Listen to Big Boi’s ‘Game of Thrones’ Track ‘Mother of Dragons’
Yesterday, we told you about the Game of Thrones-inspired hip-hop mixtape Catch the Throne featuring Common, Big Boi and Wale. The compilation won’t be released until Friday, but Big Boi has already released “Mother of Dragons,” his ode to Khaleesi.
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The track opens with a quote from the show before the hook, “Dungeons/Dragons/Kings and queens” is heard over a stomping, magisterial beat. The Outkast rapper has been an outspoken fan of the show, eschewing bandwagon-hopping status with references to family bloodlines, White Walkers and the infamous Red Wedding.
“Like the rehab on my knee/It won’t be that much longer/Before Khaleesi take the Iron Throne,” rhymes Big Boi. “They call it the Mother of Dragons/ You under attack, n—a/It’s our home.” “Mother of Dragons” is worth a listen if only to hear the rapper deadpan, “Fuck the Lannisters and everyone ridin’ with ’em.” HBO has not revealed if a Tyrion response track is forthcoming.
Big Boi recently said that his love of the series extends past the TV show, with the rapper spending his free time devouring the book series by George R.R. Martin. “I wanted to see what happens in the next season,” he said.
The mixtape is a response, in part, to ratings company Nielsen’s research that 76 percent of the show’s viewers were white. “Our multicultural audiences are a very important part of our subscribers, and we don’t want to take them for granted,” said Lucinda Martinez, HBO’s Senior Vice President for Multicultural Marketing.
Catch the Throne is just one facet of an aggressive marketing plan leading up to the show’s fourth season. Earlier this week, HBO announced that it would be showing the debut episode at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on March 20th, two weeks prior to the show’s official April 6th premiere. The “Epic Fan Experience” will be shown on a stadium-sized screen that will also include, “show costumes and props displays from the acclaimed traveling exhibition, photo ops on the Iron Throne and other special surprises,” according to a press release.