Ghostface NFT Killah? Rap Legend Drops Bitcoin Ordinals

Key Takeaways

• Wu-Tang Clan’s’s Ghostface Killah is releasing exclusive music as Bitcoin Ordinals.
• The 10,000 music Ordinals will be free to mint and come with Creative Commons Zero (CC0) rights.
• While NFTs for music are common, utilizing Bitcoin Ordinals for music distribution remains a novel approach.

Dennis David Coles, better known as Ghostface Killah from the iconic hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, has announced his plans to release exclusive music as Bitcoin Ordinals. 

This move marks a unique intersection of cryptocurrency and music distribution for the renowned rapper.

Rapper to Release of 10K Free Music Ordinals with Full Usage Rights

In a recent post  on Twitter, the rapper revealed plans to distribute 10,000 of his music Ordinals through a free minting process.

Additionally, he said  that holders would gain Creative Commons Zero (CC0) rights. This, effectively, relinquishes copyright interest and lets anyone modify, enhance, and reuse the music.

Ghostface attributed the creation of the Bitcoin Ordinal collection to a collaborative effort with Ordinals Bot, Rare Scrilla, and NakaPepes.

The rapper’s venture into the cryptocurrency space dates back to 2017 when he tried to set up his own cryptocurrency firm. Cream Capital, aimed to secure $30 million through an initial coin offering (ICO), a method that popular among celebrities then.

Few Rock with BTC Ordinals: Music NFTs Still Favor Other Blockchains

Ordinals, are Bitcoin’s equivalent of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). They are inscribed directly onto the Bitcoin blockchain, utilizing Bitcoin as the required token for minting. As per the Ord.io website’s latest update, a total of 1,290 audio files have been inscribed onto Bitcoin.

The trend of issuing exclusive music or rights to previously released tracks as NFTs has gained momentum among musicians. Blockchain-powered platforms like Sound.xyz and Audius are enabling artists to exercise greater control over their work.

Notably, the American thrash metal band Megadeth  and the estate of Michael Jackson have joined the ranks of artists offering exclusive music and content to their fans through this approach.

However, the use of Bitcoin Ordinals for the release of exclusive music drops and fan perks is relatively uncommon among musicians.

Bitcoin Ordinals See Resurgence, Attract Brands

Ordinals burst onto the scene in early 2023, with the first minted on the Bitcoin mainnet by developer Casey Rodarmor. Despite an initial surge in popularity, interest in Ordinals began to fade. However, by March 4, there was a noticeable resurgence in their weekly sales. They even surpassed those of Ethereum, with its price at $3,272.

Meanwhile, Ordinals have garnered attention from notable brands. NFT marketplace SuperRare declared  its foray into Bitcoin Ordinals on March 15, introducing a new collection titled “No Brainers.”

Also, in February, an emulator for the iconic Nintendo 64 (N64) gaming console was inscribed onto Bitcoin. This marked an effort to preserve classic video games through blockchain technology.

About the Author

Teuta Franjkovic

Teuta is a seasoned writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience. She has expertise in covering macroeconomics and technology as well as the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. She has worked for several publications as a journalist and editor, including Forbes, Bloomberg, CoinTelegraph, Coin Rivet, CoinSpeaker, VRWorld and Arcane Bear. Teuta began her professional career in 2005, working as a lifestyle writer at Cosmopolitan in Croatia. From there, she branched out to several other publications, covering mainly business and the economy. She then turned her attention to the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain, believing that crypto is among the most important inventions in the history of humanity. Her involvement in fintech began in 2014 and she has since lent her expertise in writing, editing and gathering information about the world of crypto, blockchain, NFTs and Web3. An all-round news hound, mentor, editor, and writer, Teuta enjoys teamwork and good communication. She holds a WSET2 diploma and has a thing for chablis, punkrock music and shoes. She also holds a double MA in Political science and Entrepreneurship.

See more

[email protected] LinkedIn Twitter