finds time to enjoy quality time with his favored video games. And for Lupe Fiasco, his choice of genre is in the realm of fighting and digital combat, particularly Street Fighter. For years now, Lupe has been known to showcase his martial arts and combat skills to viewers and fans not in the arena but in the video game. Thanks to his passion and love for this game, he even participated in competitions and managed to beat some of the best players of Mortal Kombat. Although some enthusiasts and watchers say that the match was staged, there is no denying the fact that Lupe Fiasco truly loved the game. The fact that he went the extra mile to square off with a champion says a lot about his passion for games.
