HTC releases awkward hip-hop video to promote phones and take on Apple

Apple works with Dr Dre and Samsung works with Jay Z — HTC has hired Doc G of PM Dawn

A still from HTC's rap video (HTC)

HTC has released a rap video to promote its phones — apparently an attempt to instigate a rap battle with its competitors’ much higher-profile rappers.

The video features rapper Doc G, of early 1990s rap group PM Dawn. Doc G was not an original member of the group but joined the band formed by his cousin more recently.

It sees him rapping alongside awkward HTC employee David Bruce and people in costumes representing giant phones.

HTC’s rap tie-up brings it into competition with its two biggest peers, Apple and Samsung.

Samsung signed a partnership with Jay Z in 2013, which saw it release his most recent album Magna Carta Holy Grail to the company’s phones.

And Apple brought Dr Dre on board when it bought Beats, last year. While his collaboration with the firm is unclear, he has appeared onstage at presentations and is likely to be involved in Apple’s re-launch of beats later in the year.

Doc G’s lyrics include the line: “We own the universe, your Galaxy is overrated,” an apparent reference to competitor Samsung’s flagship line of Galaxy phones. And it includes numerous oblique references to Apple’s iPhones.

Instead, Doc G says that the company’s phones are better than those of competitors. “HTC One M8 is the best,” he says in the lyrics, which have been transcribed in full at Engadget. It also makes references to HTC features such as Boom Sound, the built-in audio system.

HTC posted a video explaining the collaboration with Doc G, where it described him as a “HTC superfan”.