It’s been four months since Spotify’s debuted its virtual Spotify Island on Roblox, which made it the first music streaming service to have an official presence within the gaming platform. Today, Spotify launched a new space-themed digital destination on Roblox called Planet Hip-Hop, which will soon feature up-and-coming female rapper Doechii.
Spotify Island’s new Planet Hip-Hop is live now in Roblox, and the virtual experience aims to give a younger generation of hip-hop fans new ways to connect with their favorite music artists.
When Roblox players explore Planet Hip-Hop, they can collect exclusive virtual merch, customize vehicles in the “Speed Shop,” dance on a floating dance floor, create hip-hop beats powered by Soundtrap, and more.
The new futuristic-looking destination features a lit-up cityscape sitting on an upside-down silver pyramid, surrounded by red planet rings that resemble a record as well as floating meteors and other planetary matter.
“We wanted to create a space inspired by the newest era of hip hop, exploring how the current generation of artists and fans are redefining what the genre looks like and sounds like,” Steven Conaway, Senior Art Director at Spotify, said to press during a demo.
The look of Spotify’s new destination is inspired by the younger generation of hip-hop artists, many of which are known to have an “internet tech sound,” Conway added. He referred to young artists like Doechii, Yeat, and Trippie Redd, who are all in their early 20s.
Spotify chose the hip-hop genre as the second Spotify Island destination based on listener demand, the company wrote in its release. The music streaming platform boasted that hip-hop music generates 44 billion average monthly streams on Spotify globally.
Compared to Spotify Island’s K-pop-themed world, K-Park, there are a lot of new elements and Easter eggs in Planet Hip-Hop that players can discover. This includes being able to walk on buildings and float around– an added touch to the experience that makes it seem like Roblox avatars have been transported to a low-gravity environment.
Players can also drive a customized car around the planet’s rings, which act as drivable pathways, Edward Yeung, Associate Creative Director at Spotify, explained during the demo.
In the near future, Spotify is turning the pathways on the planetary rings into an obstacle course, Yeung revealed.
New merch that’s exclusive to Planet Hip-Hop includes clothing items, emotes, and parkour effects. In a couple of weeks, players will be able to purchase a patchwork bubble jacket and moon shoes for their avatar. Roblox players can collect hearts to purchase the merch.
Similar to K-Park, players must enter an underground portal to visit a music artist’s fan experience. This Thursday, September 22, Spotify will introduce the first artist on Planet Hip-Hop– Doechii.
When Roblox players enter Doechii’s underground portal in Planet Hip-Hop, they’ll see a swamp kingdom commemorating the rapper’s hometown, Tampa, Florida, and her nickname, “Swamp Princess.”
At launch, players can swim with alligators, dive underwater, and hop on lily pads. While fans can’t interact and ride on the alligators/crocodiles yet, this is a feature Spotify is adding later on.
However, there are a lot of features that will be unavailable when Doechii’s swamp launches tomorrow.
In the following days, Spotify will launch more features for Doechii fans, such as a quiz where players must “persuade” Doechii to let them enter her “Swamp Coven.” This is a nod to her song “Persuasive,” which recently got a new music video and remix with famous R&B singer SZA. Once players answer the questions correctly, they will be invited into the coven and even grow an alligator tail, the company explains in today’s announcement.
Spotify will roll out exclusive Doechii gear over the next few days as well. Players will soon be able to purchase alligator pants and shoes, an alligator necklace, a Cyan blue-colored mullet inspired by her original “Persuasive” music video, a star crown, and more. There will soon be a feature where Doechii will virtually sign your merch.
Also, in a few weeks, fans will participate in quests, like a scavenger hunt where players collect alligator tokens and trade them for prizes. When Roblox players finish all Doechii’s quests within the first 72 hours, they’ll unlock exclusive space glasses.
Spotify will continue adding to Planet Hip-Hop, including collaborations with different hip-hop artists that have yet to be announced.
Down the road, the company will also launch more vehicle customization options in the “Speed Shop,” plus new themed vehicles representing the future music artists joining the virtual world. For instance, Doechii fans will soon be able to ride in an alligator car.
Spotify Island on Roblox launches a new virtual destination for hip-hop listeners by Lauren Forristal originally published on TechCrunch
