Tech
El-P releases Pokemon rap after hating on Pokemon Go
by Jeremy Mersereau
July 12, 2016
The Run The Jewels founder challenged Pokemon fans to remix his rap.
Nintendo’s mobile augmented-reality game Pokémon Go has been such a success, it’s added an estimated $7.5 billion to the company’s value… and, according to some, it’s already installed on a whopping 5% of all Android smartphones. Who could’ve predicted that catching cute monsters with exercise would out-perform casual sex?
Well… maybe not THAT much exercise.
Not everyone’s a fan, however, and with good reason: the app’s already led to dead bodies, armed robberies, and worst of all, free publicity for the Westboro Baptist Church. Among the app’s detractors is hip-hop lifer/producer/rapper and one-half of Run The Jewels, El-P.
El Producto (government name: Jaime Meline) took to Twitter last Friday to express his distaste for Nintendo’s hyper-popular product.
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Never the most levelheaded, laid-back fans at the best of times, Nintendo disciples immediately descended upon El-P to uphold the honour of their chosen obsession (even if unverifiable evidence does point to Pokémon Go not exactly raising the safety bar for America’s roads).
El-P was surprised by the amount of vitriol directed his way, which even managed to eclipse that of supporters of a certain improbably-coifed angry mammal. No, not Yungoos.
El-P then extended a challenge/olive branch to Pokémaniacs with some acapella bars for fans to remix:
…and fans didn’t disappoint. Listen to the bulk of the remixes here, and judge for yourself which deserves to be declared the very best.
El-P had some gracious final words about the whole thing:
Now is the time for healing between the backpack-rap and Nintendo communities. Maybe we’ll get a Meowth the Jewels out of this whole debacle.
Tags: Tech, News, El-P, nintendo, pokemon, pokemon go, Run the Jewels, video games
