[HOST] When it comes to first person shooter
games, Call of Duty is as big as it gets.
[HOST] In fact, as of early January 2019,
it clinched 10 years as the best selling franchise.
[HOST] And as we’ve found with other popular
video games like Grand Theft Auto, C-O-D has
found its way into rap lyrics.
[HOST] ‘Call of Duty’ first began in 2003
and has had more than a dozen installments
in nearly 20 years since it’s release.
It’s been everywhere from the European Theatre
of World War II to the jungles of Vietnam,
to even outer space.
[HOST] And a number of MCs have been a long
for the ride.
Q: I play one game over and over again, ‘Call
of Duty.’
Ice-t: I play lots of online games.
Mostly ‘Call of Duty’ I got a clan called
SMG - ‘Sex money and Guns’
Offset: wtf y’all niggas ain’t got nothing
to do at got ‘damn, 3:54 in the morning on live.
Cardi: it’s better than fucking playing
‘Call of Duty!’
Offset: there is nothing better than that.
You ain’t better than that
[HOST] One of the earliest lyrical mentions
of ‘Call of Duty’ came in 2008 from The
Game on DJ Khaled’s “Red Light” off
of ‘We Global.”
[HOST] As well as Ludacris’ “Press The
Start Button” that same year.
[HOST] Genius data shows that the series name
has hundreds of namedrops in a variety of
unique ways.
[HOST] From traditional gaming metaphors like
from the late Juice WRLD and Fabolous...
[HOST] ...to Jaden mentioning the C-O-D’s
ranking system and Pusha T using it to call
out the credibility of Drake on 2016s “HGTV.”
[HOST] Another popular entry Call of Duty:
Black Ops, which first debuted in 2010, has
dozens of references as well notably from,
Eminem, Tyler, the Creator and Logic.
[HOST] Em even debuted a song with the trailer
of Call of Duty: Ghosts.
[HOST] One interesting common reference is
the ray gun first introduced in 2008’s C-O-D,
“World At War” along with the first introduction
of it’s zombies mode.
[HOST] Modern Warfare, possibly the most popular
edition of the COD franchise had it’s latest
release scored by legendary producer Mike
Dean.
[HOST] However if you’re looking for one
rapper that lyrically loves ‘Call of Duty’
the most, look no further than Florida’s
Ski Mask the Slump God.
[HOST] In addition to ‘lil quickscope being
his Soundcloud nickname, he has a song named
after one of the C-O-D’s most iconic maps,
Nuketown.
[HOST] He also shouts out the game on a few
other tracks, notably “EverTookATab?”
and “Take A Step Back,” with a care package,
a killstreak reward, mention on the latter.
[HOST] What did we miss?
Let us know in the comments.
[HOST] I’m Jacques Morel with Genius News,
bringing you the meaning and the knowledge
behind the music. Peace!
