Commercial links between hip-hop and gambling are being made. It is up for debate if this is a positive one for the genre. Hip-hop and casinos are becoming more intertwined and are discussed below.
Hip-hop has always used the language of braggadocio. That means showing wealth, winnings, and boasting about the risks taken in life is a given. The casino with its risk, reward, and glamour makes an obvious bedfellow. They are inherent in rap culture. Below, we dive into the increasing links between hip-hop and the industry.
The Rap and Gambling Bond
In 2018 the laws regarding online sportsbooks in the US changed. This opened the door for a raft of online sportsbook companies across the states. While only seven states currently allow online casino gambling, the overall industry is still huge and is using hip-hop as a means of promotion.
You only need to look back to the 2023 NBA playoffs. Sponsored by DraftKings, it was as much a celebration of hip-hop as basketball and betting on it. The company commissioned an official song titled “The Game”. It was performed by Rick Ross, Fat Joe, and The Lox.
The online sportsbooks and casino industry has grown huge in recent years. The industry is expected to generate $14.30bn in the US alone by the end of this year. This has been done through a range of astute moves from individual operators and the industry as a collaborative effort.
To tempt new users, they have also enhanced their introductory offers. For casinos, this has amounted to providing welcome bonuses. In some cases, there are even free casino games that pay real money. This means people don’t have to deposit to start winning real funds. Sportsbooks have also tried similar tactics by providing free bets to those who sign up and offering free spins to get customers to try their casino offerings as well.
This is in itself a huge audience. It is not only profitable for hip-hop artists to advertise with the companies. It is one that can benefit their fanbase through increasing visibility.
There have been times when this has come back to bite artists. Nicki Minaj recently became the face of Maximbet, an odd foray that saw the famous magazine launch its own online sportsbook and casino service. It was closed within a few months.
Vegas Residencies for Hip-Hop Artists
The mecca of Las Vegas has also noticed the commercial appeal of hip-hop and recently turned its attention to the genre. The city has always had entertainment residencies run alongside its gambling offerings. Traditionally, these events have been big stars of a more classic rock and pop ilk. Yet as the strip changes, hip-hop artists are gradually making their way into the city for big-money concerts and long stints at the top resorts.
DJ Cassidy started his Pass the Mic series of concerts there. For this, he enrolled a who’s who of rap royalty. The group even moved to Vegas with him for a month and included Ja Rule, Fat Joe, Slick Rick, and Doug E. Fresh. If you are a resident, you may have seen them establishing their presence. They delved into classic rat-pack behavior. You may have spotted them adorned in tuxedos hitting some of Sinatra’s favorite spots.
There are rotating special guests which you also may have spotted. If you go to an event, you don’t know who you will see on any given night. If you turn up you may see a roster including Public Enemy, Warren G, Ghostface Killah, Akon, and more. Many of them have also been spotted on the golf course, with Ja Rule giving lessons to aspiring players.
Hip-Hop Forefathers Given Nod at Vegas Event
However, these collaborations can be more than financial for hip-hop artists. Vegas recently played host to the second hip-hop Grandmaster Awards. It was in aid of the Paid in Full Foundation, set up by Ben and Felicia Horowitz.
Those who made a significant impact on the early days of hip-hop are the recipients. Generally, they are people who contributed to its growth but did not get the recognition they deserved. It provides funding that allows these people to continue making music.
Those honored included Roxanna Shante and Grandmaster Caz. There were appearances by DJ Jazzy Jeff, Nas, and Fab 5 Freddy. Crucially, Grandmaster Caz contributed to Rappers Delight but was uncredited.
If these collaborations work both ways, with online gambling companies and meccas like Vegas proving positive feedback for hip-hop culture, then these exchanges could be meaningful. The danger is that many of them will end up like the Nicki Minaj foray: Demeaning the genre for little more than quick financial gain.
In some ways, it may signal the end of Hip Hop as a truly artistic and social movement. There have always been elements of boastfulness in hip-hop. However, these instances highlight how the industry sees hip-hop as a cash cow. There are few country artists or rock artists being asked to place advertising within their music, and few artists who would consider it lest fear the repercussions of selling out from fans. Yet hip hop encourages this, and by aligning itself with gambling it could be make or break for the genre as a creative force.
Trey is a dedicated Hip-Hop journalist, supportive of upcoming artists.
