TEKKEN 8 (The Anthem) – a cultural moment routed in UK rap

Background

Fighting games have been referenced in UK rap lyrics since the explosion of grime and D Double E is renowned as the original MC to have championed UK rap and fighting games together, releasing ‘Street Fighter Riddim’. This was a pivotal moment in UK culture when grime brought video games into vogue and the intersection between communities continues to have a storied relationship.

The project

Bastion and Bandai Namco worked with D Double E and Fumez The Engineer to create a brand new single dedicated to TEKKEN, which was performed live at the launch event and later released on streaming services.

execution

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Results

Not just a flash-in-the-pan activation, but a cultural moment that lives on as a piece of art.

‍

330,000+

Plays on Spotify

Official music video
currently has over

145000

Views on YouTube

Following the song’s launch, BBC and Hypebeast published exclusive interviews, with the former on its website, socials and various radio channels via Newsbeat including Radio 1, 1Xtra, and Asian Network. Leading music publication NME and respected UK rap outlets Complex UK and Trench also covered the story.

BBC Radio 1Xtra tastemakers DJ Target and Sir Spyro supported with multiple radio plays, whilst Spotify editorial playlists like New Music Friday UK and Who We Be listed the track. The activation was also applauded by content creators who created reaction videos. Online gaming community Black Girl Gamers also credited the project for celebrating Black culture.

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