NFTs have been all the rage lately. From the typical profile picture (PFP) type of NFTs, to NFTs with utilities, and the rug pulls in between, it is a wild west out there.
This is in part due to the rags to riches stories of many NFT traders, who have seen their net worth multiply in a short time by flipping NFTs.
It is also a fun and community-based endeavour for people new to crypto, similar to collecting old trading cards and other collectibles.
Celebrities have also joined in the fun! This past year, we have seen many celebrities hop on the NFT bandwagon and released different collections of their own.
Today, we will explore some of the notable collections and how they are faring currently.
1. Phantabear
The PhantaBear project was jointly launched by Jay Chou’s PHANTACi and Ezek. It featured 10,000 algorithmically generated digital collectibles that feature clothing and accessories designed by PHANTACi, the fashion brand co-founded by Jay Chou.
Each Phanta Bear doubles as an Ezek membership card, granting access to members-only benefits.
This includes discounts In global PHANTACi Stores, access to the new entertainment world of Ezek Metaverse, airdrops, and more.
There were also a number of celebrities who showed support to the project on their own social media accounts, including Steve Aoki and Singer Will Pan.
The project’s initial mint price was 0.26 ETH. It was off to a roaring start initially, selling out in 40 minutes. It also garnered one of the top volumes in OpenSea, once dethroning Bored Ape Yacht Club in sales volume.
The hype for the project has since died down, with a floor price of 0.85 ETH at the point of this writing.
2. Clone X
In November 2021, Clone X was launched. It was released by renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami in collaboration with virtual fashion collective RTFKT Studios
This was a 20,000 avator drop featuring a uniquely random combination of traits designed by Murakami himself.
This is a huge collection with a merge of various themes, from anime to sci-fi and streetwear. It boasts 8 different DNA types (Human, Alien, Reptile, Robot, Undead, Angel, Demon, Murakami), and over 300 3D traits.
Clone X also represents the start of a full ecosystem for RTFKT. In Dec 2021, Space Pods were airdropped to all Clone X owners, as the start of their home on the Metaverse.
Their upcoming developments include building an ecosystem, with Clone X wearables and NFTs with 3D files that can be displayed into the Space Pods.
Its performance has also continued to rise during recent weeks of bear markets, cementing itself as a highly sought after blue chip NFT project.
3. A Journey with the Dogg
Legendary hip hop artist and cultural icon Snoop Dogg has also been a prominent figure in the NFT scene. In March 2021, he released his first NFT collection “A Journey with the Dogg” on Crypto.com.
This collection brought together memories from his early years with art inspired by the NFT movement, including an original track called “NFT,” and “Snoop Dogge Coins.
More recently, Snoop Dogg released his nineteenth studio album, BODR aka Bacc On Death Row as an NFT on Gala Games. The NFT has been released as a one-of-a-kind digital “Stash Box”, and only 25,000 exist, each priced at US$5,000.
Perhaps as a testament to his ambitious vision, he also has plans to turn Death Row Records, a music label he bought, into the first NFT music label.
“If anything is constant, it’s that the music industry will always be changing,” Snoop said in a press release. “Blockchain tech has the power to change everything again and tip the table in favour of the artists and the fans, and we’re going to be right at the front of the pack.”
4. Head of State Collection
Former First Lady Melania Trump has also entered the NFT scene.
Trump released an auction in January 2022, offering a Head of State Collection that included one of her hats, an original watercolour, and an NFT of a digital artwork.
These items were in commemoration of the Trump Administration’s first official state visit with French President Macron and Mrs. Macron to the white house in 2018.
The collection was put up for auction, where it was sold for 1,800 SOL tokens (approximately $180,000). However, it was later found that the auction winner’s wallet address was tied to the NFT creator’s wallet address. This hinted that it is likely that Trump bought the collection herself.
Despite these unfavourable reports, Trump has shown no signs of slowing down.
On February 21st, President’s Day, she released another set of digital collectibles: the POTUS NFT Collection.
This collection recognizes important moments in America’s history, with NFTs depicting Mount Rushmore, the White House and Air Force One and more. This is a collection of 10,000 NFTs on the Solana blockchain, each priced at US$50.
Conclusion
With all the hype surrounding NFTs, it is little surprise that we see celebrities from various industries jumping on the bandwagon.
A huge aspect of NFTs is its community. With the celebrities’ clout and popularity, they can easily bring onboard a huge community of fans into the NFT space.
Are celebrities NFT a bane or boon to the ecosystem? This remains to be seen. What we can see is that collections that are built well, with or without celebrity power, can be hugely successful and a mainstay in the ecosystem.
Featured Image Credit: Engadget
Also Read: High Floor Prices And Consistent Trading Volume: What Could Be The Next Blue Chip NFT?
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