While his Scottish roots may deceive, you would be forgiven for missing Graeme’s (Gamertag: AceyBongos) hip-hop credentials. His Nissan Micra and his collection of rock anthem compilations may fool many, but after a few drinks in a karaoke bar, you can be assured of a great performance with beat boxing and hand gestures as he lets himself go.

Just as well then that Def Jam ICON is on its way to Xbox 360 soon. Featuring some of the top artists in the world, the previous Def Jam games have stacked up as some of the best fighters out there.  Music plays a huge part in this series and Def Jam ICON has a few new tricks up its sleeve to entice all musical tastes – even Graeme’s favourite Meat Loaf.  Each beat affects the environment around you in some way, from pumping the suspension of a car in the background to producing gushes of flame on a smashed up petrol station forecourt that you can throw your opponent into.  In an Xbox 360 exclusive, you’ll be able to play music from your own collection to make use of this great feature.

You can even switch songs and scratch during combat to make use of the interactive scenery more effectively.  Once you’ve mastered the combat system, you have the opportunity to become a Hip Hop icon and build your own empire.  From signing new artists through to managing their careers it’s all in there but don’t be fooled – this is no Excel spreadsheet, it’s one of the best brawlers on Xbox and you’ll be able to select some of your favourite stars including Ludacris, T.I. and more. With a demo already on marketplace, you can get a taste of what this great beat-em-up has to offer. 

Music fans should also by now have checked out the new Lumines Live add-ons recently added to Xbox Live Marketplace.  With the full package unlocked, we’ve been dreaming about different configurations for four falling blocks as the hypnotic soundtrack plays.  It’s one of the best puzzle games out there and playing in high definition with completely new skins is an experience that should not be missed.

Coming soon to the world of Xbox is the Xbox Big Day Out 2007.  This annual event combines music, snowboarding and Xbox 360 on the slopes of Val D’Isere and you can look forward to some very exciting Xbox 360 music announcements there.  To celebrate this exciting event, we’re giving away a custom snowboard in our competition.  All you need to do to enter is sign up to the Xbox.com newsletter and in the next issue you’ll find out how you can win a custom made Xbox snowboard with your gamertag or nickname on it!

We’ll be bringing you exclusive coverage from the Big Day Out and looking at the latest games on show. Until then, I’m investing in a pair of noise cancelling headphones so that I don’t have to listen to Graeme’s music any more!

By Mark Eveleigh, Xbox.com Editor. Gamertag: Making Sparks