first single: “Aerith”

stream and download it free at http://random.bandcamp.com/track/aerith

press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2010 –

LOS ANGELES, CA – Is Capcom’s Hip-Hop representative switching teams? In a stunning move, hip hopper and educator Random, aka Mega Ran is planning to release a Hip-Hop album using tunes from Square’s hit game Final Fantasy VII on January 31, 2011.

Ran’s new 7-track album will release 14 years to the date that the Final Fantasy 7 game launched in Japan and sent the world into a frenzy. The production on the album will be handled by Lost Perception, a veteran hip-hop producer from Phoenix who shares an equal love for Final Fantasy and Hip-Hop.

Since 2007, Random has built an amazing presence, reputation and fanbase by sampling video game tunes and adding original lyrics and driving beats to them, attracting fans in both the video game and hip-hop communities. Random and K-Murdock’s Forever Famicom album dropped last Summer, and has been a huge hit, propelling tours and appearances in Nintendo Power, Wired and other magazines.

Final Fantasy VII (FF7), released in 1997 by Square, has since sold over 9 million copies worldwide, and is widely considered by many to be the greatest game of all time, and one that has revolutionized role playing games (RPGs) forever. Random agrees, and knows he can’t let the diehard fans down.

“Final Fantasy 7 is THE game that got me back into console gaming,” Ran says, after college life at had taken him away from video games for years. “I’ve never to this day been as emotionally invested into a game as I was with FF7, and doubt I will be again.” My heart will always be in 8-bit, but I just wanted to give back to (FF7 creator Nobuo) Uematsu and co. for creating a masterpiece.”

Ran usually alternates between heavier themes and video game topics in his music, as his last two releases, “Forever Famicom” and “Heroes, Volume One” demonstrated. The first single, “Aerith” is a heartbreaking tale retelling one of the most shocking moments in videogame history, the death of Aeris/Aerith, a playable character in the FF7 game. It is available now on iTunes.

The quest begins all over again on January 31, 2011. The album will be available exclusively on Random’s official website, megaran.com. Stay Tuned right here!