One of the biggest media franchises active today, Call of Duty is adding to their already massive profile by enlisting Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj and 21 Savage as “operators” for their latest installment, Modern Warfare 2.
Rappers Hit MW2 August 2nd
Starting on August 2nd, the three rappers will be selectable in either multiplayer or Warzone. Along with the new playable characters, Call of Duty will be introducing “Battle Tracks.” A rap playlist representing hip-hop through the years, these songs can be played while piloting a vehicle in the game. These two new features are a part of the game’s efforts to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop. [An occassion that we’ve discussed many times this year, and has been recognized with tons of events in 2023.]
Though some already appeared in a series of commercials for MW2, the rappers inclusion here is still a surprise. Call of Duty’s parent company, Activison, hasn’t incorporated big names in such an involved way before, preferring to rely on association through typical advertising means.
Another Installment in the Rapper/Video Game Relationship
Snoop and 21 aren’t strangers to the world of video games already. Both rappers have appeared on streaming website Twitch on multiple occasions. Snoop running his own channel, and 21 appearing with the likes of Kai Cenat on the platform. Even further, for the West Coast legend, this isn’t even the first time his likeness has appeared in a game. Most notably, he was the main antagonist in the cult classic 2004 Def Jam: Fight For NY, appearing alongside many of the most notable rappers of the mid 2000s.
There’s a longer history of musicians hitting consoles than we could ever include here. But this MW2 announcement is arguably a response to Fortnite’s string of celebrity cameos. First, of course, was Travis Scott, who hit the game’s servers at the height of the pandemic for most successful virtual concert of that era. Since then, Marshmello, J. Balvin and Ariana Grande were inducted into their official canon, alongside A-listers like Will Smith and LeBron James.
Either way, this new batch of operators is sure to add some excitement and flair into the game. The update is available now.
