Rap
Latest
U rappin' good? Go to Penny Arcade Expo for free
U Gotta Believe!Sony is hosting a new contest, encouraging wannabe rappers to perform their best PaRappa rap. It just takes some ambition, a camera, and some YouTube know-how to enter. Choose one of three songs provided on Sony's official contest page, and swallow your pride.There are some awesome prizes: PaRappa PSP skins, PaRappa PSP charms, PaRappa's signature beanie and a copy of the game. The first 100 entrants will get the awesome PaRappa tee. Finally, one winner will get to go to Penny Arcade Expo with a friend ... absolutely free. If you're thinking of entering, definitely show us. We'd love to see your moves!
Mii Spotlight: All Eyez on Mii edition
Now that we've introduced our Mii Spotlight feature and its star-studded cast, we're just about ready to get this party started -- this gangsta party that is. Before we start gettin' low and backing our things up though, don't forget that we're still on the lookout for new and exciting Miis! If you have any that you'd like to share, especially if they're music-themed like this week's collection is going to be, take a few pics and send them to mii at nintendowiifanboy dot com.So what's the rapper to non-rapper ratio in your Mii Plaza? On my console, it's an easy 3:1. I created most of the hip-hop cartoon figures out of boredom, but there's a number that were produced for the specific purpose of motivating other Miis to throw their hands in the air, waving them as if they didn't have a care in the world. Jump past the post break for some of my favorite rapping Miis and submissions from our own talented readers!
PaRappa heads to US for PSP remake
Ready to rap? Good. PaRappa the Rapper is heading to American PSP systems this July, ten years after the release of the original. This remake features all the characters, levels and songs from the original and adds a slew of new wireless options. According to the press release, players can "go head-to-head in ad-hoc battles; wirelessly share a demo level through Game Share; and use the PSP Infrastructure Mode to download eight additional playable remixes for players to rap along to.""Bringing PaRappa The Rapper to PSP allows true PlayStation fans to re-connect with this timeless classic," said John Koller, Senior Marketing Manager, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "This also introduces the beloved PaRappa and his cast of colorful friends to a new generation of fans and potential hip-hop stars on the move."For those unaware, PaRappa is considered a pioneer in music games, launching the genre to the mainstream. With Gitaroo-Man Lives!, DJ Max Portable, beaterator, and PaRappa all available on one console, PSP is quickly becoming the gaming machine for music lovers.
Live action Chicken's Rap from PaRappa
Japan was treated to a special PSP version of the classic PS1 music game, PaRappa the Rapper a while back. Anreas Wieslander and his gang have performed a live action version of the "Chicken's Rap." Once you watch it, you'll also want to crack, crack, crack the egg into a bowl.The rapping grooves of these white kids have got me in the mood for some Pa-Rapping. Unfortunately, SCEA has not announced an American release for the game. Until then, interested importers can check out Play-Asia.
Rap song samples extensively from C64 demo
If you're into the ultra-niche classic console demoscene, last June's release of the Nelly Furtado single "Do It" may have sounded awfully familiar to you. Apparently, the single samples heavily from a 2000 piece originally composed for the Commodore 64 as part of the Old Skool Music Competition. What's more, a 2005 ringtone from Furtado mega-producer Timbaland uses the same sample. The similarities between Tempest's "Acid Jazzed Evening" (later remixed by demoscener GRG) and the Furtado track are apparent and extensive -- from the bass line to the melody, the songs are nearly identical, except for Furtado's addition of lyrics. Still, it's a tough call as to whether or not the sampling constitutes illegal copyright infringement -- the case law involved is long and somewhat contradictory. The legal point may be moot though -- according to some hearsay from a self-described friend on the SomethingAwful forums, original artist Tempest doesn't want to go through the "time-consuming and horrible" process of a legal suit. Still, the fact that a major record producer is taking direct inspiration from a years-old chiptune composition speaks to both the creativity of the demoscene and the dearth of originality in modern pop music.
Watch PaRappa rap right on your PSP [m]
Ruliweb got the sweet hookup with some exclusive footage of the PSP version of PaRappa the Rapper. For some mysterious reason, Sony decided to release this on UMD instead of making it downloadable, but hey-- I don't have a PS3, so it works out for me. You can visit Ruliweb to download the clips to your computer, or you can make with the wi-fi and head over to m.pspfanboy.com to download PSP-formatted clips directly to your machine now.
PaRappa to feature downloadable music, but no new levels
PaRappa is one of those games PSP owners would love if the developers put just a little bit more effort into it. Many have questioned Sony's decision to simply make an updated port and put it on UMD, when a game like PaRappa would be an ideal candidate for PSone emulation. Siliconera reports that the game will offer something new for PSP owners: the ability to download new songs through Infrastructure mode. Strangely, the new songs will not affect the gameplay in any way: the levels and corresponding button presses will not change when you download these songs. Gyuh? Sounds strange. Hopefully, Sony's been hiding something from us. The game hits Japan on December 7th.
mc chris breaks out the Kingdom Farts
Nerdcore rapper and Adult Swim vet mc chris's latest album dungeon master of ceremonies "might be the most cram-packed with game references to date," according to Joystiquer Scott Jon Siegel. In addition to nerd-tacular titles like "F.T.W.," "Wiid" (note: lyrics have nothing to do with Nintendo), and the album name itself, mc chris continues to push his geek status.One particular song, "Kingdom Farts," centers around gamers and gaming culture. Here are a few snippets: "I like hack-n-slash, FPS, my favorite's third-person..." "I would never buy a gun, I would never take a life, but I'll snipe you in the eye if I see that you're online." "On my Wii, on my 3, on my three six..." You can preview his album on iTunes and check out tour dates on his MySpace page. Known for his roles as MC Pee Pants on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Hesh on Sealab 2021, mc chris (real name: Chris Ward IV) earned some street cred for his song "fette's vette." According to his Wikipedia profile, mc chris allegedly improvised a rap about Katamari Damacy to the game's theme song.See Also: MC Frontalot busts rhymes, nerdcore style, at PAX [Thanks, Scott]
We couldn't resist
Though people like J. Allard and Peter Moore manage to attain a psuedo-celebrity status, Nintendo's executive figures seem to have a following second to none. Shiggy, Iwata, and "The Regginator" are bonafide stars in the gaming industry. Luckily for us, they decided to cash in and take it to the next level. Bling bling.
1337 nerd rappers wax gaming, b-boy style
There's something simultaneously charming and repulsive about this rap video by Canadian comedy-guys Loading.Ready.Run., performing under the nom de guerre of 64K. Power Gloves, Nintendo belts, sideways caps, and an uncanny ability to remain rhythmless throughout the entire song compel me to close my browser and forget I ever watched the thing ... but then, then I remember all the great gamer in-jokes and maybe it's all right after all."The master of unlocking"? Exactly! 1337 has all the subtlety and clumsiness of that classic Resident Evil line, put to music then captured on video with a fish-eye lens. Oh no, I'm torn again. For the morbidly curious, the whole thing is embedded after the break.
The Robotic Action Painter
As much as we enjoy a bit of the artsy fartsy now and then, we are much more the connoisseur of labor saving devices. Thats why the Robotic Action Painter (his friends call him RAP) scores major points with us. Not only is he doing the whole pen-on-paper, expressing-his-feelings type of stuff, but he does it completely without human intervention, based on his own "sense of rightness." There is an element of randomness in his AI, but the robot watches its own work and looks for patterns of colors in order to decide once his masterpiece is finished. Then he signs his initials and dons his beret for an afternoon in the cafe. He's quite the abstract artist, and is strangely silent on the meanings of his work, but we're sure it all comes from a troubled childhood and an overbearing motherboard.[Via WMMNA]
