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Sword and Sworcery LP sampled by Lil Wayne
If you're a human being with ears and a heart, we're going to assume you loved Sword and Sworcery EP just as much as you loved Sword and Sworcery LP - The Ballad of the Space Babies, its ethereal, lovely soundtrack. Know what? We're going to go out on a limb and also assume that you love Lil Wayne -- because, really, who doesn't -- and therefore will double-love his new track, "She Will," which samples a selection from the iOS gem's score. We've contacted Superbrothers to find out the terms behind this auspicious partnership. You can listen to a brief chunk of the track after the jump, provided you're in a place that doesn't mind NSFW language. (Like, you know, not-work.)
Official WoW TCG War of the Elements card, loot information released
We've seen the leaks and the datamined information, but it's all official now -- Cryptozoic has released the WoW TCG card and loot information for the next expansion to the Worldbreaker set, War of the Elements.
Clik Clok iPad 2 accessory: Be like Flava Flav
To wear what we feel comfortable calling the "Worst. Accessory. Ever," you need three things. First, more money than sense. Second, a desire to resemble a high-tech version of Flava Flav. And third, a firm belief that the magnets along one side of your iPad 2 are strong enough to hold on to this Clik Clok chain no matter how hard you rap. "Tired of having to carry your iPad in a bag?" wonders designer Pensa. "Or worse yet...in your hand? Looking for a convenient way to have your iPad with you at all times whether you are at work, out with friends, or working out? Have you ever looked down at your stylish giant clock necklace and wondered, 'HEY! Why can't this thing browse the internet, play music, and let me video chat with my friends?' " If you recognize yourself in this description or in the picture (nice hat!), then you need Pensa's gold, red or silver chain necklace that attaches to the magnetic points on your new iPad 2. Will it hold? Remember how worried you were it wouldn't stick to the fridge, and that worked out fine, right? And as soon as it's attached, the Clock app fires up automatically. Cool! The Clik Clok isn't in production yet, and there's no price set either, but Pensa describes the Clik Clok concept as "Ready for Kickstarter..." Luckily it also adds, "Hint...we are kidding." Still, ask nicely and I'm sure Pensa would make you one to go with your hat. [Via Likecool]
Cryptozoic invites you to Darkmoon Faire Chicago this weekend, April 1-3
Cryptozoic invites all WoW and TCG players out to Darkmoon Faire Chicago this weekend, April 1-3, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center. This is Cryptozoic's first Epic Con, their new traveling gaming convention for all games, not just the trading card games. There is going to be plenty of fun awaiting attendees, so hit the jump for all of the activities planned this weekend.
Snoop Dogggg goes 4G to celebrate launch of Samsung Galaxy Indulge, was probably paid more than 4Gs to do it
You laugh, but D-O-Quadruple-G does have a certain ring to it. In fact, it sounds a little like the ringing of Samsung's Galaxy Indulge, which is tucked inside the pocket of MetroPCS' CEO right about now. You see, the aforesaid carrier has presumably paid Snoop Dogg (or Snoop Dogggg, as he'll be known until he scurries outside of a 4G coverage area) to change his name in order to celebrate the commercial launch of the world's first LTE Android smartphone. The Froyo-based phone is just barely beating out LG's Revolution and HTC's Thunderbolt, and you can bet that MetroPCS is doing everything it can to let the world know about it. Taking things one step further too far, Snoop's also appearing in a new series dubbed "The G-Connection," and you can peek the first episode just after the brizzle. For rizzle, homedizzle. %Gallery-117476%
Symantec mobilizes Snoop Dogg's cybercrime unit
You know what? Snoop has really done more than any technology company has to bring products to new audiences. Back in fifth grade we had no idea what indo was or why anyone would ever want to combine gin and juice; 3 weeks after "Doggystyle" came out we were hooked on both. At the beginning of last year we couldn't fathom our Grandpas asking Snoop for directions in the Caddy...but it happened. So why not make the leap to, you know, hawking desktop and internet security to urban markets? Symantec's Hack is Wack campaign aims to "bring the attention level up...just try to make people aware that these [cyber] crimes are happening." Snoop invites you to "raise awareness by making a rap song about cyber crimes" and uploading a video for judgment on "originality, creativity and message." The winner gets a pair of tickets to see Snoop, a chance to meet his "mgmt/agent" and a Toshiba laptop. It's been a while since we hit the mic or had any antivirus software installed, but he's got us thinking pretty hard about throwing down some rhymes and our credit cards for a copy of Norton 360 v4.0.
The Birds and the Beedrills puts a mature spin on the Pokerap
There's no real way to ease into this, so: A rapper by the pseudonym White Licorice has painstakingly crafted a track titled "The Birds and the Beedrills." Its innuendo-filled lyrics contain references to all 151 Pokémon from the series' first generation. It is, in no small measure, a masterpiece.
Fear Of A Nerd Planet: A Hip Hop Retrospective (update)
Hip Hop has always been a conspiracy between music and technology. Turntables? Gadgets. Samplers? Ditto. From the very beginning, the music was suffused with a sort of science fiction aura, and by 1982 (when Afrika Bambaataa dropped Planet Rock) it could safely be said that "nerdliness" (the state or condition of being a nerd) was embedded in the genre's DNA. Perhaps that's the reason that gadget fans love to compose their own rap videos, celebrating everything from the trackball of the G1 to Best Buy's supremacy over CompUSA. After one popped up today celebrating the Tesla electric car we thought it was a good time to offer you a retrospective of some of our favorite rappin' nerds. Check 'em out for yourself (and annoy your co-workers in the process) after the break. Do you have any that we might have overlooked? Drop 'em into the comments!
'Dippin' In My Tesla' is the best rap song ever about a Tesla
Don't bother reading this text, just listen to the intensely awful hip-hop ode to an electric car. Elon Musk, where you at!?
World of WarCrafts: School's out, crafting's in
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music and fan fiction. Show us how you express yourself; email lisa@wow.com with your not-for-profit, WoW-inspired creations. School's out! Busy hands are happy hands, so get those crafts started now. We want to share what you're making: artwork, knitting, music, crafts, fan fic ... Let us know what sparks your imagination! First up this week: The Horde scarf shown above is no ordinary Horde scarf. This Horde scarf was created to be equipped during rare-spawn, cold weather action in Costa Rica. "It all started when there was a cold wave a few months back in my country (Costa Rica; such cold waves are actually very rare), and my only scarf was actually a keffiyeh I'd wrap around my neck," writes Cambalache of Ragnaros (US-H). "So, since my wife's hobby is knitting on various styles ... she offered to knit me a scarf of my choosing, and as a true Horde player, I went for the symbol." A tauren after our own heart! Join us after he break for an update to the WoW tattoo gallery, plus a small collection of music by and for WoW fans.
Def Jam Rapstar dropping exclusive tracks on Europe
It's only fitting that Def Jam Rapstar will include exclusive tracks for Europe -- the birthplace of rap. Wait -- what? You heard that right, but before we explain, let's go over the exclusive tracks by region: UK -- Tinie Tempah's "Pass Out" and Dizzee Rascal's "Fix Up, Look Sharp" France -- NTM featuring Lord Ko's "Ma Benz" and Sefyu's "Molotov 4" Germany -- Sido's "Mein Block (Beathoavenz remix)" and Kool Savas's "Futurama" So, about that rap origin story: Modern rap actually originated during the mid-70s in a suburb of Munich, Germany known as Freising. The heavy beats and lyrical dexterity of the genre were perfected in a small parking lot near the Brennergasse by a group of former tuba players who'd practice weekly after hitting the Weihenstephaner a bit too hard. True story. We swear ... ... Fingers crossed.
We can't rap our minds around the latest 3D Dot Game Heroes trailer
Without the proper prior information, the 3D Dot Game Heroes trailer posted above would seem like a rare miss for Atlus' clever marketing machine. After all, it features a fairly horrific rap about some of the game's bonus modes, most of which have been shoehorned into an incredibly awkward rhyme scheme. However, once you realize the commercial is a parody of this 1986 Legend of Zelda ad, you realize -- well, it's still a trainwreck, but it's a parodical trainwreck. Better still, it's an appropriate parodical trainwreck, considering the rest of 3D Dot Game Heroes borrows inspiration from Nintendo's emerald-hatted adventurer. And by "borrows," of course, we mean "straight-up plunders."
'Those Minerals' laments Mass Effect 2 probing in a hip-hop fashion
We frequently tried to find ways to keep ourselves occupied during the days we spent probing planets for precious, precious minerals in Mass Effect 2, but largely came up empty-handed. You can only scan Uranus so many times before it loses its comedic value, you know? If only we'd followed the cue of YouTube rap sensation Kabuto the Python, who spent his mining moments crafting rhymes and beats, then combining the two into a single package which we feel comfortable calling a rap song. Check the NSFW track after the jump.
World of WarCrafts: A WoW-inspired grab bag of creativity
World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music and fan fiction. Show us how you express yourself; contact our tips line (attention: World of WarCrafts) with your not-for-profit, WoW-inspired creations. It's catch-up day at World of WarCrafts! We have all sorts of little goodies to pass along that have been piling up in the submissions box. So tuck in and get comfy with this snuggly little fellow from Serthida of US Bloodhoof, the crafter who brought us last year's plush moonkin. Don't worry, he won't drain your mana ... or your creativity. %Gallery-84780% More from the World of WarCrafts, after the break.
World of WarCrafts: Get Lich or Die Tryin' (NSFW)
WARNING: This video is Not Safe for Work (NSFW). The track features profanity-laced lyrics typical of the music's genre. If this offends you, don't watch this movie. World of WarCrafts spotlights art and creativity by WoW players, including fan art, cooking, comics, cosplay, music and fan fiction. Show us how you express yourself; contact our tips line (attention: World of WarCrafts) with your not-for-profit, WoW-inspired creations. digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/World_of_WarCraft_Get_Lich_or_Die_Tryin_NSFW'; Remember our quirky friend from Christmas 2008, the ever-memorable Jolly Ol' Saint Arthalas? Just in time for the push into Icecrown Citadel, he's back with the premiere of his pumping new music video, Get Lich or Die Tryin'. "This track is so ice cold, it's going to be measured in Kelvin," claims creator Adam C. Beamish (aka Althallen of US Executus). "The Lich King isn't alone, either. Flanked by the two baddest emcees in all of Northrend and backed by a room full of zombies, this is the Lich King like you've never seen him before." Feeling the beat? WoW.com is giving away two of the T-shirts worn by Arthas' emcees in the video. Check out our separate giveaway post for a chance to win a "Get Lich or Die Tryin'" or "Saurfang & Putricide ..." boss names T-shirt, and follow us past the break for a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this Arthravaganza.
'I'm on a Mac' parody video makes noise
It's just incredible how fast some things can transmit themselves around the ol' blogosphere -- when I first saw this silly parody song video over on Laughing Squid last night, I chuckled and figured I'd share it for you all on TUAW the next day. But of course since then it's been all over the place. For a silly parody of a song that was already a silly parody, it's really gotten around. Just in case you haven't seen it, it's now posted after the "read more" link below (put there because while there isn't actually any NSFW language in the video, there are a lot of bleeps and edits that come close). It's all done by the Pantsless Knights (who've created another Mac-related parody rap video before), and it's worth a watch. Personally, while I was a big fan of the original Lonely Island/SNL video and its skewering of hip hop posturing, I think the whole meme is more or less played out by this point. But these guys put a good Mac spin on it anyway. "A nano in pink." Ha.
WoW Moviewatch: Just HoT Me Now
Just HoT Me Now by Coma Niddy is an interesting take on rap in WoW parodies. Which, I guess, is another way of saying it doesn't have belfs in it. Well, it has blood elves doing stuff, but the main performer is an orc. I'm not sure if Coma is creating a genre of Orc Rap, but in the meantime, I definitely enjoyed his video. The song was written by Coma Niddy, and features a number of interesting rhyme choices. I think Coma did a great job of making all the pieces come together and maintaining a narrative flow through the entire song. The soundtrack needed to focus a little more on the voices, since I felt like the lyrics could be tough to pick out against the music. Still, that kind of thing can be chalked up to personal performance, as I know a lot of professional music has the same dynamic. The video, though, was spot on for this level of machinima. I don't often expect fancy graphics or complex storyboards from music-based videos. (Although, that certainly can be a plus.) I like seeing the musician play with the video action in tandem with his lyrics, which is something I think Coma Niddy did pretty well. Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an e-mail at machinima AT wow DOT com.
Swedish rapper Pato Pooh asks you to follow him into the old school
Adding himself to the short list of things we associate with Sweden other than Volvo, Ikea, and delicious meatballs, Stockholm's Pato Pooh recently released a music video for his song "Follow Me." It features a regular who's who of 8- and 16-bit era gaming in the process, referencing everything from Mega Man's opening to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He even kills off that snickering jerk dog from Duck Hunt we all love to hate. Who's laughing now, dog? Who's laughing now?![Thanks, SuerDOS!]
Stylophone Beatbox made interesting, desirable by superstar Brett Domino (video)
The $25.50 Stylophone Beatbox doesn't look like much, and if it weren't for one Brett Domino and his partner in hip-hop crime Steven Peavis, we just might have continued about our lives without knowing of this thing's potential. Described as the ultimate street cred token for the average white boy, this diminutive box reacts to panel presses by dishing out the hottest beats this side of Compton. The result? An eclectic mix of melodic rap tunes, all beautifully re-rendered by Leeds' most handsome, talented and skilled resident. Hit the video after the break if you know what's good for ya, and feel free to fast forward to 1:33 before having your mind blown. Thug lyfe, y'all. [Via Gizmodo]
Woop woop, that's the sound of the space police: Meet CCP's "Permaband"
Now normally when we talk about EVE Online, it's about a scandal, or some theft, or just the general talk on how to pilot your virtual spaceship better. This, however, is certainly not one of those EVE Online stories.So what is this story about? Well it's a story about what happens when you add rap to CCP. And what would happen if CCP made a rap video and got many members of their staff to star in it... because they did. The guy in the top? No, he's not some aspiring white rapper (although he might be after this) -- he's Sveinn Kjarval, EVE's lead game master. The girls on his left and right? That's EVE's marketing director on the left and the CEO's assistant on the right.Now before you go running off to find this golden video of awesome, we need to warn you, it's seriously not safe for work. (Except it's safe for CCP's work, because it's CCP's offices, so it's ok to watch this video if you work at CCP.) We'd love to embed it here for ya, but sadly, due to explicit lyrics (and a techno viking), we can't. But if you're ok with some NSFW content, then do we have the link for you.
