Can You Gig It? New Facebook Game Turns You Into A Star

May 1, 2013 - 9:36 pm by Kevin Clark

"This ain't no farm" was the overall theme during last night's GIG-IT event at New York City's Capitale. The new social game is making its way to Facebook this month and will let players create 3D concerts featuring virtual versions of famous musicians performing the hottest songs right off the airwaves.

Powered by the Xbox 360's Kinect device accessory, players will be able to customize every aspect of the concert, including the music, backup dancers, speakers, opening act, headline performers, wardrobes, sponsors and even the venue. While users have the option to share their works of musical arts with their friends and followers on Facebook, special attention has been made to the social game create-a-performer element.

VIBE got an early hint at the night's festivities that saw the best and brightest hit the stage and mingle. The GIG-IT team showed us a demo of the game and afterwards we chatted with GIG-IT CEO John Acunto and artist, T-Pain. The motto ("This ain't no farm.") does take a jab at the popular Facebook game FarmVille, FarmVille 2, yet as you'll see that GIG-IT's advantageous debut is only the beginning.

Next, see what happens when superstars go social...

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A host of media figures, reality stars, sports and entertainment fixtures all littered Capitale as GIG-IT held their launch event last night (April 30). The star-studded occasion brought the likes of Rick Ross, Jamie Foxx, Big Kap, Large Professor, Ab-Soul, ScHoolboy Q, Raekwon, Slaughterhouse, Ne-Yo and many others within arms reach of the public's inquisitive touch. Users who weren't caught up in all the hoopla could select real-life rappers (Tyga, 2 Chainz, Lil' Wayne for example) and perform as them in front of eventgoers. All the while, some of the hottest performers in the game took the stage to hip gadget goons and techies to the latest social medium. Hosted by VH1's Lala Vasquez and We The Best CEO, DJ Khaled, the event got everyone turnt up. Special performances by Nas, 2 Chainz, Busta Rhymes, Fabolous, Miguel, Allison Park and Elle Varner took the audience on a musical journey that spanned the past 20 years of rap and R&B.

Next, "Your Music. Your Stage. Your Gig." goes viral...

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GIG-IT is the first of its kind to be launched exclusively on Facebook. Many services and games have already made their debut, but last night's (April 30) romp was billed as "the world's biggest celebrity video game ever," and boy did it deliver. Alongside celebrity fanfare were the likes of Randi Zuckerberg, Tahiry, K. Michelle and a bunch of eager audiophiles. 5WPR handled the publicity for the night's festivities, as the application dared players to merge social media, music, fashion and gaming into a single platform. VIBE was in the building, partying alongside the people and the biggest hip-hop heavyweights in a ballroom with 65-foot ceiling supported by marble Corinthian columns. The room where we conducted our interviews found us surrounded by the popular poem, "Invictus," adorned in gold with equally high ceilings. During the red carpet, "I'm Different" rapper told Mashable, "Today, a large chunk of the music business is about social interaction and connecting with our fan base in an unique way." While it is true that the artists benefit from being part of the game, Facebook hopes that it can reach some of its 1 active billion users to attract new fans looking for a uniquely entertaining experience.

Next, we let you know what the VIBE Perspective is...

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Acunto's company is the first artist-supported music game, as more than 50 artists have signed off on participating. "Everything that an artist is, is represented in this game. We worked hard to create a product that artists could [get] behind," Acunto said to Mashable. While at Capitale, we got a chance to use the tech and have to admit that it shows promise. The idea carries weight, and as the murmur of next-gen turns into a roar, GIG-IT could find a place in the social gaming universe. Our own, Mikey Fresh, got some key footage of Nas performing that you can see yourself below: [videoembed size="full_width" alignment="center"][/videoembed]
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