Bow Wow and Game GO Head to Head this Friday!

Step right up, ladies and gents. Get ready for the bout of the century! Well, at least of the summer. In the platinum corner, wearing red trunks and a matching Los Angeles Dodgers cap, he stands more than 6 feet, 3 inches tall, he boasts several knockouts on the mixtape circuit via ferocious freestyles, and he represents Compton. Everyone, the Cali Kilimanjaro himself: the Game.

His opponent is in the money-green corner, wearing the Louis Vuitton trunks. He’s been known to make thousands of females faint simultaneously just by shaking his braids. He’s responsible for more than 1.7 million girls having sore throats while screaming their heads off at his various tours and public appearances for almost a decade. He’s lean, he’s mean, and he’s been making millions of dollars since he was a teen. He is none other than the Canine from Columbus, one of Ohio’s favorite sons: “Big Bang” Bow Wow.

Oh, it’s on. Bow Wow and Game have set a date for their $100,000 “Madden NFL 09″ face-off. It is set to take place Friday in a secret location in California. Talking to the two MCs, you get the impression that $100K is the least of their worries: It’s all about pride and bragging rights.

“I think we better end it on that note, ’cause Bow Wow, he already knows what’s up,” Game boasted last week in New York while visiting the MTV News offices. “He knows. As soon as I can sit down next to him, pick up a controller and stare at an HD screen, I will beat the sh– out of him. I will definitely kick Bow Wow’s ass. His name will be ‘Lil Puppy.’ It won’t even ‘Lil Bow Wow.’ It’ll be ‘Lil Meow’ after I’m done with him.”

More than seven years ago, Game almost died when gunmen shot him. He was playing “Madden” at the time.
“That’s where I feel like he’s playing a game,” Game said. “And he don’t know how serious this is. And currently, www.EASports.com, you can go wherever you want on the Web and search: I’m #1 in the world. You go see my gaming tag ‘LAX.’ It’s there. I can’t be beat. Period. I will not lose at ‘Madden 09.’ ”

[Hip-hop editor’s note: According to our resident video game expert, Stephen Totilo, Game is almost as good as he says. He has a record of 171-30, with five games in the Did Not Finish column. That makes him the #6 player in the world.]
Bow Wow took his trash-talking a step higher. He just released a freestyle online called “Madden King,” on which he rhymes over the beat for Game’s “Dope Boys.”

“I seen you talking sh– up on your YouTube/ Do you know what you got yourself into?/ … We can go Bentley for Bentley, chain for chain/ We can go girl for girl, Jermaine for Dre/ You don’t want none of the dog, I’m outta your league.”

Bow said he decided to drop the freestyle because he wasn’t doing anymore blogs on it for now. While the Game has yet to respond musically, you can almost guarantee a retort freestyle within the next couple of days. These guys actually like each other, but no one will be friendly until the better man is crowned video game victor.

Article pulled from Mauldin Brand

‘Maddenpalooza’ Headlines 20th Anniversary

As the start of the 2008 NFL season approaches in earnest, one much-awaited event remains. At 12 a.m. EST on Aug. 12, sports fans won’t have to wait any longer as they will finally have the chance to get their hands on the popular video game franchise Madden NFL 09.

Making this year’s game even more special, Electronic Arts will commemorate the 20th anniversary of Madden by celebrating its release with the biggest product launch event in its history.

“‘Maddenpalooza’ will be the single largest launch event in video game history,” said EA Sports president Peter Moore. “As we continue to extend the EA Sports brand, Madden acts as a leading vehicle to connect with our fans.”

With more than 70 million copies sold, the franchise is gearing up to put the finishing touches on its 20th anniversary release party. The launch event, “Maddenpalooza,” will celebrate its top-selling game with a fan festival featuring music, sports and gaming at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. Launch festivities will take place on the afternoon of Aug. 11 leading up to the midnight release.

Anthony Stevenson, Senior Product Manager for Madden, explained, “We plan to pay homage to Madden’s history in a big way throughout the entire night at ‘Maddenpalooza.’ We’ll have former cover guys there to sign autographs, tons of imagery from all the old games and live musical performances from bands who have contributed to the Madden soundtrack over the years.” Headliners for the live musical performances will include Good Charlotte and Busta Rhymes.

“This event is a way to celebrate the history and future of Madden,” said Chris Erb, Director of Marketing for Electronic Arts. NFL PLAYERS Chief Operating Officer Andy Feffer agreed, adding, “The magnitude of ‘Maddenpalooza’ and the 20th anniversary of the Madden game are impressive. The fact that the Madden phenomena has grown to these proportions demonstrates the great innovation of EA Sports as an organization. We are thrilled to be partners with the leaders in the video game industry.”

The history of the Madden launch event dates back to 2006, when EA personnel began to realize that gamers were actually taking the day off from work and school in anticipation of purchasing a copy of the game.

Erb said, “With the growth of the EA Sports brand, we felt the launch of the game deserved an impact similar to that of a theatrical release.” So, in August 2006, EA trekked down to Madden, Miss. (the only town named Madden in the United States) and held an event, “Maddenoliday,” which featured retired NFL stars Jerry Rice, Marshall Faulk and Warren Moon.

“The idea was to do more to connect with our allegiance of followers,” Erb said. The Xbox-sponsored event included donations of Xbox 360 consoles to the town of Madden for everyone to get a first look at the game.


In 2007, EA took things a step further as “Maddenoliday” took place on the grandest of stages, New York City. Players and fans were able to compete against each other on the Jumbo-tron in Times Square. Not to leave any stone unturned, the midnight release of the game culminated with a countdown on the Reuters building, with New York Giants great Tiki Barber presenting the sale of the first game at a nearby Toys “R” Us.

So, how will next week’s “Maddenpalooza” top “Maddenoliday” from the previous two years?

“We want this year to be different and fresh. But most importantly, we want to get the fans more involved then ever before,” Erb said. “So, what we’ve done for the first time this year is create an interactive fan experience where the event is open to the public.”

Although the event is open to the public, there is still a bit of a VIP twist to it, as only the first 1,000 fans in line are guaranteed access. But those inside will not be disappointed—the newest version is extremely realistic, featuring authentic NFL stadiums, action shots from several angles and many added features.

Once inside, the event will include over 300 gaming kiosks, player autograph stages, the aforementioned live musical performances and even the chance to compete against NFL players on Madden NFL 09, “the best Madden to date,” according to head producer Phil Frazier. “It’s the most adaptable, visually stunning and deepest experience you’ve ever seen. I’m still amazed when I see the game in motion,” he said.

Madden fever is in full swing, and for the 20th time, there is no doubt that EA will deliver in a big way for its loyal customers. Fans have the date circled on their calendars, and don’t be surprised to see the most faithful Madden players camping out in front of the Rose Bowl. Some view it as the opportunity of a lifetime—to others, it’s simply this year’s Maddenoliday.