Bringing hip hop and rap to TS4

"catloverplayer;c-16482948" wrote:


We already have Dj's in Get Together. Do you mean Updating them? I doubt they'd add them in another pack.

Nah.

It's true that we have DJs already. However, DJing is something totally different from what I'm discussing. A rapper isn't a DJ, they're the performer out front. The DJ provides the music and sets the tone. The rapper adds the words and context. If you put a great DJ and a gifted rapper together, they create magic. ;)

What I envision is a career similar to the ones that came with City Living. Young artists start off going to the studio each work day. Or, if they decide to stay home, they spend their time writing lyrics (writing skill) and practicing in front of the mirror (charisma skill). When they're good enough, they start participating in rap battles against other Sims and moving up the ranks. (I would love it if Sims could also challenge each other, on the fly.) If they win, they earn street cred and, possibly, some prize money. They also start to gain fans (similar to a blogger).

Artists would also need to practice the dancing and fitness skills because both are crucial to a successful performance. Eventually, they'll begin performing professionally, making albums, music videos, and performing live for sold out stadium crowds.

The career reward could be a home studio type of object. Or, it could be product endorsements in which the Sims gets to appear in television commercials that actually play on televisions in-game. They could also appear on billboards in San Myshuno. (Move over Penny Pizzazz.) After a while, NPC Sims will start to recognize the player Sims everywhere that they go, even on vacation. If we ever get resorts again, a top-level resort could also be for the celebrity Sims. That would be a place that they could go to get away from it all. Fans wouldn't be allowed to bother them there.

Rewards like endorsements, print ads, and access to private, five-star resorts would be much more meaningful than, say, a wall plaque with gold-plated utensils, or a TRS-80 lookalike computer. (Just sayin'.)

Basically, it would be a type of Superstar/Showtime career. Only, it would have a different, more contemporary twist. We've already had bands, acrobats, and magicians. A rap star would be something new. The best part is that some of the mechanics can be reused for other careers such as singers. ::cough:: R&B ::cough::


@12JEREMIA I figured that you might find this thread eventually. ;) I've been quietly cheering you on in your steadfast campaign to have the rap, hip hop and R&B genres brought back to the series. Keep fighting the good fight. We've waited for so long, if those genres finally make it back, I hope that they would be part of something more substantial than radio stations. I'd want them to be something HUGE! Imagine a rap star Sim hearing their music on the radio. A "That's me on the radio!" interaction would be everything. <3

Edited to add: I was just thinking that, since there's already a disguise mechanic in the game for vampires and aliens, it would be incredible to have superstar Sims don a disguise whenever they go out in public and don't feel like being bothered. Cue the dark glasses and big, floppy hats.