Rae Sremmurd Have a Young Thug Collaboration on ‘SremmLife 3′ Album

Last week, EA Sports celebrated the release of the highly anticipated video game, Madden 18, at the Skylight Modern in New York City. Hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd commemorated the launch during the special media event by putting their gaming skills to the test. Along with the release of the game, guests were treated to a special performance from Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi, who capped off the night in stellar fashion.

EA Sports decked out the Skylight venue with huge HDTV screens, computer monitors, TVs and NFL memorabilia. With every screen in the facility playing the different gaming modes featured in the new Madden 18, celebrities, athletes and influencers teamed up to compete against each other in the new MUT Squads mode. Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi battled it out during an intense football game against former NFL great Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson. Another rapper in the building who also competed in the Madden tournament was Massachusetts native Joyner Lucas.

Around 11:30 p.m., internet sensation The Fat Jew hit the stage to present the Rae Sremmurd, who kicked off their performance with their first major hit "No Type." Their energy was not only felt on the stage last night but it transcended into the crowd as guests began to let loose to Swae and Jxmmi's music. To follow up, the duo performed their biggest hit to date with a special rendition of the smash single "Black Beatles." The group then went on to perform a few more of their well-known songs before closing out with their latest smash, "Perplexing Pegasus" off their forthcoming album, SremmLife 3.

Shortly after Rae Sremmurd's set, which concluded around 11:55 p.m., the Ear Drummers duo stayed on the stage to help celebrate the midnight launch of the anticipated Madden 18 game. Popping champagne bottles for the grand occasion, Swae and Jxmmi led the countdown for the official release of the NFL game. Now available for Xbox 1 and PS4 consoles, Madden 18 can be purchased at select EA Sports retailers and accounts.

Before Rae Sremmurd's epic performance, XXL caught up with Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi to discuss the new Madden 18 game, their love for video games and what to expect from SremmLife 3, which includes a Young Thug collaboration. Check out the interview below.

XXL: You got a chance to play Madden 18 earlier today. What are you thoughts on the new game this year?

Swae Lee: Well, we got a copy of the game like two weeks early so we've been playing it at the house for a while now, you know what I'm saying? But today we were here playing it against Chad Ochocinco and others and we took an L, but it's OK. We're gonna get fire at that game and come back for a rematch against Chad real soon!

Slim Jxmmi: Man, the experience was real fun, man. I liked the new MUT Squads mode. It was really tight and like Swae said, we took the L but we coming back for that rematch.

So what about when you guys play each other? Who's better at Madden—Jxmmi or Swae?

Swae Lee: I think right now we're pretty much evenly matched at the moment [laughs]. I don't know if Jxmmi's been playing low-key at the crib but I'm gonna get my skills up when I get back to the crib, you know what I'm saying? You need to check with us in a one month to see who's better!

Slim Jxmmi: Yeah, right now we're at the same skill level I think. We're just learning how to play but the game is real fun.

What about when you guys are on the road? What video game do y'all play the most?

Swae Lee: Madden will definitely be one of the games we're gonna play on the road but I play Grand Theft Auto a lot.

Slim Jxmmi: I play Tekken, UFC, Street Fighter, For Honor. Anything that involves fighting in the video game I like.

What's one game that you both really get into and be battling out for hours?

Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi: Grand Theft Auto [laughs]!

Slim Jxmmi: Man, we be going crazy in that game.

Swae Lee: We be wildin' in that game. Going crazy all the time.

Music-wise, I know you guys are getting ready to drop a new album, SremmLife 3. When should we expect that to drop?

Swae Lee: The album, man, we got like 30 songs right now we just gonna filter through those songs and figure out which ones are the best of the best out of all the songs we made. We gonna get the album wrapped up. It's gonna drop somewhere between now and the next three months, you know what I'm saying? It's gonna drop real soon.

How will this project be different to your successful SremmLife 2 album?

Slim Jxmmi: I think this project is going to show our growth. It's going to be us, but more mature, but it's still going to be the same good vibes. The same good music. the same fun, you know what I'm saying?

What about guest appearances on this project? Who's featured on this?

Swae Lee: We don't really want to spoil it honestly, but I'll give you one guest appearance just because it's XXL and we fuck with XXL, you now what I'm saying? But yeah, we got Young Thug popping up on the project. We got some really good music with him.

Best advice you've gotten from Mike Will Made-It?

Swae Lee: The best advice he gave me was to stay working and to stay on the next wave and not to worry about what people are doing now because it'll die down, so always stay on the next wave.

Slim Jxmmi: He told me to stay consistent and and whatever I do, to do it consistently.

I know you guys have recorded a lot together and also a lot individually, but Swae what's your favorite verse from Jxmmi? And Jxmmi what's your favorite verse from Swae?

Slim Jxmmi: To be honest my favorite verse from Swae hasn't even came out yet. It's gonna be on the upcoming album and it's really hard. I can't even sing it. I want to, but trust me, it's hard!

Swae Lee: Man, Jim got so much stuff on the album. We've been listening to it so much that's the reason why we saying that because we've been hearing the album a lot but my favorite verse from Jxmmi is his verse on the "Perplexing Pegasus" single. He ripped that verse. He killed that joint.

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