Hip hop and NFTs: From rap gods to rap apes and beyond
The world of hip hop is no stranger to the use of cutting-edge technology. From the early days of sampling and turntablism, to the rise of online mixtapes and streaming platforms, hip hop has always been quick to adopt new trends to help create and disseminate its music.
And now, it looks like hip hop is about to embrace another new tech: non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, digital assets that are stored on a blockchain and can’t be replicated or counterfeited. This makes them perfect for use cases like digital art, where provenance and authenticity are important.
So let’s take a look at some of the key hip hop NFTs that have been released so far, and how the technology is set to change the hip hop environment.
TL;DR:
- Big names like Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z and Eminem have all released NFTs, although none are technically “music” NFTs.
- Keyon Christ’s “Black Skin Machine” was one of the first music NFTs in the hip-hop world.
- Music NFTs can be upscaled to sell multiple copies of the same work, like Mike Shinoda’s ZIGGURATS.
- NFTs can also be used to release compilation albums, like the “Masterminds of Hip-hop” NFT.
- Artists from all over the world are experimenting with NFTs, including Al Darwish from Syria and Xabitat from Hong Kong.
- NFTs offer a new way for artists to sell and distribute music, and for fans to collect and show their support. This has the potential to lead to a more democratic, decentralized, and sustainable music industry.
Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, Eminem: Big names get in on the action
One of the first hip hop artists to experiment with NFTs was the legendary Snoop Dogg. In March 2021, he released an NFT collection called “A Journey with the Dogg”, including both art inspired by the NFT movement and some memories from his early years.
Other high-profile hip hop artists have been quick to catch up with Snoop Dogg on the NFT bandwagon. In June 2021, Jay-Z announced that he was releasing an NFT commemorating the anniversary of his album “Reasonable Doubt.” The lot was ultimately sold for 138,000 US dollars.
Another big name in the world of hip hop, Eminem, took a different approach. Instead of minting an NFT of his own, he bought one. Dubbed “Eminape,” the NFT portrays the rapper as an ape, wearing his iconic khaki army cap and a gold necklace. The purchase cost Mr. Mathers some 460,000 dollars.
Keyon Christ’s Black Skin Machine: First hip-hop NFT?
What unites all of the cases above, apart from the booming names of the artists in question, is that, apart from one track in Snoop Dogg’s drop, none of them were actually music NFTs. So, while they did show that some of the biggest names in hip hop are interested in the technology, they didn’t really show what NFTs can do for music.
But other artists have been quick to experiment with NFTs for music. In April 2021, music producer Keyon Christ, known for his work with Kanye West and Rihanna, released a track called “Black Skin Machine” as an NFT. Whether it was actually the world’s first hip-hop music NFT is still up for debate, but it was certainly one of the first.
The track was sold at a relatively modest 5 ETH — around 14,000 USD at the time, — far below the prices achieved by some of the other artists mentioned above. Still, it was still an important milestone, showing that NFTs can be used to sell and distribute music in a new way.
Mike Shinoda’s ZIGGURATS: Upscaling the music NFT model
While selling a single NFT might be the go-to approach when talking about “collectible” digital assets, it’s not the only way to do things. One example of this is the work of Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park and Fort Minor fame, who released 5,000 NFTs for his “ZIGGURATS” mixtape.
The initial price for each “copy” was just 15 Tezos — around $60 at the time of the release, — making it one of the most affordable NFTs on the market. Each NFT featured individual artwork, thus ensuring that each copy also had a collectible value.
At the time of writing, there are almost 500 NFTs in second-hand circulation, sold at ca. twice the original price. Such a combination of both scarcity and utility is a strong selling point for NFTs, and it’s likely that we’ll see more hip-hop artists experiment with this model in the future.
“Masterminds of Hip-Hop”: NFTs take on the classics
Of course, not all hip-hop NFTs have been created by artists themselves. In August 2021, a group of music industry veterans launched an NFT collection called “Masterminds of Hiphop.” Curated by founder of Def Jam Records Russell Simmons and Snoop Dogg, it featured never-before-heard or -seen recordings and artwork of the biggest names in early hip hop.
With just 40 NFTs issued, it could be one of the most exclusive collections in the world of hip-hop. Whether it will be a success in the long run remains to be seen, but it’s certainly an interesting experiment in how NFTs can be used to reignite interest in classic tracks and support the artists that shaped the genre.
Al Darwish, Xabitat and others: NFTs go global
Most of the NFTs we’ve seen so far have been created by Western artists who are already well-established in the music industry. At the same time, there’s also been a growing number of NFTs from artists in other parts of the world.
One example of this is Al Darwish, a prominent Syrian Arab rapper, who has recently released a collection of 23 NFTs for his track “Ana.” With each copy featuring artwork individually hand-signed by the artist, it seems to be the first hip-hop NFT in the MENA region.
Another example is Xabitat, a hip-hop group from Hong Kong. Xabitat just participated in Dope NFT Music Night — the first “NFT music show” in Asia, where the Dope Ones NFT Mixtape debuted. A collaboration between artists and fans from both HK and the US, the mixtape highlights the potential of NFTs to connect artists and fans from all over the world.
With the popularity and utility of NFTs growing all the time, it’s likely that we’ll see more and more artists from all over the world experiment with the technology. This could lead to some interesting new collaborations and help to break down barriers between different music scenes.
Towards a more decentralized hip-hop industry: A look into the future
So far, we’ve only scratched the surface of what NFTs can do for hip hop. But it’s already clear that the technology has a lot of potential in the genre. For artists, NFTs offer a new way to sell and distribute music. For fans, they offer a new way to collect and show their support for their favorite rappers.
The benefits go far beyond distribution, though. Here at DOPE ONES, for example, we are creating a web3 platform where artists and fans can use NFTs to collaborate, engage, and support each other throughout the creative lifecycle.
Historically, music has been created in a very centralized way, with fans entering the equation much later in the process. With NFTs, we can flip this model on its head and give fans a direct say in what kind of music gets created and how it’s distributed.
We believe that this will lead to a more democratic, decentralized, and ultimately more sustainable music industry. And we think that hip hop, with its DIY ethos and history of innovation, is the perfect genre to lead the way.
