In an astonishing turn of events, the Biggie Smalls NFT project was completely sold out in just ten minutes.
While the crypto markets remain sluggish, notable NFT projects are thriving. A case in point is the estate of the legendary rapper Notorious B.I.G., which managed to fulfill its bold claim, 'Sky’s the Limit,' by selling out all 3,000 pieces in their generative PFP series within the first hours of its launch on the music-focused NFT platform OneOf.
In the wake of unsuccessful posthumous NFT endeavors like the problematic Stan Lee collection, as well as releases by living artists such as Chris Brown, latest dud , the success of Sky’s The Limit: The Notorious B.I.G. Collection has sparked discussions about why certain projects succeed while others falter.
Notorious B.I.G., known as Christopher Wallace in civilian life, tragically lost his life 25 years ago due to a drive-by shooting linked to a turbulent rap rivalry between coasts. west coast .
The legacy of Biggie continues to resonate immensely, irrespective of the passing time. This year was particularly poignant as subway stations near his childhood home on St. James Place in Brooklyn released limited-edition Metrocards to honor what would have been his 50th birthday on May 21. This promotion drew huge crowds, with lines stretching for blocks during its duration. Perhaps the depth of sentiment surrounding this recent sellout can be attributed to the very essence of the subject at hand.
Or perhaps the astounding success of this project results from a combination of elements. It’s crucial to highlight that Biggie's estate and the collaborators chose not to use a specific artist to create elements like outfits, facial expressions, and accessories that merge to form each unique NFT. Instead, they partnered with a corporate animation company, Seriously Fun, that did a remarkable job, resulting in each depiction of Biggie appearing almost deep fake , remarkably lifelike without resembling a creepy wax statue.
Typically, it's unusual to find a collection so captivating that one could browse through it purely for enjoyment without any intent to make a purchase. Yet, this one feels like examining a previously undiscovered collection of photographs. It's akin to peering into the mind of the late rapper for insights into his legendary fashion sense –grounded in his life experiences and inspired by his lyrics.
Like any strong NFT initiative, the crew behind 'Sky’s the Limit' appreciates the importance of utility, community engagement, and the artwork’s intrinsic value. Anyone can talk, but the estate of Biggie shows they can deliver. The collection’s webpage indicates that each holder automatically becomes a member of the Sky's The Limit Collective, which seems designed to function similarly to a DAO .
Each holder will also claim a fraction of the collective 80% of voting the rights to Biggie’s legendary 'Fulton Street Freestyle,' which he famously delivered to a crowd on a Brooklyn street corner at the age of seventeen.
'The proposals for the collective will be shared through an exclusive, token-access Discord channel,' the site explains, 'with any revenue generated from sampling the freestyle directed back to the platform,' CoinDesk added. 'The launch event for the platform will be a collaboration with EmpireDAO, a new crypto coworking space in lower Manhattan.'
Biggie's estate strategically selected the right platform for this release. Founded in late 2021, OneOf has garnered support from various musicians, including Quincy Jones and G-Eazy, and positions itself as a music-focused platform that is accessible and environmentally friendly, operating on the Ethereum and Polygon blockchains. OneOf has successfully preserved the legacies of other influential artists who have passed, such as Whitney Houston, collaborating with her estate to auction a previously unheard demo for $1 million. Tezos This presents a captivating insight into what ultimately drives a successful NFT release. Although high prices typically convey value, those premium drops don’t perform as well as affordable options such as Potatoz and Goblintown—both of which were offered at no cost. The Biggie drop had a price point of $100 per unit in fiat currency, while accepting credit cards helped eliminate barriers for buyers.
'What makes us distinctive is that our founders and team not only have an understanding of technology'
but also a profound background in music. We possess a unique combination of skills at OneOf that allows us to bridge tech with music, something that other partners often lack the insight to advise on,' OneOf Co-Founder & COO Joshua James shared, crypto expertise . 'The Biggie estate genuinely wanted his fans to feel as if they were co-creators, and we’re determined to honor the legacy and make them proud.' nft now The 'Sky’s the Limit' lyricist wouldn't have settled for anything less than an unprecedented sell-out. He was dedicated to uplifting the community—now, his enduring supporters can return the favor by assuming stewardship of his 'Fulton Street Freestyle.' As Biggie himself said in the hymn linked to this collection, 'Just keep pressin’ on.' More developments await from this expanding collective, including the
The Notorious B.I.G.’s NFT collection grants collective ownership of the rapper’s most celebrated freestyle. Brook Metaverse and more.
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Hack Seasons Airdrops Calendar Vittoria Benzine is an art writer and personal essayist residing in Brooklyn, focused on contemporary art within the realms of human context, counterculture, and chaos magic. Her work appears in publications like Maxim, Hyperallergic, Brooklyn Magazine, and beyond.