DLC Review: ‘DJ Hero: Jay-Z vs. Eminem Mix Pack’

As we reported last month, DJ Hero received a three pack of downloadable mixes and they sure didn’t hold back. For it, they got series icons Jay-Z and Eminem and took some of the most popular songs of each artist to make these mixes. You’ll notice that I am referring to them as mixes and not mashups.

Taking a slightly different step from the traditional DJ Hero song formula where one song’s lyrics are used over another song’s background, these three mixes showcase both sets of lyrics.

The three mixes featured in the pack are “Can I Get A…” by Jay-Z with “Lose Yourself” by Eminem, “Shake That” by Eminem with “Show Me What You Got” by Jay-Z, and “Without Me” by Eminem with “Encore” by Jay-Z. All of the mixes fall into the High intensity category.

If you have opened up other songs in this category then these should be reasonably playable for you but if it wouldn’t be recommended to play them without working your way up to High intensity. Even at medium, these songs feature some fast track switches as well as simultaneous scratching and crossfading.

The “Without Me/Encore” mix is a very unique mix as it takes a rather fast paced Eminem song and combines it was a background that sounds like it would have been the theme song of a 1970s TV show. But it works. One thing that no one can dispute about DJ Hero is the level of quality brought by the unique and expertly done mixes in the game. Without a doubt, it is leaps and bounds from the original cover songs that used to be featured in the Guitar Hero series.

“Shake That/Show Me What You Got” has a fun feel to it and is easily a more dance-able track than “Without Me/Encore”. The only let down at all of the mix is that PG lyrics. While it’s understandable that Activision sticks to a no swearing policy to keep ESRB ratings low (which downloadable content does not adhere to), the rest of the song’s message is fairly vulgar. Our suggestion, go all the way with it if you are going to put in a song about a girl shaking her ass and performing oral sex.

The highlight song of the pack comes from “Can I Get A…/Lose Yourself”. Easily the two most icon songs of the bunch, the mix is flawless and could easily be heard being played at a real nightlife venue. No complaints about this mix. Make sure to take a look at our original announcement story to get a preview of this one.

Overall, this pack is a must buy for any fans of the two rap stars who own DJ Hero. For those unsure about the series still, prices have fallen drastically since its release and it might be a great time to pick up a copy and download this content. If you love this style of music, the DJ Hero: Jay-Z vs. Eminem Mix Pack is well worth the $8.00 price tag on XBox 360 and PlayStation 3, or $3.00 per song on the Wii.