Meet the Rap Viper

By James McFadden

Last month, a G.I. Joe-themed video started making its way around the Internet, but it wasn't a movie trailer or a commercial. It was the music video for "Rap Viper," a track from an alternative hip-hop artist from Canada, known as Wordburglar. And it's actually only one song from an entire G.I. Joe-themed concept album, Welcome to Cobra Island. "Rap Viper" could probably be considered a parody, but it is filled with old and obscure references that long-time fans—of both the cartoons and comics—will appreciate.


You can check out the entire album at propsdept.bandcamp.com, where you can also buy the CD version, complete with lyrics booklet. There are songs about Cobra Commander, Destro and Zartan, as well as one dedicated to that strange corner of the G.I. Joe universe, Cobra-La. The album also includes the three-part "A Letter from Snake-Eyes", loosely adapted from Snake-Eyes' dramatic letter from the final issue of the Marvel Comics series, G.I. Joe #155.

I would've included some hip-hop reference or joke up above, but I'd just end up embarrassing myself...


James McFadden has written more than a dozen articles for the United Kingdom's Official Star Wars Fact File, as well as the article "The Forgotten War" and "The History of Star Tours" for StarWars.com. In addition, James has contributed to a number of fan Web sites. His first book, Fighting for Freedom: The Unauthorized G.I. Joe Chronology, is coming soon from Hasslein Books.