From Hip-Hop to Gaming: A Legendary Rapper's Journey into Crafting Sludge Life's Iconic Soundtrack

Adam "Doseone" Drucker, a hip-hop veteran with a career spanning decades, is the mastermind behind the captivating music of the recently launched open-world graffiti platformer, Sludge Life 2. With a long list of albums and collaborations under his belt, including a notable rap battle against an up-and-coming Eminem and work alongside renowned artists like Aesop Rock and Atmosphere's Slug, Doseone has established himself as a prominent figure in the industry.

Transitioning into the realm of indie game music and sound design, Doseone opened up about his experience in an interview with Game Rant. He discussed the unique challenges and differences he encountered in comparison to his past musical endeavors. Furthermore, Doseone delved into the creation of Sludge Life's soundtrack, emphasizing the need for an unconventional soundscape to complement the game's distinctive tone and theme.

Games like Sludge Life Give Musicians a Creative Direction

Doseone, a highly prolific musician, has created an impressive body of work consisting of countless tracks, features, and collaborations. He has shown remarkable diversity in his lyrical themes and styles. Despite his successful music career, Doseone recognized the need for a new approach when it came to creating music and sound design for video games. He desired to make art that not only stands on its own but also perfectly aligns with the game's requirements.

Now, being involved in game development has allowed me to contribute to something much larger than the repetitive cycle of creating new music. I have become an integral part of a significant and thriving entity. Working on music and sound design for games has given me the opportunity to transcend my own subjective creative challenges and truly excel in meeting the game's needs. It has become a rewarding experience, and thanks to Terri's guidance, I am now able to apply my skills and vision as a writer to the mix as well!

Sludge Life 2's Soundtrack Was Broken Into Several Categories

Creating an album for its own sake can be a solitary endeavor, as feedback is often scarce and the main objective is self-expression. However, crafting a video game soundtrack requires meeting specific criteria for success. The music and sounds must seamlessly integrate into an established world, and songs that are suitable for an album may not necessarily be suitable for the game. While this can present limitations, many video game composers, such as Doseone, view it as a gratifying challenge to overcome.

Verticality is a key aspect of Sludge Life 2, set within the imposing Ciggy City Suites hotel and its sprawling surroundings. Doseone cleverly incorporates the vertical nature of the game's environment, allowing the music to dynamically evolve as players venture deeper into the lower levels.

The world Terri created was vividly depicted in my mind, leading to a natural understanding of how the music should be crafted. There are three distinct categories of music. Firstly, there are the Glug-related tracks which consist of catchy, upbeat tunes that fill the halls of Ciggy City Suites. As you descend, the soundscape transitions to the music of Sad Boy, characterized by slow, mood-heavy melodies without beats, echoing from forgotten radios in the sludge. Lastly, there are the Big Mud songs, also produced by Sad Boy, which truly capture the emotions and atmosphere of growing up in the world depicted in Sludge Life.

However, it is crucial for all three sets of music to complement each other without becoming repetitive.

In Sludge Life and its sequel, there are various musician characters such as Big Mud and Sad Boy. This allowed Doseone to immerse himself in a musical roleplay, embodying these characters and creating music from their unique perspectives. The outcome is a diverse soundtrack that encompasses numerous distinct identities, all of which play a significant role in shaping the game's sonic world. Sludge Life 2 can be accessed on PC.