Rapper Dr. Dre Signs Deal With Zynga

Logan Westbrook

Transform, Roll Out, Etc
Feb 21, 2008
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Rapper Dr. Dre Signs Deal With Zynga

Mafia Wars players can look forward to Dr. Dre's dulcet tones following them around as they beat up drug runners and rob warehouses.

Seminal rapper Dr. Dre has signed a deal with FarmVille creator Zynga to promote his latest album, Detox, within the developer's crime-based Facebook game, Mafia Wars.

The video from Dre's latest single, Kush, began streaming within the game on Friday, accompanied by limited edition in-game content, like a "vintage ride" and new weapons. What's more, by mastering Dre's items, players can earn the chance to win a signed copy of the Detox album, as well as official Dr. Dre headphones.

Interscope-Geffen's Jimmy Iovine said that the label was always looking for new ways to get music in front of people, and for an artist with Dre's cultural significance, it was important to do something new and exciting, that no one had done before. Zynga founder Mark Pincus described Dre as a "cultural icon" and thought that players would love discovering his music via Mafia Wars.

This won't be the first time that Zynga has signed a deal with a high-profile hip hop artist to promote Mafia Wars. Earlier in the year [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/102968-Zyngas-Armored-Car-Explosion-Rivals-TV-Viewership-Numbers], Snoop Dogg and Zynga got together to blow up an armored car in the desert to promote Mafia Wars Las Vegas. Zynga broadcast the event online, and got viewing figures that rivaled primetime television.

Source: Industry Gamers [http://www.industrygamers.com/news/zynga-signs-music-partnership-with-dr-dre/]




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Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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Oh, Dre.

You were the bussing man to beat when it came to hip-hop in the 90s. What has happened? You gotta partner with Facebook games to get the word out?

I'm probably one of the few people on the Escapist to agree with the "cultural icon" statement.
 

mad825

New member
Mar 28, 2010
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..what's with "rappers" and computer software? when was the last time I could buy an Nvidia/ATI GPU or an Intel CPU with some hip hop super-star behind the promotional packaging >.>
 

TylerC

New member
Nov 12, 2008
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This has to be one of the dumbest things I've ever seen someone do to their hip-hop/rap career.
 

gibboss28

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Feb 2, 2008
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Onyx Oblivion said:
Oh, Dre.

You were the bussing man to beat when it came to hip-hop in the 90s. What has happened? You gotta partner with Facebook games to get the word out?

I'm probably one of the few people on the Escapist to agree with the "cultural icon" statement.

Agreed with everything you said including the cultural icon bit