Rapper VaVa Digs Into Retro Games That Shaped His Music
VaVa's integration of game culture into his music illustrates how deep game fandom can become a core element of artistic identity.
Reporting from 1 source: KAI-YOU.
KAI-YOU visited Akihabara's Super Potato with VaVa to discuss the retro games that influenced him. He cites the MOTHER series as his favorite game music and has participated in official remix projects for Persona 3 and UNDERTALE. He shares memories of clearing Adventure Island and playing Dragon Quest Monsters 2 with friends.
VaVa, a rapper on the hip-hop label SUMMIT and a member of the creative team CreativeDrugStore, has long woven game references into his lyrics and production. In a new video feature, KAI-YOU accompanied him to the retro game shop Super Potato in Akihabara to trace the titles that shaped him. He recalls imposing a harsh rule on himself as a child: he would not go outside until he cleared the notoriously difficult Famicom game Adventure Island. He also names Dragon Quest Monsters 2: Maruta's Mysterious Key as a defining Game Boy Color title, remembering afternoons spent trading monsters with friends using link cables on a park slide. Beyond nostalgia, VaVa has turned his game fandom into professional work, contributing official remixes for Persona 3 and UNDERTALE.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.