The Otaku King Who Built His Own Lane

Marcus Brown II, known as Richie Branson, started as a music producer with a mainstream deal in front of him — and walked away from it. In late 2011, a break from playing Star Wars: The Old Republic turned into a song, and that song turned into a career: rap built honestly out of the games, anime and stories he actually loved.

The industry did not have a box for that in 2012. Branson built one anyway. Coverage from IGN, Kotaku, Crunchyroll and TheForce.Net followed, not because nerdcore was a gimmick, but because the records were good — focused, funny and made by somebody who was clearly one of the culture’s own.

From The Cold Republic to Toonami

His 2012 Star Wars EP The Cold Republic put him on the map, and “Letter To Squaresoft” — a protest record aimed at Square Enix — drew worldwide gaming-press coverage and a public response from the company itself. The Wing Zero EP, built entirely around Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, made him a fixture of the anime community.

Then came “Bring Back Toonami.” Branson’s record calling for the return of Adult Swim’s beloved anime block was adopted by Adult Swim itself, used in promotional broadcasts and followed by his theme for Toonami’s premiere broadcast when the block returned.

Otaku Gang and Life After Death Star

With producer Solar Slim, Branson formed Otaku Gang and released Life After Death Star (2015), the Notorious B.I.G. × Star Wars mashup LP that went viral and earned critical acclaim, including coverage from Nerdist. The group followed with Marshall vs Capcom and the OG 64 Mixtape, and the crown-and-OG mark became the flag for a whole community of fans who had never seen themselves in hip-hop before.

From Records to Building the Games

Branson’s second act is as a builder. He worked as a game designer at Harmonix and at Epic Games, where he designed for Fortnite’s Festival mode. His viral browser game built around Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” drew national coverage, and in 2025 he co-founded the entertainment development studio FanArcade, where he serves as CEO — creating gaming collaborations with major artists and brands.

He has also made ending themes for Rooster Teeth’s Camp Camp — voicing Jake Stonewall — and his music has soundtracked Adult Swim’s Toonami. Rapper, producer, designer, founder: the through-line is a creator who never waited for permission.

The Digital Chapter

Critical Content helps translate Richie Branson’s music, gaming history, humor and builder’s mindset into consistent Facebook storytelling. The strategy connects longtime Otaku Gang supporters with a new generation discovering the man behind the crown.

Sources and notes: Career information was checked against published artist biographies, discographies and coverage from IGN, Kotaku, Crunchyroll, Nerdist and Rolling Stone. Critical Content partnership details are based on internal management records.