Popular musicians are the heroes of our times, adored by millions of fans who know every word of every song. For a long time, they were capable of projecting a public persona on the stage while keeping their private lives mostly shielded from view. In the age of social media, the curtain is being pulled back and we are learning more about personal interests and hobbies that some of the most famous musicians spend their time on.
As it turns out, gaming ranks high on the list of priorities for many people who create music for a living. They are obviously not strangers to performing under pressure or practicing to solve a challenge, so some of the same skills that helped them reach the top of the charts also make them better prepared to conquer the digital worlds.
Here are a few names you might be familiar with but you may not have connected to gaming before.
Jonathan Davis (Korn)
Frontman of the legendary metal band has a reputation for experimenting with different styles of music and collaborating across genres. He is just as open minded when it comes to video games, which he has been actively playing since the 1980s. Like many kids from this time, Davis started his gaming adventures on a Commodore 64, progressing to more powerful hardware as it became available and today his preferred platform is Xbox. He names The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker as his favorite title of all times, a savvy choice that fits his old-school image.
Drake
If you have been following Drake’s career, you are aware that his interests go far beyond music. He is known as a huge basketball fan who regularly goes to Toronto Raptors games, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he occasionally plays at Power Play’s Ontario casino. Canada’s most famous rapper’s love for online games is well-documented, and he even broadcast himself live on social media while playing slot games. For him, it’s all a part of a rebellious identity that keeps him in the headlines and helps him connect with his fans.
Jack Black
The man of many talents and if you want, a Jack of all trades, Black has a claim to fame as an actor as well as a musician. In addition to being one of the most accomplished comedians of his generation and the lead singer of the parody rock band Tenacious D, he is also quite a skilled gamer. Black plays video games his whole life and lists Fallout and Minecraft as his favourites – and he just got a chance to star in the Minecraft movie, thus combining his passions.
Eminem
Perhaps one of the biggest music stars to publically profess his love for video games, Eminem has a very specific taste in gaming. Perhaps unsurprisingly, he is a huge fan of classic arcade games like Donkey Kong. More recently, he has been playing Call of Duty – one of the games that prominently feature his music. Another fact is just as entertaining – the legendary Rap God is now a playable avatar in the battle royale game Fortnite.
Ariana Grande
For some people, video games can get really personal and Ariana Grande is certainly one of them. The beloved pop icon is a hardcore Pokémon player and she frequently plays it right before her gigs, going as far as to tattoo one of the creatures from the game on her body. Just like Eminem, she is present as an avatar in Fortnite, but she went a step further and held a series of concerts in this virtual environment. Grande also directly mentions video games in her lyrics.
Snoop Dogg
For the godfather of G-funk and one of the most accomplished vocalists of his era, video games are just a part of the vibe. Loyal to his street roots, Snoop Dogg prefers games that let him hold some weapons in his hands, most notably Call of Duty. Always a businessman, Snoop is collaborating with Activision on CoD content including his voice packs. He is also a big fan of the classic Mortal Combat game, another fighting game with a lot of underground juice.
Travis Scott
This is another high-profile rapper who has deep links to the gaming community. Scott considers himself a gamer for life, as he grew up playing Grand Theft Auto and God of War. As an early adopter of Fortnite who joined immediately after its release, he was perfectly positioned to be among the first to perform concerts in the game. These virtual events ended up as smashing success, with nearly 12 million players tuning in to hear Scott.
Post Malone
When it comes to gaming, the American hip hop star famous for tattoos on his face has a very refined taste. Some of the games on top of Post Malone’s list include Fallout, Skyrim, Call of Duty: WW2, and Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds. He prefers to play on a PC platform and has a custom-built machine that lets him enjoy super-fast rendering and realistic visuals. If you follow his Twitch channel, you have a good chance of seeing him in action.
