Rapper Big Boi, best known as one half of Atlanta hip-hop legends Outkast, has unveiled his latest cut, Mother of Dragons, the first taste of an HBO-presented mixtape dubbed Catch the Throne, which also features tracks from Common and Wale, inspired by the TV show Game of Thrones.
Earlier today, the Wall Street Journal reported that Time Warner Inc, of which HBO is a subsidiary, officially commissioned the mixtape, gathering 10 notable hip-hop and Latin music artists to produce raps inspired by the popular fantasy program to encourage more rap fans to watch the show.
“Our multicultural audiences are a very important part of our subscribers, and we don’t want to take them for granted,” said HBO Senior Vice President for Multicultural Marketing Lucinda Martinez, who hopes the tape will reach out to the show’s multicultural fan base and increase subscriptions.
The process began after HBO marketing executives noticed that many “celebrity influencers” were fans of the show, including Jamaican dancehall artist Magazeen, who mentioned the show in an interview, and tape-feature Big Boi, who recently hosted a Game of Thrones-themed party.
“Twenty years ago, Wu-Tang was breaking ground,” said Common said in an interview, as reported by WSJ. “Nowadays, people are open to anything. There are no limitations in hip-hop culture.” The Chicago rapper said he was a fan of the show and in particular, the character of Tyrion Lannister.
Readers can check out Big Boi’s contribution, of which the rapper said, “I’m really happy. I get to be part of the process of one of my favorite shows,” below. The tape will be released for free online this Friday. HBO have declined to comment on how much the artists were paid for their appearances.
Listen: Big Boi – Mother Of Dragons
