Wop, wop, wop, wop, wop.
I did this for the people, Branson tellsRolling Stone.
Not Like Us: The Gameis extremely simple.
The scene from the “Not Like Us” video that inspired the viral gameInterscope Records
I didnt want to put the actual music in there, he says.
As a musician, I understand you just cant rip somebodys song.
Since Im a music producer, I was like, Let me just remake the beat.
At the 11th hour, I felt like the recipe was there.
The beat was the sugar on top of what was already gonna be a great sundae.
After nearly two years with Epic, Branson left to pursue his own ambitions.
But work on the game didnt begin immediately.
Instead, the designer waited for a few days before coming down with food poisoning.
Bed-ridden, he returned to his idea.
In fact, he says that Drake is probably his most played artist on Spotify.
He just doesnt let his biases get in the way of making a good game.
He says its a skill he acquired while creating viral content for brands likeBleacher Report.
I used to create memes when sports teams would lose and when sports teams would win, he says.
And sometimes my favorite team wouldnt win, but Id still have to make the meme.
It hurt a little bit, but at the same time it really thickened my skin.
Its a motto to live by: Viruses dont play favorites, and neither does viral content.
When a social moment arises and you want to capture lightning in a bottle, you cant play favorites.
In response to Drake fans decrying the game, Branson has the receipts to show his lack of bias.
After all, this isnt his first game inspired by a public feud with Drake.
He previously developed another web-based game calledMeeky Millin 2016, centering on Drakesthen-beefwith rapper Meek Mill.
A fan of both artists in this years biggestbeef, Branson admits that Kendrick is winning.
He says he would have made a game starring Drake had he been coming out on top.
But thats simply not how it is.
After you get to 17, the difficulty ramps up to a very high degree, Branson says.
That was definitely intentional, obviously, [with] the A minor bar.
If you get over 18, you should be proud of yourself.
If you get under 18, you might not be like us.
It, too, is a direct reference to visuals from the Not Like Us video.
Its not rocket science.
