Hip-Hop Lives Here
Hip-Hop Lives Here
Wiz Khalifa is now a character in Hitman: World of Assassination. Developer IO Interactive unveiled a limited-time mission centered on the rapper, where he appears as a character called The Wizard. The mission tasks players with tracking him down and eliminating him inside a packed MMA arena.
The setting puts The Wizard surrounded by fighters, security personnel, and devoted followers inside the venue. Agent 47 has to blend into the crowd and move through the arena without drawing attention. The security stays on high alert throughout, which makes the mission harder than a typical contract.
The game's portrayal also reflects Wiz's real-life dedication to fitness and martial arts. In the mission, The Wizard is not a soft target. He comes across as physically imposing, which lines up with Wiz's well-documented training habits outside of music.
The mission is available free for a limited time until July 5th. The Hitman franchise has a history of celebrity collaborations, but this one stands out given how well the MMA setting fits Wiz's actual public persona. It does not feel like a random casting choice.
The appearance follows the rapper preparing to head out on a summer tour with MGK. The timing keeps Wiz in the cultural conversation across music and gaming at the same time.
The Wiz Khalifa mission follows that same structure, running until July 5th. IO Interactive tends to design these contracts around the celebrity's actual persona rather than dropping them into a generic setting.
Placing Wiz inside an MMA arena works because he has talked openly about combat sports training for years. The Wizard character leans into that side of him rather than the music side. That detail makes the mission feel considered rather than just a marketing placement.
The free access window also means players do not need to own additional content to participate, which broadens the reach beyond the core fanbase.
Share
Advertisement
PawPaw Rod, the newest artist to feature on NME’s The Cover, has put together a special playlist to celebrate the release of his cover story. Check it out below.
The American indie funk artist takes centre stage on this week’s (June 8) edition of The Cover, NME’s ongoing platform dedicated to highlighting emerging artists from around the world. Each week, a rising talent is spotlighted through an in depth feature. You can read PawPaw Rod’s profile here, written by Erica Campbell and photographed by Matt Baron.
To coincide with his appearance on The Cover, PawPaw Rod has assembled an exclusive playlist called ‘Records I Always Return To’. The selection includes tracks from artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Mac Miller, Tevin Campbell, and others. Speaking to NME, he explained that these are songs that “have stayed with me over the years” and continue to be part of his life because they bring him “a sense of peace, no matter where I’m at in life”. Listen to the full playlist on Spotify below and on Apple Music.
Describing himself as a “military brat”, PawPaw Rod was born in Hawaii and spent much of his childhood in Oklahoma. Before leaving high school, he had already lived in Texas, South Carolina, Washington, and Germany. Every move exposed him to different people, cultures, and musical influences, all of which helped shape a sound that blends hip hop, ’60s funk, alternative rock, and a variety of other genres.
That broad mix of experiences and inspirations is reflected throughout his debut album, ‘Picture Day: A PawPaw Rod Album’, which arrived last month. The record explores themes of identity and belonging, capturing the emotional highs and lows of never fully feeling rooted in one place. Each song acts as a snapshot of his personal journey while also paying tribute to school picture day, a moment that made him feel grounded and, as he puts it, “like a real boy”.
Although friendships often came and went because of life on military bases where families regularly moved away, Hulsey said he always tried to recreate the sense of connection he admired in groups such as The Temptations and Jackson Five. “I would try to get homies to start an R&B group with me,” he laughs. “We would go down to this little basement and sing songs. That’s what gravitated me towards [music] in the first place. And the fact that you could just escape into something.”
Each year, NME publishes 50 Cover stories, shining a spotlight on the next generation of music through detailed interviews and exclusive photography. You can also explore the coffee table book NME The Cover 2024-2025, featuring artists including Kneecap, Lola Young, Amaarae, LE SSERAFIM, Oklou, and many more.
Share
Advertisement
