Lil Pump uses ‘Grand Theft Auto Online’ to launch new record ‘Tesla’

28 February, 2023

Lil Pump has used Grand Theft Auto Online to launch his new collab with Smokepurpp – check out ‘Tesla’ below.

Last week, Lil Pump teased ‘Tesla’ with a GTA-featuring video before the full EP of the same name was released on Friday (February 24).

The official video for the track was released the same day, with Lil Pump and Smokepurpp performing in a GTA Online role-playing server.

According to a Billboard report, the ‘Gucci Gang’ rapper has also gone one step further and used Grand Theft Auto Online to create his own metaverse world.

The virtual project includes a strip club called Pump Playhouse, an underground gambling-themed game zone, mansions, and a collection of cars. A collection of Lil Pump’s songs and videos play throughout the experience.

“We built this server with the strategy in mind to bring Pump’s core fans and consumers into his world through the lens of gaming culture,” Rich Foster, head of digital marketing at SoundCloud, said in a statement. “We were intentional that we not only use GTA as a launchpad, but to migrate unique easter eggs throughout the experience.”

“As we continue to see, dropping music alone isn’t enough anymore, it’s about creating moments around the music, all the better if those moments can engage fans and different communities,” added Jory Carver, director of artist services at SoundCloud.

Last year, members of The Philadelphia Eagles spoke about the benefits of playing together on GTA Online roleplaying servers.

According to the team’s C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the “secret sauce” is spending time on Grand Theft Auto, with the game helping players who don’t normally spend much time together, develop closer friendships meaning they want to do more for one another on the field.

The same month, GTA Online creator Rockstar issued a statement outlining a number of things that it will no longer allow in the game’s roleplay servers, including the use of cryptocurrencies and NFTs.

In other news Luminous Productions, the studio behind Forspoken, has announced it is closing with staff set to merge with Square Enix.

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