thatdemoguy
LUPE V DAIGO: A DIFFERENT OPINION
OK folks, I’m going to share my opinion on something that’s been making quite the buzz on social media. No, I’m not doing this for clicks or to stir up controversy, even though negative attention is still attention. I just got off work, have been playing the Street Fighter V beta, but got bombarded by this deluge of shared posts on the topic.
Its been reported by quite a few news and entertainment websites that apparently rapper Lupe Fiasco wants to face off against fighting game champion Daigo Umehara in the upcoming Street Fighter V. Now while this may have started as a little bit of trash talk between unrelated parties, it's since been picked up by prominent FGC members and is actually looking like it may become a thing.
While I think this is a neat way to create buzz and get people who may not otherwise pay attention talking, I feel like the actual part about playing is a farce. Yes I totally understand that he's a media personality that will appeal to the American youth and a key target demographic for the game, but we all know he has no chance against Daigo....who is well....he's Daigo. His accomplishments in the FGC don't really need to be listed. But now Lupe is tweeting pics showing he got the new Street Fighter V stick ahead of date. We already know that sponsored or top players get the freebies (don't fake like they don't) which they then turn around and raffle off on their streams, but now celebrities too? Yet us "peasants" or consumers can wait and pay the $250 retail, right?
I know I’m personally sitting here now managing my finances so I can be sure to get not only the collector's edition game, but also to secure one of those TE-S+ sticks AND storage for it before they sell out. All while also planning and saving to travel to Final Round a month later.
I know I probably come off as jealous or as a "hater", and if that’s how I’m viewed I guess I will wear that hat. But please stop selling this to us like its anything more than celebrity endorsement. Hell, I halfway expect there to be a Lupe track in an upcoming television spot for the game. Which is cool, because I’m a fan and I 100% support bringing attention to the product, whether it be the peripherals, the actual game, or even the FGC itself which is becoming a product or commodity of its own.
All I’m saying is that there's a very fine line between pandering and patronizing.
So what do you think? How do you feel about celebrity endorsement, if that’s truly what this is? Do you think this match, should it take place, will be worth watching? Feel free to sound off in the comments or hit me with a tweet at thatdemoguy.