Queen’s We Will Rock You has become a fixture at sporting events around the world, and now US hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion has released a new version of the song to mark the return of the NFL.
Used to soundtrack a Gladiator-themed Pepsi ad that also features NFL players Travis Kelce, Josh Allen, Justin Jefferson and Derrick Henry, this new recording includes elements of Queen’s original song, but adds trap drums and Stallion’s vocals.
The ad riffs on research indicating that a lot of men - presumably ones who also watch the NFL - frequently think about the Roman Empire. It quickly transports two fans - played by actors Lamorne Morris and Jake Lacy - from their bar stool bantz to the colosseum, where Emperor Megan Thee Stallion presides over a battle between the aforementioned NFL stars and some angry-looking CGI tigers.
As the music plays, the football players manage to tame the big cats, before the fans are transported back to reality to be greeted by Travis Kelce on TV. “Are you not entertained?” he asks.
It’s not just We Will Rock You that’s being covered here - the whole ad is a homage to the 2004 Pepsi commercial that featured Gladiators Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Pink performing their version of Queen’s song.
"I'm honoured to follow in the footsteps of the legends who appeared in this Gladiator campaign 20 years ago and proud to have carved my own new legacy," said Megan Thee Stallion. "Pepsi really brought the worlds of music, sports and entertainment together in a powerful way to set off the new NFL season. It was fun putting my creative flip on such an iconic Queen song and I can't wait for the Hotties to hear it!"
The ad also takes inspiration from Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II, the upcoming sequel to the original Gladiator, which starred Russell Crowe and was released in 2000. A lot of cultural bases being touched here, we think you’ll agree.
And who forget that, also in 2000, we had the Five + Queen covering We Will Rock You, which includes the immortal lines, “Bring the feedback and let it drop/As long as Five bring the funk, Queen bring the rock”.
Are you not entertained?
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