Big Shaq Takes on Trainline Voicebot in Rap Battle

Rail ticket retailer Trainline has put its new voice app to the ultimate test - by pitting it against comedy rapper Big Shaq.

Billed as 'the first ever voicebot rap battle', the results were captured in a two-minute film created by BBH London, which launched this week across YouTube, SnapChat and Instagram. 

In the ad, directed by Kristian Young through Burning Reel, comedian Michael Dapaah's rapper character, Big Shaq - who scored a viral hit last year with Man's Not Hot, and was even name-checked by Jeremy Corbyn - goes head to head with Trainline’s voice app to demonstrate how the app can help simplify rail journey planning.

Fresh from a test session in a recording studio, Big Shaq plans his journey home by opening the Google Assistant and saying “OK Google, talk to Trainline” to activate the voice app.  He's then greeted with a rapping voicebot who answers all his questions freestyle.

With lines like "That train is direct / Your rhymes are hot like the greenhouse effect", the voice assistant isn't going to be putting the likes of Eminem out of business, but it's an entertaining enough concept - and crucially brings a bit of personality and humour to the often soul-destroying business of travel planning.

If you fancy your own chances at battling the bot, you can easily find out if your rap skills are up to scratch - simply play the video, access Trainline’s voice app through the Google Assistant and spit out some bars to the beat.

Speaking about the campaign, David Slocombe, product director at Trainline said: “In the world’s first rap duet between a rapper and a Voicebot, Big Shaq put Trainline’s voice app through its paces but it was more than up to the challenge! Trainline’s voice app is a great example of our mission to use smarter technologies to make travel simpler and more hassle-free.” 

“What's great about Trainline's voice app, is its ability to remember what you've said about your journey and continue a conversation," adds Hamish Pinnell, creative director, BBH. "So what better way to demonstrate this than a rap collaboration with Big Shaq?"