The Pokémon Go mobile game has caused such a frenzy, it’s already been associated with robberies, a boyfriend who got caught cheating, a teen finding a dead body, and two men falling off a cliff. But on the positive side, it has added $7.5 billion dollars to Nintendo’s market value through app purchases and has even driven sales to small businesses.
In less than a week, this augmented reality game was installed more than Tinder, had double the amount of engagement than Snapchat and surpassed Twitter in the percentage of daily active users. To say that everyone and anyone plays this game is an understatement so we connected online with a few rappers and DJs to see how much they contribute to this craze.
Sir Michael Rocks of The Cool Kids
How long have you been playing Pokémon Go?
About four days.
Who convinced you to play?
I’ve been hearing about it for a while now on the gamer circuit, so when it finally came out I had to grab it.
Where was the most interesting, weird or surprising place that you’ve found a Pokémon and which was it?
I haven’t caught any Pokémon in an interesting place yet. I plan on visiting Vegas this weekend for EVO—[it’s a] huge annual fighting game tournament—and while I’m in Vegas, I really hope I can catch something in the strip club—Pokémon, not STD.
How many Pokémon do you have so far?
I’m still new, so I only got like 6 and they all suck except Charmander.
What’s the most frustrating thing about this game?
The most frustrating thing is that I can only catch rat and pigeon Pokémon in the hood. It’s accurate, but damn!
If you re-made the Pokémon theme song, who would you bring on to help you with it?
I’d keep the Pokémon theme true to its rock-and-roll origins and probably go get like Trash Talk or MGMT for help.
How long have you been playing Pokémon Go?
I’ve only been playing for about a week and a half. I downloaded it when I was out in Decatur. It wanted me to walk through the hood. I’d never risk my life to catch Goldeen.
Who convinced you to play?
Twitter.
Where was the most interesting, weird or surprising place that you found’ve a Pokémon and which was it?
In places where Pokémon shouldn’t be, like Richmond and West Oakland. Somebody finna get stripped trying to catch Snorlax. I found a Squirtle at the lab, too; shady as f—k, he didn’t even tap in with me. Just living off the fat of the land, not throwing on rent. And now I gotta lock up the studio because all types of hipsters and little white boys with their moms are ’bout to try hoppin’ the fence to flick up with Squirtle. SMH. Sickening.
How many Pokémon do you have so far?
I have, like, five Pokémon so far. I’m not really with that “gotta catch em all” shit; I’m only trying to catch the lit ones. Magikarp been washed since like 2003 and that hasn’t changed.
What’s the most frustrating thing about this game?
The servers are made out of baked potatoes. I seen a flick on the Internet and I wholeheartedly believe it.
If you re-made the Pokémon theme song, who would you bring on to help you with it?
If an artist overseas flipped OG Maco song? Or Lil Dicky with Kevin Gates doing a flame hook talking bout “gotta catch ’em all.”
How long have you been playing Pokémon Go?
As soon as the shit became available, I was swooping the Pokémons like it was ya’ bitch.
Who convinced you to play?
The Internet gods.
Where was the most interesting, weird or surprising place that you’ve found a Pokémon and which was it?
I’m headed to the strip club right now to catch the Pokémon off a stripper’s booty. Stay tuned.
How many Pokémon do you have so far?
I got a few, but I’m trying to catch a real one.
What’s the most frustrating thing about this game?
Phone battery stay on life support lol.
If you re-made the Pokémon theme song, who would you bring on to help you with it?
I would bring Gucci, 2 Chainz and Future !🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥.
How long have you been playing Pokémon Go?
Since the day after it came out.
Who convinced you to play?
My good friend/Pokémon expert/my favorite DJ ever, OG Kel.
Where was the most interesting, weird or surprising place that you’ve found a Pokémon and which was it?
I found a Snorlax at the Asian supermarket store in San Pablo when this kid dropped a Lure.
How many Pokémon do you have so far?
49.
What’s the most frustrating thing about this game?
Where do I start? First, reference my IG post here:
Secondly, and I think we can all agree on this one, the servers are really, really, really, really, really tragic. The servers are like your parents when you were a teenager. As soon as you do some cool shit you can’t wait to show your boys, the server crash comes waltzing in and royally f—ks it all up. SMH…
Nintendo, if you’re reading this, you owe me like $41.79 for all the times I lost incense, power-ups, pokéballs and, worst of all, Pokémon I spent minutes trying to catch!
If you re-made the Pokémon theme song, who would you bring on to help you with it?
Larry June.
How do you like the Pokémon Go game so far?
I lowkey hate it. I miss the red, blue and yellow version. This one freezes every time I catch a new Pokémon 🙁
Why do you think this game is so popular?
Answering this question is harder than the last 10 questions of my computer science exam after a sleepless night and breakfast-less morning back when I was in college (which I hated by the way).
If you could remake the Pokémon theme song, who would you bring on to help you remake it?
The lead singer of Sexual Chocolate from Coming To America or the guy who sang the Soul Glow commercial. C’mon now! Tell me that’s not a good fit?!
What Pokémon do you think best represents you and your music?
Mewtwo ’cause dat ni—a always looks mad and he is rare as f—k.
How long have you been playing Pokémon Go?
For almost a week now.
Who convinced you to play?
My boy, from watching a video campaign they dropped over three months ago. In the video, regular people were catching and battling Pokémon in real life. That’s all my nerd ass needed to see.
Where was the most interesting, weird or surprising place that you’ve found a Pokémon and which was it?
One time I caught a Sandshrew in Wing Stop. He was standing on top of the fryer before I caught him lol.
Which Pokémon do you see the most and where?
I always see Geodudes in South Central, and that buff little rock is annoying. I need more versatility in my life lol.
Why do you like the game so much?
I like the game so much because I was raised on Pokémon. So to fast-forward to the future, or the present, and be able to catch them virtually is low-key a young Pokémon master’s dream. You also meet a lot of random people who are either stoked to play or scheming to take your gym.
Would you try and use this game as a marketing tool in your career or on tour?
The next time I’m going on tour (which is in a week) I plan to find Pokémon I wouldn’t find in LA. I may tweet out, “What’s Toronto’s Pokémon looking like?”
What’s your favorite Pokémon? What’s the worst one?
My favorite Pokémon is the psychic one called Abra. I can’t stand Psyduck.
What Pokémon do you think best represents you and our music?
Mewtwo (the holographic version). Rare and powerful. Calm, but subject to spazz at any moment. Blow!!!
How long have you been playing Pokémon Go?
I just started playing like four days ago.
Who convinced you to play?
I found out about it from the Internet.
How many Pokémon do you have so far?
I still only have 64.
Where was the most interesting, weird or surprising place that you’ve found a Pokemon and which was it?
In the club. I never would’ve thought I’d be catching Pokémon in the club.
What was the farthest that you’ve walked to catch a certain Pokemon?
The morning I downloaded the game, I was at a hotel in New York and ended up walking down the street like 10 blocks catching them.
If you had to use a Pokémon to describe your musical sound, which one would it be?
I’d probably say Charmander because everything I spit is fire.
How long have you been playing Pokémon Go?
I’ve been playing like a week and half now. Shit is lit..nostalgic AF lol.
Who convinced you to play?
Nobody really. I just used to f—k with Pokemon heavy when I was kid, ya feel me? Like, I legit fought for my Pokémon binder back from somebody who had stole my shit.
How many Pokémon do you have so far?
To be honest, I dont know how it works but I counted 33. It says 60/250, so that’s where I get lost lol.
Where was the most interesting, weird or surprising place that you’ve found a Pokémon and which was it?
A Magikarp and the only reason I say the shit is weird is because it was in a parking lot. No where near water lol.
Catch any rare Pokémon yet? If not, which one would you love to catch?
I mean I’m not sure how rare it is but I want a Dragonair. I just really like how the card used to look as a holographic.
If Pokémon were real, which one would you add to the Private Club Records squad and why?
Alakazam. I always thought he was dope as f—k with the two spoons up, lmfao.
Watch The Breakfast Club weigh in on Pokémon Go.*