- "The World Is Your Stage"
- —Game's Tagline
Def Jam Rapstar is a rapping game developed by 4mm Games. The game was released on October 5, 2010 in the United States of America (U.S.), and released on November 26, 2010 in Europe. An official launch event was held at New York's Hudson hotel on October 6, 2010 to celebrate the game's U.S. release. As of October 5, 2011, the community site has been shut down with no official word on when or if it will be reopened, causing major features of the game to be inaccessible.
Gameplay[]
Rapstar is essentially a rap themed karaoke game. The game uses radio versions of all its tracks to secure a T rating by the ESRB. Players are not penalized for cursing, but it is not a required part of the game.
There are two modes, either Career or Party modes. The Career mode is in five stages. Each stage has eight tracks for the player to master, including a New Song Challenge which is unlocked as the player progresses through the stage. The Party mode allows players to simply pick an individual song and perform it.
The Xbox 360 version is compatible with the Kinect sensor if you live in North America, specifically with the sensor being used as an alternative to the Xbox Live Vision camera.
The PS3 version is compatible with the PlayStation Eye Camera.
Development[]
Executive Vice President Paul Coyne of 4mm Games, said, "Internally, we used Get On Da Mic as the architectural model of how not to do" Def Jam Rapstar.
This game is available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii with the possibility of more features and sound tracks.
Soundtrack[]
Career Mode[]
The following videos are included with the game. (Note, "Brass Monkey" is audio only.) All tracks are also playable in Party Mode.
Stage | Song title | Artist | PS3/360 | Wii |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Push It" | Salt-N-Pepa | Y | Y |
1 | "Run's House" | Run-D.M.C. | Y | Y |
1 | "Turn My Swag On" | Soulja Boy Tell 'Em | Y | Y |
1 | "We Fly High" | Jim Jones | Y | Y |
2 | "Best I Ever Had" | Drake | Y | Y |
2 | "Get Low" | Lil' Jon & the East Side Boyz | Y | Y |
2 | "Gin & Juice" | Snoop Dogg | Y | Y |
2 | "Hate Me Now" | Nas | Y | Y |
2 | "Just A Friend" | Biz Markie | Y | Y |
2 | "Stand Up" | Ludacris | Y | Y |
3 | "A Milli" | Lil Wayne | Y | Y |
3 | "Brass Monkey" | Beastie Boys | Y | Y |
3 | "Gold Digger" | Kanye West | Y | Y |
3 | "Juicy" | The Notorious B.I.G. | Y | Y |
3 | "Live Your Life" | T.I. | Y | Y |
3 | "Mama Said Knock You Out" | LL Cool J | Y | Y |
3 | "Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang" | Dr. Dre ft. Snoop Doggy Dogg | Y | Y |
4 | "I Get Around" | 2Pac | Y | Y |
4 | "I Get Money" | 50 Cent | Y | Y |
4 | "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" | Method Man | Y | Y |
4 | "It's All About the Benjamins" | Diddy | Y | Y |
5 | "C.R.E.A.M." | Wu Tang Clan | Y | Y |
5 | "Hot in Herre" | Nelly | Y | Y |
5 | "Scenario" | A Tribe Called Quest | Y | Y |
5 | "So Fresh, So Clean" | Outkast | Y | Y |
US Edition[]
The US Edition also features the following tracks, in Career Mode (which can also be played in Party Mode.) See below, for the regional variations on the game.
Stage | Song title | Artist | PS3/360 | Wii |
---|---|---|---|---|
US | "Can't Truss It" | Public Enemy | Y | Y |
US | "Children's Story" | Slick Rick | Y | Y |
US | "Crush on You" | Lil' Kim | Y | Y |
US | "Da Rockwilder" | Method Man & Redman | Y | Y |
US | "It Was a Good Day" | Ice Cube | Y | Y |
US | "It's Goin' Down" | Yung Joc | Y | Y |
US | "Put On" | Young Jeezy | Y | Y |
US | "Slow Jamz" | Twista | Y | Y |
US | "Still Not a Player" | Big Punisher | Y | Y |
US | "We Takin' Over" | DJ Khaled | Y | Y |
Party Mode[]
There are five videos exclusive to the Party Mode on PS3 and Xbox 360. Note, these videos are not included on the Wii version.
Stage | Song title | Artist | PS3/360 | Wii |
---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | "Always On Time" | Ja Rule | Y | N/A |
N/A | "Ruff Ryders Anthem" | DMX | Y | N/A |
N/A | "Slam" | ONYX | Y | N/A |
N/A | "Stronger" | Kanye West | Y | N/A |
N/A | "They Reminisce Over You" | Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth | Y | N/A |
New Song Challenges[]
The following tracks are unlocked at the end of each stage in Career Mode.
Stage | Song title | Artist | PS3/360 | Wii |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Fight the Power" | Public Enemy | Y | Y |
2 | "Big Poppa" | The Notorious B.I.G. | Y | Y |
3 | "Lean Back" | Terror Squad | Y | Y |
4 | "It Takes Two" | Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock | Y | Y |
5 | "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See" | Busta Rhymes | Y | Y |
UK Edition[]
The UK version of the game replaces the videos Can't Truss It, Children's Story, Crush on You, Da Rockwilder, It Was A Good Day, It's Goin' Down, Put On, Slow Jamz, Still Not A Player & We Takin' Over with UK exclusive videos by UK grime artists.
Stage | Song title | Artist |
---|---|---|
1 | "Fix Up, Look Sharp" | Dizzee Rascal |
1 | "Giant" | Devlin |
1 | "Number 1" | Tinchy Stryder |
2 | "I Need You" | N-Dubz |
4 | "Black Boys" | Bashy |
4 | "Pass Out" | Tinie Tempah |
4 | "Witness (1 Hope)" | Roots Manuva |
5 | "21 Seconds" | So Solid Crew |
5 | "50/50" | Wiley |
5 | "Chip Diddy Chip" | Chipmunk |
There are also regional variations of the tracklist in France and Germany.
The German version replaces some tracks with:
- Absolute Beginner - "Hammerhart"
- Azad - "Prison Break Anthem"
- Curse - "Und Was Ist Jetzt"
- Das Bo - "Türlich Türlich"
- Deichkind - "Bon Voyage"
- Kool Savas - "Futurama"
- Peter Fox - "Schwarz Zu Blau"
The French edition contains:
- Disiz la Peste - "Jpete Les Plombs"
- Kery James - "Banlieusards"
- Ness Beal - "Rap de Tess"
- NTM featuring Lord Ko - "Ma Benz"
- Oxmo Puccino - "Mama Love"
- Psy 4 De La Rime - "Le Monde Est Stone"
- Sefyu - "Molotov 4"
Downloadable Content[]
The following tracks could be downloaded for the game at one time, but have since been removed due to a legal dispute with music publisher, EMI. Content could never be downloaded for the Wii version of the game.
Song title | Artist | Date Added |
---|---|---|
"Over" | Drake | 11/02/2010 |
"Right Round" | Flo Rida | 11/02/2010 |
"Get Me Home" | Foxy Brown | 11/02/2010 |
"Hustlin'" | Rick Ross | 11/02/2010 |
"Playmaker (Freestyle)" | Nitti Beatz | 10/26/2010 |
"Stadium Status (Freestyle)" | Danja | 11/02/2010 |
"The 15th (Freestyle)" | DJ Khalil | 11/02/2010 |
"Wyld Money (Freestyle)" | Danja | 10/26/2010 |
"Mind Playing Tricks on Me" | Geto Boys | 10/26/2010 |
"My Humps" | The Black Eyed Peas | 10/26/2010 |
"Ridin'" | Chamillionaire | 10/05/2010 |
"Grindin" | Clipse | 10/05/2010 |
"Bad Boy for Life" | Diddy | 10/05/2010 |
"I'm So Hood (Remix)" | DJ Khaled | 10/05/2010 |
"All I Do Is Win" | DJ Khaled | 12/14/2010 |
"Party Up" | DMX | 10/05/2010 |
"Ice Cream Paint Job" | Dorrough | 10/12/2010 |
"Paid in Full" | Eric B. & Rakim | 10/05/2010 |
"Make Me Better" | Fabolous | 10/12/2010 |
"Low" | Flo Rida | 10/05/2010 |
"Wasted" | Gucci Mane | 10/26/2010 |
"Got Money" | Lil' Wayne | 10/12/2010 |
"Around The Way Girl" | LL Cool J | 10/26/2010 |
"I Got 5 On It" | Luniz | 10/05/2010 |
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" | Kanye West | 10/26/2010 |
"Lavish (Freestyle)" | Cool & Dre | 10/26/2010 |
"Tango Cash (Freestyle)" | Bangladesh | 10/26/2010 |
"All the Above" | Maino | 10/05/2010 |
"This Is Why I'm Hot" | MIMS | 10/05/2010 |
"You're a Jerk" | New Boyz | 10/05/2010 |
"Throw Some D's" | Rich Boy | 10/12/2010 |
"Dey Know" | Shawty Lo | 10/12/2010 |
"Crank That" | Soulja Boy Tell 'Em | 10/26/2010 |
"Say Something" | Timbaland | 10/26/2010 |
"Passin' Me By" | The Pharcyde | 10/05/2010 |
"Rapper's Delight" | The Sugarhill Gang | 10/05/2010 |
"Regulate" | Warren G | 10/26/2010 |
"Shoulder Lean" | Young Dro | 10/12/2010 |
"The Choice is Yours" | Black Sheep | 11/16/2010 |
"Who's That Girl?" | Eve | 11/16/2010 |
"Cape Kingz Anthem (Freestyle)" | Just Blaze | 11/16/2010 |
"Cherchez LaGhost" | Ghostface Killah (feat. U-God) | 11/09/2010 |
"Jesus Walks" | Kanye West | 11/16/2010 |
"How High (remix)" | Method Man & Redman | 11/09/2010 |
"Ice Cream" | Raekwon (feat. Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Cappadonna) | 11/09/2010 |
"Protect Ya Neck" | Wu Tang Clan | 11/09/2010 |
"Every Girl" | Young Money | 11/16/2010 |
"We Run This (Freestyle)" | The Runners | 12/14/2010 |
"IWW (Freestyle)" | 9th Wonder | 11/09/2010 |
"Robbin Cru (Freestyle)" | Nitti Beatz | 11/16/2010 |
"Dots (Freestyle)" | DJ Premier | 11/09/2010 |
"Go Hard" | DJ Khaled | 12/14/2010 |
"Pass the Courvoisier, Part II" | Busta Rhymes | 01/11/2011 |
"Get Ur Freak On" | Missy Elliott | 01/11/2011 |
"Money To Blow" | Birdman | 01/11/2011 |
"Laffy Taffy" | D4L | 01/11/2011 |
"Luv U Better" | LL Cool J | 01/18/2011 |
"Beamer, Benz or Bentley" | Lloyd Banks | 01/18/2011 |
"Papa Can U Hear Me?" | N-Dubz | 01/18/2011 |
"Shawty" | Plies | 01/18/2011 |
"Shut This Down (Freestyle)" | Ill Blu | 01/27/2011 |
"The Humpty Dance" | Digital Underground | 02/08/2011 |
"Swag Surfin'" | F.L.Y. | 02/08/2011 |
"Like A G6" | Far East Movement | 02/08/2011 |
"Whatever You Like" | T.I. | 02/08/2011 |
"The Light" | Common | 02/15/2011 |
"Ms. Fat Booty" | Mos Def | 02/15/2011 |
"Get By" | Talib Kweli | 02/15/2011 |
"Bad Mood" | Track Dilla | 02/15/2011 |
"Understanding" | Crada | 02/15/2011 |
"Limit" | Deichkind | 02/15/2011 |
"Pression" | Koudjo | 02/15/2011 |
"Fire" | Shuko | 02/15/2011 |
Reception[]
The game was met with positive to average to mixed reviews. GameRankings and Metacritic gave it a score of 76.19% and 75 out of 100 for the PlayStation 3 version; 75.80% and 74 out of 100 for the Xbox 360 version; and 70% and 65 out of 100 for the Wii version.
The Guardian gave the X360 version four stars out of five and called it "an absolute must. If you've found yourself mouthing the words to A Milli on the tube, there's a huge amount of fun to be had here. And while it doesn't have the universal appeal of its more mainstream counterparts, the potential of its online feature means it could well become a huge sleeper success."
Trivia[]
- This game along with Def Jam Fight For NY: The Takeover are the only games in the franchise that were not released in Japan.