Bugzy Malone’s Grandest Game
3.8/5
Critic Rating
It’s the game that shocked and thrilled the world: Grand Theft Auto. Its rise to domination is an incredible story. Rapper Bugzy Malone played it through his hardest times.
Critic Reviews
Score: 3
James Marriot • The Times UK • Dec 2, 2022
"The idea amuses. Making podcasts for the BBC is not something one generally associates with rappers. Rap is all about swagger, lawlessness and crime. The BBC is all about caution, cardigans and sticking to broadcasting regulations. The tonal shift from the rest of the BBC is pleasing. The music is bombastic, the accents non-RP, the enthusiasm for simulated murder almost unlimited. Long may the BBC experiment in this way."
Score: 4.5
Fiona Sturges • Financial Times • Nov 20, 2022
"They make a compelling case for games as an art form equal to film and TV in creating engaging visuals and narratives. I was initially sniffy about Malone’s involvement in the series. But while it is Warburton who has done the legwork, the reason for Malone’s presence becomes clear in the fourth episode when he discusses how San Andreas, the fifth GTA game, reflects criminal culture. …"
Score: 4
Miranda Sawyer • The Guardian • Nov 19, 2022
"...the co-hosting is fine, though the sections where Warburton chats to Malone don’t always work, due to Malone’s stonewalling. Still, we’re not here for the presenters, we’re here for the virtual carjacking/ drug-pushing/ pedestrian-killing, and GTA’s history is interesting. For me, seven episodes was one too many, but this is a fascinating, revealing tale of modern culture."
