Re-imagining Hip-Hop Icons as Pokémon Trainers

 I was around when the Pokémon craze hit in the late 90s. I started with Pokémon Red and Blue and the first anime series in 1998. Trading cards, the Missing No. glitch, how to find Mew, I was there for all of it. Now with nine generations the brand has gone through ups and down and is actually the highest selling brand on the planet. I'm not sure how. It must be more than games because their game sells doesn't facilitate that kind of status. In other words Pokémon is huge and it's been a big part of my life. I dropped off of the series after gen 2 and later missed it in 2011/2012 and tried Emerald. While I had fun with it, it didn't convince me to get back into it not until I saw a forum post that detailed the history of all the current mons and it made me hype to go back into it and I started with Soul Silver and I went on from there.

I had a similar relationship with hip-hop. I grew up in the 90s at the peak of the genre and during the late 2000s like 2007 I started to dislike the direction of hip-hop and dropped off from listening to it until 2012 when I discovered the underground scene. With these two similarities I thought it would be fun to mash the two together. I have no criteria for this. I will just pick hip-hop artists I know a bit about; mainstream, underground, even DJs and businessmen. On the Pokémon side, same thing. I'm not putting any limits except for no legendary or mythical Pokémon and they can be any kind of trainer. I'm not limiting to this to gym leaders for instance. Now, that I got that out of the way let's have some fun!

MF Doom

This late legendary rapper from NYC is one of the most critically acclaimed in the hip-hop heads scene. Madvillain is still one of the best albums of all time. MF Doom is known for his pension for comic books, donning his metal mask, and his non-typical form of rapping. For this reason I'm making MF Doom an Elite Four member with a focus on Steel-Types. When you enter his chamber you will face an arrangement of art deco sculptures with Doom sitting on top of his throne on a hill of microphones.

His team consists of:

Bastiodon (male)

Ability: Sturdy

Moveset: Screech, Protect, Iron Tail, Bulldoze

Bronzong  

Ability: Levitate

Moveset: Trick Room, Metal Sound, Psychic, Flash Cannon

Steelix (male)

Ability: Rock Head

Moveset: Dragon Tail, Iron Tail, Spikes, Head Smash

Klinklang

Ability: Plus

Moveset: Grind Gear, Thunderbolt, Metal Sound, Assurance

Galarian Weezing (male)

Ability: Levitate

Moveset: Poison Gas, Gunk Shot, Flamethrower, Explosion

DMX

This rapper provided a lot of bangers that made me want to fight. DMZ was one of the toughest, but also at the same time kindest rappers when he was alive. "Party Up" played at all of the parties when I was in college and "How It's Going Down" is one of my favorite songs of all time. He's an icon in pop culture his songs being a part of a few internet trends throughout the past 5 years and being a playable character in Def Jam Vendetta. He should've been in Fight for New York too. Although I could see him as a gym leader I can't imagine him using only one type so I'm putting DMX as the leader of a biker group of trainers. Dogs were a big part of DMX's aesthetic and I see trainers battling him outside of basketball court with the wire fences in the hood.

Pokemon:

Houndoom (female)

Item: Mega Ring

Ability: Solar Power

Moveset: Fire Blast, Foul Play, Roar,  Smokescreen

Granbull (male)

Item: Normal Gem

Ability: Intimidate

Moveset: Crunch, Play Rough, Sunny Day, Flamethrower

Mightyena (female)

Ability: Intimidate

Moveset: Snarl, Roar, Fire Fang, Sunny Day

Arcanine (male)

Ability: Intimidate

Moveset: Flamethrower, Extreme Speed, Roar, Solar Beam

Sableye

Ability: Prankster

Moves: Shadow Claw, Knock Off, Will-O-Wisp, Taunt

Megan Thee Stallion

This Houston rapper I see as a gym leader. She hails from Texas and is dubbed the hot girl so I want her gym to have a rodeo aesthetic with some pyrotechnics for a fiery festival feel. She'd wear a bedazzled red ten gallon hat with a matching red crop top and booty shorts. Megan will be a Fire-Type gym leader and upon defeating her she will present the Hottie Badge and the TM for Fire Blast.

Pokémon:

Rapidash (female)

Ability: Flame Body

Moveset: Fire Blast, Stomp, High Horsepower, Agility

Salazzle (female)

Ability: Corrosion

Moveset: Fire Spin, Poison Gas, Skitter Smack, Cross Poison

Talonflame (male)

Ability: Flame Body

Moveset: Brave Bird, Steel Wing, Screech, Flare Blitz

Ninetails (female)

Ability: Drought

Moveset: Will-O-Wisp, Fire Blast, Solar Beam, Extrasensory

Mudsdale (female)

I know this isn't a Fire Type, but gym leaders don't always follow the monotype rule. Giovanni in Pokémon Red and Blue used a Kanghaskan on a team of Ground Types and in Pokémon Yellow he also used a Persian. Thee Stallion would most definitely have the two horse Pokémon and her Mudsdale's mane will be braided.

Ability: Stamina

Item: Scope Lens

Moves: Mudshot, Stealth Rock, Fissure, Rock Tomb

Blaziken (female)

Ability: Blaze

Moveset: Fire Blast, Double Kick, Swords Dance, Aerial Ace

2Pac

The most prolific rapper of all time, Tupac Shakur. The west coast emcee took the world by storm with his catchy songs and political views in his lyrics and interviews. His music has been influential to many artists in the new age like Kendrick Lamar. You still see many fans to this day wearing 2Pac shirts and he was also one of the few rappers that was actually good at acting. Poetic Justice is still a hood classic and a personal favorite. Given his status in the world of music I'm making 2Pac a champion.

Pokemon:

Garchomp (male)

I don't know why, but Garchomp just seems right. It also seems like the perfect Pokémon to fit a thug aesthetic. I can't quite explain it. Maybe it's the grittiness of a street shark, but I think Tupac would definitely have this on his team.

Ability: Rough Skin

Item: Rocky Helm

Moveset: Outrage, Earthquake, Swords Dance, Stone Edge

Scrafty (male)

I also think that Scrafty gives out the thug essence. The mohawk doesn't fit, but it's foldy skin that looks like baggy pants definitely reminds me of it. Scrafty may have been intended for punk, but it's going to be hip-hop in this case.

Ability: Shed Skin

Moves: Fake Out, Foul Play, Drain Punch, Dragon Dance

Houndoom (male)

This is the closest Pokemon to that of a Rottweiler and I definitely see Pac with a Rott. These dogs were associated with the hood back in the 90s.

Ability: Early Bird

Item: Lum Berry

Moveset: Crunch, Flame Thrower, Rest, Nasty Plot

Noivern (male)

I don't really have a reason for this pick other than Noivern feeling fearsome and cool.

Ability: Infiltrator

Item: Life Orb

Moveset: Draco Meteor, Air Slash, U-Turn, Shadow Claw

Scizor (male)

Yeah, I really can't explain this one either.

Ability: Technician

Item: Occa berry

Moveset: Bullet Punch, Swords Dance, Bug Buzz, Air Slash

Haunter (male)

Gengar is generally better, but 2Pac managed to train a Haunter beyond its limits and it's power is equivalent to a Mega Gengar. He possesses one of the most powerful Haunters in the world.

Ability: Levitate

Item: Eviolite

Moveset: Shadow Claw, Disable, Toxic, Sludge Bomb

The Notorious B.I.G.

If I did 2Pac you know I had to do Biggie. The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls is just as prolific as Pac. People have been debating for decades who the better rapper is and he has been just as influential in hip-hop as Pac. Everyone knows of these two rappers beef and their untimely demise. Biggie was known for his lyrical wordplay and his smooth delivery full of bravado. He too would also be a champion in the Pokémon world with statues dedicated to him as one of the best trainers the world has ever seen.

Pokemon:

Snorlax (male)

Biggie is a big dude and so is Snorlax. I actually named one of my Snorlax's Biggie before.

Ability: Thick Fat

Item: Leftovers

Moveset: Rest, Sleep Talk, Earthquake, Body Slam

Scrafty (male)

Same reason of Pac basically.

Ability: Moxie

Item: Life Orb

Moveset: High Jump Kick, Foul Play, Zen Headbutt, Dragon Rush

Exploud (male)

Ability: Soundproof

Item: Sitrus Berry

Moveset: Boomburst, Screech, Thunder Fang, Ice Beam

Mega Aggron (male)

Ability: Sturdy

Moveset: Iron Head, Rock Slide, Bulldoze, Iron Defense

Ditto

I can't explain it, but I feel like Biggie would have a Ditto on his team to make his team versatile and use his opponent's strength against them.

Ability: Imposter

Item: Quick Claw

Moveset: Transform

Blastoise (male)

I really struggled with this last pick. I was thinking Nidoking or Alolan Exeggutor, but ultimately thought Blastoise fit Biggie best. I don't have any particular reason for that.

Ability: Torrent

Item:

Moveset: Surf, Aura Sphere, Ice Beam, Iron Defense

Saweetie

The Icy Girl is a fan of Sailor Moon and everything sparkly. She's not one of my favorites, but she screamed out to me as an Ice-Type trainer so I thought it would be fun to do.

Pokemon:

Glaceon (female)

Ability: Ice Body

Moveset: Ice Beam, Double Team, Iron Tail, Swagger

Dewgong (male)

Ability: Thick Fat

Moveset: Blizzard, Bubble Beam, Encore, Drill Run

Frosslass (female)

Ability: Snow Cloak

Moveset: Blizzard, Shadow Ball, Hail, Light Screen

Alolan Ninetails (female)

Ability: Snow Warning

Moveset: Blizzard, Aurora Veil, Baby-Doll Eyes, Dazzling Glean

Frosmoth (female)

Ability: Shield Dust

Moveset: Blizzard, Quiver Dance, Fairy Wind, Signal Beam

Mega Diancie

Saweetie is all about that ice so I feel like she should definitely have the jewel Pokémon. Her Diancie is actually her signature Pokémon and it's unique as its the only Diancie that knows Ice Shard.

Ability: Magic Bounce

Moveset: Moonblast, Diamond Storm, Ice Shard, Light Screen

Russell Simmons

The head of Def Jam Records. Russell Simmons is responsible for putting so many rappers and singers on into the mainstream realm. Amerie, Redman, Big K.R.I.T., Foxy Brown, and DJ Clue are just a few artists have been on the label. Even Kingdom Hearts icon Hikaru Utada was on Def Jam. In this Pokemon world Russell Simmons will be the leader of a seemingly evil organization that the player confronts. At the top of the tower you will face Russell Simmons and his Pokémon are:

Stoutland (male)

Item: Razor Fang

Ability: Intimidate

Moveset: Crunch, Work Up, Wild Charge, Return

Persian  (female)

Ability: Limber

Item: Normal Gem

Moveset: Payday, Hyper Beam, Hypnosis, Play Rough 

Shuckle (female)

Ability: Sturdy

Item: Sitrus Berry

Moveset: Sticky Web, Stealth Rocks, Stone Edge, Wrap

Bisharp (male)

Ability: Inner Focus

Item: Air Balloon

Moveset: Metal Claw, Sucker Punch, Swords Dance, Thunder Wave

Torterra (female)

Ability: Overgrowth

Item: Leftovers

Moveset: Leech Seed, Earthquake, Giga Drain, Superpower

Tropius (male)

Ability: Harvest

Item: Sitrus Berry

Moveset: Bullet Seed, Aerial Ace, Defog, Dragon Pulse

That's all for right now. If you all liked this then I would consider doing a part two with more rappers and icons in the hip-hop culture.