NFT
Grammy-winning digital musician RAC just lately teamed up with HIFI Labs to launch the CULT Go, a dynamic, blockchain-enabled membership move for his Web3 supporters.
Somewhat than a static digital picture, the NFT orb morphs relying on the contents of an proprietor’s pockets, utilizing particular generative seeds based mostly on the inventive vibe of digital artist Andres Reisinger plus visible prompts from text-to-image AI mannequin Steady Diffusion—and audio triggers by RAC himself, in fact.
“This challenge assessments what’s attainable on the intersection of Web3 and AI,” Joe Barham, co-founder and CEO of HIFI Labs, informed Decrypt.
i am so proud to announce ↴
CULT Go ✨
an experiment in on-line id i have been constructing over the previous 12 months with @hifilabs
a dynamic membership that visually modifications and morphs based mostly on what’s in your pockets pic.twitter.com/m7iVkbCr9E
— rac.eth ⌐◨-◨ (@RAC) Could 4, 2023
The CULT Go was formally introduced final week, however RAC (actual identify André Anjos) began distributing them to his greatest followers a number of months in the past.
“We’re not making an attempt to promote a product with these. It’s extra concerning the idea and constructing that out,” he explains. It’s the most recent in a protracted line of Web3 initiatives undertaken by RAC in an try to bridge the hole between artist and viewers, in addition to assist repair what he calls a “damaged music business.”
In 2017, RAC allowed followers to buy “Ego,” the first-ever full album launched through the Ethereum blockchain, after which did the identical in 2020 along with his album “Boy.” About 150 followers took him up on the latter supply, and he mentioned that it’s the closest he ever felt to the individuals who actually valued his artwork.
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Within the years which have adopted, he’s experimented with his personal ERC-20 token, RAC, and launched a number of NFTs alongside the usage of Patreon and Discord in a bid to additional construct a group round his music.
“I’ve spent a lot time constructing networks and making an attempt to attach with audiences on social media,” says RAC, “just for these firms to start out placing issues behind a paywall.”
It’s occurred on SoundCloud, Fb, and most just lately Twitter. These CULT Go orbs are designed to behave like a membership token to the RAC fan membership, and morph relying on which RAC tokens you already personal.
“It’s a solution to take possession of our group. It’s a layer above social networks,” he continues, likening it to sporting a t-shirt of your favourite band. “It’s not all the time concerning the ‘factor.’ It is about belonging to one thing.”
A take a look at the CULT Go orb mutation course of. Picture: RAC
The CULT Go orb is an early model of the expertise and, with 4 completely different iterations of visuals obtainable, is at the moment very “on the rails” in keeping with RAC—however he and HIFI Labs have large plans for the place it goes subsequent.
In addition to imagery, RAC needs to include generative music and video in future variations of the orb, whereas off-chain actions resembling streaming music on Spotify, shopping for gig tickets, and watching livestreams may also affect how the orb evolves.
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“The system is in-built a method that acknowledges and helps natural, genuine engagement,” explains Barham.
In addition to leveling-up the orb, this knowledge may also be utilized by the artist to reward followers with issues resembling pre-sale entry or unreleased music. Because the orb evolves, so will the entry and utilities it unlocks. Heavy steel band Avenged Sevenfold just lately pursued the same initiative with its TicketPass NFT and an integration with Ticketmaster.
“It’s transactional, however not exploitative,” says RAC of his method. “Even inside our ecosystem, I feel some individuals get caught up within the buying and selling side of these items. I needed to maneuver away from that and create a membership that means that you can construct upon it.”
love my orb.
it is sort of humorous as a result of I technically do not personal my extra uncommon releases so it is pretty low tier, nonetheless attractive although. pic.twitter.com/g3oBWxHTjq— rac.eth ⌐◨-◨ (@RAC) Could 4, 2023
Proper now, the orb is centered round RAC and his profession, however he’s very a lot the check case. “Now we’ve constructed the infrastructure and framework, we’re capable of iterate fairly shortly,” he explains. “We are able to apply this expertise to anybody.”
“Each artist has their very own model of audio and visible DNA, their very own engagement type and distinctive group,” provides Barham. “The framework we rolled out with CULT Go—whereas replicable and broad—is supposed to mirror the distinctive expression of every artist and their group.”
Sooner or later, this framework may also be utilized to clutches of like-minded Discord communities or subreddits. There’s no agency launch date for future variations of the orb as a result of, as RAC explains, they’re nonetheless “figuring this out as we go.”
“My method with these things has all the time been ‘come be part of it.’ I do know there’s a complete class of followers who don’t care about any of this, and that’s high-quality. I do wish to reward the followers who’re invested although as a result of it’s about constructing a fairer system for all of us,” RAC continues, including that he needs to ensure that each artwork and the viewers is valued.
“We’re very early, however I actually do consider in what we’re doing,” he provides. “When else do we actually have the chance to form the long run like this?”
