Jay-Z Dishes On 'DJ Hero,' His Gaming Skills, And His Prediction For The World Series
Jay-Z sure can call 'em.
The New York native, speaking from a suite-cum-press gathering at New York's Plaza Hotel, revealed that he had correctly predicted a New York Yankees defeat of the L.A. Angels in six games ("I'm Jigga The Greek!"). So how about the World Series? "The Phillies are a bit tougher, so I'm going to say Yankees in seven, finishing with a dramatic, A-Rod walkoff home run."
The success of his beloved Yankees may have been one reason why the rapper was in such good spirits on the eve of the release of DJ Hero: Renegade Edition (out today). During a short roundtable with press, the Yankees hat-clad Jay-Z shared his thoughts on the current state of whatever the music "industry" is these days ("It's cowboys and Indians right now..."), revealed his favorite DJs (Cassidy and Mark Ronson, among others), and recalled the video game favorites of his youth ("Space Invaders or Kaboom or Ms. Pac-Man or Stargate. Asteroids, too...").
So how good with a controller is this newcomer to the video game biz? Is Jay-Z the best gamer he knows?
"I used to be. My nephews ain't beat me their entire lives—until now. I would never let them win because that meant they controlled the household, so I would just beat them mercilessly. Let them build a little character. Suck it up, kid!
But I used to be really good. I was the guy in the neighborhood that other people would say, 'You gotta come and see this guy.' I was that good. But not anymore... I'm finished now."
As far as his skills on DJ Hero, Jay-Z said he's still on the beginner's level. "But I can take you!" he jokingly warned a journalist.
The opportunity to master a new game isn't the only incentive for fans to buy: Those who purchase the Renegade Edition will receive some exclusive music, specifically a two-CD set featuring some greatest hits as well as new, unreleased material from both Jay-Z and Eminem.
Given his love for video games, it's no surprise that Jay-Z sees DJ Hero as not only a natural extension of the Guitar Hero brand, but as the most viable tool to broaden the palates of music lovers and gamers. (Is there even a difference anymore?)
"I only believe in good music and bad music. I see DJ Hero as a vehicle to introduce hip-hop to so many different genres of music. Guitar Hero is great, but it's rock—it's one kind of music. DJ Hero has a mix of all kinds of music, and I think that's how people listen to music these days.
For me, that was the overarching thing. To me, DJ Hero is more than just a game."
