Social gaming company, Zynga will create its first partnership with Dr. Dre by streaming his new single “Kush”
within the game “Mafia Wars.” In addition to promoting Dre’s first solo single in nearly a decade, “Mafia Wars” will feature a “Hustlin’ Wit Dre” segment and allow users to purchase virtual goods such as headphones, vintage cars and weapons.
“We’re always looking for innovative and interesting ways for fans to discover great music and with an artist of Dre’s cultural significance we really wanted something special that’s never been done before,” Interscope Geffen and A&M Records Chairman Jimmy Iovine said, via written statement. “We felt it was a perfect fit for Dre to be the first musical experience for the millions of Mafia Wars players to enjoy while gaming.”
The partnership marks another branding opportunity for Dre, who has seen his Beats line of headphones and laptops become an in-demand item in recent years. Between recent partnerships with Dr. Pepper, Best Buy and creating divisions of Beats with LeBron James, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber, the “Mafia Wars” tie-in should create another cross-promotional opportunity by promoting Detox to Zynga’s 200 million global users.
