Among the plethora of NFT-loving celebrities, few are perhaps as enthusiastic as the rapper Snoop Dogg. From having an enviable collection of NFTs to launching several projects in the space (including an upcoming Bored Ape-inspired restaurant), the rapper’s love of NFTs is very well known.
Now, Snoop Dogg, along with fellow rapper Eminem, has taken his love of NFTs to one of the biggest stages in the world- the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs). This year’s show, which was held on August 28, 2022, saw the two deliver a Bored Ape-infused virtual performance.
Bored Ape at the VMAs
This performance from the two was significant not only because of the NFT influence but also because it marked the VMAs’ foray into more virtual performances. It should be noted that the award show only just introduced the “Best Metaverse Performance” category and seems to be taking them more seriously.
The Snoop Dogg and Eminem performance was also a virtual one, projected onto screens at New Jersey’s Prudential Center. It saw the two rappers ‘smoke’ a comically large joint and then fall into a ‘high’. In this digital high, all sorts of bizarre situations were displayed on the screen, such as a pinball machine, outer space and a colourful whirlpool.
During the performance of the song D2 to the LBC, the two rappers switched between animated 3D renders of themselves and Bored Ape avatars. It should be noted that the official music video for the song also featured Bored Ape avatars and now, they are being shown to an even bigger audience.
In terms of the metaverse and NFT promotion at the VMAs, this performance, along with the “Best Metaverse Performance” that was won by the South Korean girl group BLACKPINK, took the cake.
Since the performance was aired, there have been all sorts of reactions from fans. NFT enthusiasts love the fact that Bored Apes were incorporated into the performance and are being shown on one of the biggest award shows in the world. NFT critics have hit back, claiming that the use of NFTs was out of place. Then there are music fans who were disappointed that it was not a ‘traditional’ performance and some that were confused as to the point of the Bored Apes.
This is similar to the response that was gotten when the new category was announced by the VMAs; some love it, some hate it, and some don’t even understand what is going on.
NFTs on Your Screens
NFTs having such a big celebrity fanbase means that this is not the last time that we will see this kind of imagery on our screens. The effect of this will be that more people will be aware of NFTs than before, which aids adoption.
After all, few televised events are as watched as the VMAs and this makes it the perfect place to advertise what can be done with the metaverse and NFTs. And who better to show this to us than our favourite rappers?
Author
Tokoni
Show all posts from Tokoni