20 Rappers We Want to See in a "Def Jam Vendetta" Reboot

It's established that rap, video games, and professional wrestling (of the contemporary WWE variety) all came up together.

All three mediums were cultivated in the same petri dish of high school gymnasiums, basements, and other people's garages. From the Chilly Kids sampling Space Invaders in 1983's "Ice Arcade," to the McMahon family's establishment of the Golden Age of the WWF in 1979; to Method Man and The Rock's 2007 "Know Your Role," the intersecting Venn Diagram of rap, video games, and professional wrestling are well documented.

It's no surprise that these overlapping modes of expression were so perfectly crystalized with the release of 2003's Def Jam Vendetta. A widely panned critical failure, the game's engine was originally meant to be used as a sequel to EA's WCW Mayhem, but EA lost the WCW license, and Def Jam Records saw the chance to diversify their holdings by licensing out their roster of hip hop performers. DMX, Method Man, N.O.R.E, Keith Murray, and Funkmaster Flex were a small sampling of the rappers featured in the rushed EA title. The fact that the game was a commercial flop didn't stop EA games from releasing two sequels: the more generally favored Def Jam: Fight for NY (memorable for the inclusion of Carmen Electra as a playable fighter) and the most recent Def Jam: Icon (which was visually engaging, but an overall lackluster release thanks to an almost non-existent level of consistency in the game's mechanics).

2013 marks the ten-year anniversary of the release of Def Jam Vendetta and we deserve better. Here are 20 current rappers who should be fitted for tights immediately for our imagined Def Jam Vendetta Reboot. Tell us who else you think should have made our list of 20 Current Rappers We Want to See in a "Def Jam Vendetta" Reboot

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Finishing Move: The Preachy Eagle

Hustle: ✭✭✭✩✩✩✩✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩✩✩

Wale takes a page from Street Fighter's Blanka for his wrestling strategy. Remaining just out of striking distance of his opponent, Wale begins to complain incessantly. Any wrestler caught within earshot of the bellyaching will see their health meter instantly begin to drain. Once they can't take a single vowel more Wale moves in for the TKO, but not before he convinces you that you're completely at fault for losing.

Finishing Move: New York's Future

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩✩✩

The self-proclaimed "King of New York" is actually only able to use his fully powered finishing move during other people's matches. When he appears, it is without warning, a la Rikimaru inTenchu, and takes credit for the win. A Def Jam Vendetta Pappoose is the same thing as a lighting bolt in Mario Kart, you know it's going to show up at some point, but you're not exactly sure where.

Finishing Move: The Leatherman

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩

The new Def Jam Vendetta's resident Hannibal Lecter, Tyga is always on the hunt for a new pelt to add to his collection. Those tights he's wearing are actually the skinned remains of his last opponent. Once defeated, losers are treated to the ceremonious flaying and tanning. Tyga adds the new leather piece to his collection as a constant reminder to his Haute couture sense of style.

Finishing Move: The Puff Puff Pass

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩

Pittsburgh's hometown hero unleashes the full fury of that Taylor Gang life by filling his lungs with genetically enhanced doja smoke. The lab grown strain is exhaled on opponents, which causes disorientation, blurred vision, and the overwhelming desire to find the closest Quiznos. Wiz wins the match once his opponent collapses into a crippling nap.

Finishing Move: The Marvin & Chardonnay

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩✩

One of the more acrobatic and agile fighters on the list, Big Sean dominates the aerial space. Preferring to keep to the top rope and the turnbuckles, Sean's special is crushing in its speed and accuracy. Leaping at a complete horizontal angle, Sean is able to deliver a jaw-shattering drop-kick. Anytime Sean's special is activated, it is to the sound effect of 'BoiiiiI!!'

Finishing Move: Hypebeast Summon

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩

Once his special meter is completely full Trinidad James is able to activate a dual phase finisher. After spraying his enemy down with a face full of toxic molly water after bellowing a deafening 'YOO HOO!!', Trinidad tosses a pair of Jordans at his blinded opponent's feet. The blinded combatant is then trampled to death by a stampede of magically summoned junior hypebeasts.

Finishing Move: The All You Can Eat Super Buffet

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩✩

DJ Khaled appears during Rick Ross's match as a power-up buff. Once Ross deposits enough into his special meter, Khaled appears ringside to shout "Weeee the beeeest!" and increases Ross's defense for the remainder of the round. Exactly like Mortal Kombat II and the appearance of "TOASTY!!"

Finishing Move: The Rocky Road

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩

After dealing massive amounts of grappling damage, Gucci's special maxes out allowing him to initiate his fatality. Once the opposition has been downed, Gucci peels off his ice cream cone face tattoo and generates a frozen Sub Zero style ice shuriken.

Finishing Move: The Second Hand Musk

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩✩

Macklemore's match ender is more of an elaborate offensive taunt than a crushing finisher. Macklemore's combo secretes a debilitating musk which is stored in his pores. After years of vintage fashion purchases this is more serious than it sounds. While enemies are coughing and straining to get the pungent fragrance of pre-owned highwaters out of their mouths, Mackelmore finishes them by executing a little two step mid-ring.

Think Dan Hibiki's power taunt meets Reptile's acid spit.

Finishing Move: The Dope Peddler

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩

2 Chainz closes all of his bouts with brutal efficiency. After triggering his finisher, foes are simply choked out with Chainz' Louis Vuitton belt. Dead-ass rappers are subsequently stacked like cord wood in one of 2 Chainz' many closets. Chainz adds one more notch to his LV belt on the way back to his strip club-bound tour bus.

Finishing Move: The Acid Wrap

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩

Chicago's golden boy has been having one hell of a 2013. After dropping his full-length Acid Rap, it seems only fair to add one of the youngest and progressively dynamic lyricists to the roster of available fighters. Once Chance's finisher is initiated, he emits a hallucinogenic mist that hardens into a dense cocoon around the enemy's face and head.

Adversaries suffocate while their mind unspools into a puddle of psychotropic jelly.

Finishing Move: The Triple Backflip

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩

Finishing Move: The Caveat Emptor

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩

Jay is only available as an unlockable secret character. You are forced to purchase a Samsung DLC code to access him, but Jay doesn't actually wrestle in the game. He functions as a ringside coach/business advisor and let's you know if you've got enough stored hustle in your special meter to pull of your finisher. Then he takes 10% off the top.

Finishing Move: The Papparazzi Press

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩

The barrage of flash bulbs from the event's photographers temporarily grants Yeezus invulnerability for the remainder of the round. Kanye can only activate his finisher if he's got less than half health, or, you make direct eye contact with him.

Finishing Move: The Big Game Hunter

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩

Once Wayne's combo meter is maxed out, he has two options for ending the match. The first finisher involves grabbing his opponent by the head, suplexing him to the ground, and forcing him into a pair of ladies' leopard print jeggings. Once the circulation is cut off, Weezy's foes explode into a fine red mist of fail.

His second option includes summoning Nicki Minaj as his spirit animal in the form of this blue and yellow Macaw. Minaj Macaw devours the other wrestler in pecks; it takes days.

Finishing Move: The Miami Swing

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩

The most agile member of Maybach Music Group, Gunplay is formidable from both the air and the ground. He's a self-taught wrestler who learned everything from studying the golden age gladiators of the WWF. Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Junkyard Dog were all virtual mentors to one of the youngest members of the roster.

Once triggered with a full special meter, Gunplay can utilize The Miami Swing. Enemies are tangled up in the ropes and left as defenseless as a porpoise caught in a commercial fishing net.

Finishing Move: The Detroit Drop

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩

Already peppering his verses with lyrics like, "I'm Ric Flair, with thick hair/Yelling out "Woo!" getting head in the director's chair," Danny Brown arrives with a balance and precision as a fighter that is only outmatched by his nearly endless reserves of energy. Once his finishing combo has been marked, Brown severs his opponent's Achilles tendon with his razor sharp gap tooth. Once his opponent is incapacitated, Brown opens a portal to Detroit where his doomed opponent is deposited. The body is never found.

Finishing Move: The Ashy Larry

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩

Birdman and Lil Wayne are available as a tag-team unlock once you've beaten the game on campaign mode. Birdman can only activate The Ashy Larry once both his and Wayne's special bars are fully lit. Generating massive amounts of ambient heat, Birdman is able to manifest a pyrokinetic blast by rubbing his hands together. Enemies are incinerated mid-ring; reduced to a pile of mineralized dust.

Finishing Move: The Continental Breakfast

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩

Maxing out his special meter, Rick Ross is able to unhinge his bottom jaw, and swallow and digest an opponent whole. Think equal parts Kirby and James Earl Jones when he transforms into that giant snake as Thulsa Doom from Conan the Barbarian. The Maybach Music Group's Teflon Don executes this finisher so quick, it's over before UENO it.

Finishing Move: The Semitic Snuggle

Hustle: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩

Swag: ✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✭✩

Drake has spent years cultivating his unique style that hybridizes Turkish Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Canadian Kabbalah. The result is a devastating ground and pound strategy. There is an upside to being defeated by Drake. The two of you are better friends for it afterwards. He's even been known to allow bested foes use of one of his many luxury showers to wash off the stench of failure.