EA Sports Madden franchise is a universally well-known medium for video game entertainment that’s been gradually ingrained into pop culture. And its impact has only been enhanced due to the nonstop bombardment of opinions, tweets, IG posts, the rollout of player rankings and more.
But since the early 2000s, around the era of the PlayStation2, one feature sport and video game fans look out for is the curated, hand selected Madden music soundtrack because acquiring sacks and pick 6s require the appropriate beats to knock #AmIRite? The upcoming Madden 19 featured a more rap heavy soundtrack than previous iterations. Detroits own (What Up Doe) Big Sean‘s verse from YGs standout single Big Bank was included in Madden 19, but with one striking omission.
YG – Big Bank ft. 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Nicki Minaj
PRE-ORDER ‘STAY DANGEROUS’ – OUT 8/3 – NOW || https://YG.lnk.to/StayDangerous WATCH ‘HANDGUN’ VIDEO FEAT. A$AP ROCKY: https://youtu.be/lzf96Lzoq8k FOLLOW YG: https://www.instagram.com/yg/ https://twitter.com/YG https://www.facebook.com/Yg400/ http://vevo.ly/yUMAwW
Big Sean raps on Big Bank- “Feed me to the wolves, now I lead the pack and shit/You boys all cap, I’m more Colin Kaepernick.” Now Madden 19 is rated E for everyone, but shit wasnt only the word removed from Seans verse. For some reasonKaepernick’s name was omitted as well.
Well then. Lets unpack this.
Last time I checked, Kaepernick wasnt a curse word. Last time I checked, Kaepernicks name, and what he was protesting (police brutality against black and brown people) wasnt a diabolical or heinous act. If anything he should be honored. And now EA sports knowingly or unknowingly may have inserted themselves in the bullshit-ass debate that’s not really a debate about censoring black and brown people and their right to protest.
Get Off The Sticks: The Top 7 Most Competitive Video Games Of All-Time
When did I realize video games were the equal opportunity platform for rabid competitiveness? The year was 1983, and I was beaming with pride as my mother walked through the door with a trophy for playing video games. The words, written in glitter on a piece of pink construction paper, read “Congratulations to the Ms. Pac-Man Champion of Billy D’s Lounge.”
Iron sharpens iron and competition brings the best or worst out of rivals. In 2005, Madden wasnt the go-to NFL football simulation, fans had another option with the ESPN2K/2K franchise. The same gaming house thats responsible for the NBA2K juggernaut series, was eating Maddens lunch and at a lower price point, selling their game for $30 versus the $50-60 standard tag that EA commanded. EA put an end to all that in a very Machiavellian twist, by buying the NFL licensing rights to be the sole distributor of the gridiron game.
Is NFL 2K5 the Best American Football Game?
As the EA licensing grip on the NFL seems to never weaken, what alternatives are there for American football fans? Is NFL 2K5 the most valid one? Watch this video to hear our thoughts on this!
In a different world, I wonder if ESPN2K19 would have kept the harmless lyric. Let me repeat, harmless lyric. Its not like when Biggie said on the iconic “Juicy”, blow up like the World Trade. Now that was omitted on future remastered copies of Ready To Die but it was painfully obvious on Hovs Black Album intro Dec 4 where he sampled his fellow BK emcee.
And rightfully so. Biggies bars referenced the multiple attacks on the then still standing World Trade Center in NYC. They had to go, especially after 9/11. So why then was Kaps name removed? Even Big Sean wants to know and according to his tweet, the Blessings rapper is far from happy.
Sean Don on Twitter
It’s disappointing and appalling @NFL & @EA took @Kaepernick7’s name out of my verse on Big Bank for Madden 19, like it was a curse word. When he’s not a curse, he’s a gift! Nobody from my team approved any of this.
While fans may be waiting for real answers, let’s just call a spade a spade. Until the majority of the cowardly NFL owners up to the fact that Kap, Michael Bennett, Malcolm Jenkins, and countless others were right about exercising their first amendment rights, these little microaggressions and sleights will continue.
In the time of me writing this, EA Sports, not only apologized for the omission but vows to reinsert his name in the track.
Darren Rovell on Twitter
JUST IN: EA Sports says it didn’t mean to omit Colin Kaepernick’s name in YG’s song it licensed for use in Madden ’19. Will add his name back in update.
But the damage has been done. The digital suppression of Colin Kaepernick’s name would actually be funny if the context wasn’t so dark or Orwellian, but alas here we are. You’d have thought EA would’ve taken a cue from big homie Papa John’s about what happens when you insert yourself in the NFL protest debate. Especially when no one asks for it, and only gives two middle joysticks up about your company’s opinion.
Colin Kaepernick on Twitter
Much love brother! Thank you for having my back! https://t.co/yKz3nBMiPb
