"I'm down with the Horde cause I can't stand Alliance." So begins MC KOOB's "For the Horde", a hip-hop homage to the always fascinating World of Warcraft. With references to everything from /spit to corpse camping, the song is a pop-cultural treasure trove.
"For the Horde" resembles gangsta rap in more than than just style. They both share an esoteric and selective language, proficiency in which is as much a badge of inclusion as it is a sign of the culture. Secondly, he raps of skill in battle, death through violence, and a code of honor, much as any gangsta rapper appropriates the same language to evoke life in the inner-city. Third, he talks a great deal of trash on his opposing gang: "But when they hear this they will run for the trees cause the Alliance will never have no rhymes like these."
Of course he's appropriating both the style and culture of gangsta rap; however, the pairing is surprisingly effective. Instead of resembling a caricature of the form, the song retains a certain credibility despite its overwhelming nerd factor. We commend you MC KOOB. It proves you don't needfancy professional rappers andfree MP3s to listen to great game-related hip-hop.
Everyone now: "For the Horde, I fight to the death. I kill all Alliance 'til there ain't nuthin' left. You know I live by my honor but die by the sword and that's why I do it for the Horde."
[Via AFK Gamer]
