Def Jam Rapstar Updated Hands-On

Today we didn't even have to use our AK...we gotta say it was a good day.

Hip-hop fans finally have a game that's just for them: Konami is bringing Def Jam Rapstar to consoles later this year, a game that will look to do for rap fans what Rock Band and Guitar Hero have done for guitar slingers. We got our hands on the game earlier this year at Konami's spring press event, and today on the show floor of E3 2010 we wrapped our hands around the mic and had a go with Ice Cube's "It Was a Good Day."

While nobody would ever confuse our flow with that of Mr. Cube, you don't need to be master MC to have a good time with the game--that's what variable difficulty levels are for, after all. You can play by yourself or as part of a duet--for example, when singing Kanye West's "Goldigger," one person will be laying it down as Kanye, and the other player will be singing the parts performed by Jamie Foxx.

There are three main modes in Rapstar: Party, which is essentially a chance to pick up and rap straight away; Career, which follows your path through all of the songs in the game and even serves as a tutorial of sorts, teaching you the finer points of rapping and singing; and Freestyle mode, where budding hip-hop stars can put their own lyrics over a number of preproduced beats and tracks. You'll also be able to tie specific samples to the face buttons of your controller, which you can cue during your songs.

If you've got a camera hooked up to your gaming console, you'll be able to record a video of yourself rapping to your favorite songs. With the easy-to-use interface, you'll be able to add rudimentary graphics to your video performance, as well as special video effect filters, audio filters, and more. After that, you can upload your video to the Def Jam Rapstar Web site, where community members will be able to rate videos, share comments, and issue challenges to one another. Everyone will have a respect rating that will be based on the number of rap battles they've won or lost, as well as the number of challenges they've ignored. Certain performances will then be featured in the game (though they'll be moderated for content before being featured).

Even if you don't have a huge interest in hip-hop, there will probably be a song or two you know on the game's soundtrack, and you can expect plenty of DLC to follow after the game is released later this year.

21 Comments

  • kwanzudood

    Posted Oct 5, 2010 10:56 am GMT

    I'm glad to see Wu-Tang in this, but where's Nas?

  • XAVIER_17

    Posted Sep 12, 2010 2:53 pm GMT

    I would've got it if it allowed us to use the dj turntable and guitar hero drums. That would've been awesome, but oh well I'll wait and see if they announce that in the near future instead.

  • DredWulf

    Posted Aug 5, 2010 9:32 pm GMT

    lol Def Jam was better when it allowed you to beat the living crap out of each other..nothing says awesome like David Banner throwing Snoop out a window.

  • whfreddy

    Posted Jul 24, 2010 11:03 am GMT

    Ha! Well heck, if Busta's in it, I'm all over it.

  • UK5T0N3

    Posted Jul 18, 2010 2:58 pm GMT

    Singstar.

  • Krinnium

    Posted Jul 8, 2010 4:46 pm GMT

    i sense this wont sell cause it'll be too embarrassing to even buy -.-

  • freaknizzle

    Posted Jul 6, 2010 5:00 pm GMT

    (Continued) Hood Mentality-Ice Cube
    Lose Yourself-Eminem
    Beautiful-Eminem
    Till I Collapse-Eminem Ft. Nate Dogg.
    that is all

  • freaknizzle

    Posted Jul 6, 2010 4:57 pm GMT

    Songs I hope are in this:
    Sing for the moment-Eminem
    Drop the world-Lil' Wayne ft. Eminem
    Almost Famous-Eminem
    I'm So Hood-DJ Khaled
    All I Do Is Win-DJ Khaled
    Fat Lip-Sum 41

  • akeelyoutube

    Posted Jun 29, 2010 9:02 am GMT

    @ya5ee007 of course its not going to be the same. Did you even read the preview? Its a dumb karaoke game.

  • ya5ee007

    Posted Jun 28, 2010 3:54 pm GMT

    I hope it's not the same as Def Jam ICON :S

  • ali-ali-1411

    Posted Jun 22, 2010 4:21 pm GMT

    FINALLY

  • NColdhardt

    Posted Jun 20, 2010 2:18 pm GMT

    This ISN'T the Def Jam I know... is it? O.O
    If so, something went horribly, horribly wrong.

  • ultima_weapon21

    Posted Jun 20, 2010 6:20 am GMT

    its ABOUT FNG time

  • violenus

    Posted Jun 19, 2010 2:44 pm GMT

    ....no helicopter looking fot the murderer...well lets see how good d day will be for the oublisher when its released. looking forward to it tho

  • gates06

    Posted Jun 19, 2010 11:08 am GMT

    About time they make a game like this! They should've had it where you can use the turntable as well then you can play Run DMC songs just like them! But anyways Im getting it!

  • drgribb

    Posted Jun 19, 2010 2:09 am GMT

    So it's a karaoke game... but with rapping... um pass

  • SoF-Rambo

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 4:27 pm GMT

    I wonder if this is gonna have Cop Killer?

  • SethandJeremy

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 4:13 pm GMT

    Finally a game that I can lay down my killer rhymes.

  • ignamatador

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 3:28 pm GMT

    lol, i like Ice Cube, really wanna see some gameplay of this

  • dipdish

    Posted Jun 18, 2010 5:26 am GMT

    Ice Cube is my man. =)