Snoop Dogg Debuts Pioneering ‘Passport Series’ NFT with Exclusive Tour Perks Amid Growing NFT Controversy
TL;DR:
- Snoop Dogg has launched an innovative ‘Passport Series’ NFT that provides exclusive tour updates to fans.
- This unique NFT, launched in partnership with Transient Labs, also offers a variety of benefits such as artworks from selected NFT artists.
- Amid ongoing controversies around NFTs, the rapper’s digital merchandise venture encourages fellow artists to explore new ways to connect with their audiences.
Legendary rapper Snoop Dogg is entering uncharted territory with his new ‘Passport Series’ Non-Fungible Token (NFT), aimed at providing fans with unique access to his life on tour, starting in July. Touted as the first “evolving digital tour collectible,” the Passport NFT is priced at around $45 or 0.025 Ethereum (ETH) and is available for purchase on snooppassport.xyz.
The Passport NFT goes beyond traditional collectibles by offering fans regular updates in the form of behind-the-scenes footage and images from Snoop and his team throughout his tour. Additionally, Snoop plans to launch ‘Snoop Selects’, a collection of works from handpicked NFT artists, which will be released free of charge to all Passport holders.
The benefits of owning a Passport NFT extend to include access to future Snoop Dogg drops, playlists, the ability to purchase merchandise and tickets to events, among other privileges. “With the Passport Series, I can give my fans the opportunity to travel the world with me — no one’s ever done that,” Snoop Dogg stated. He expressed his hope that his initiative might inspire other artists to consider the potential of digital merchandise.
This innovative ‘Passport Series’ was developed in collaboration with NFT development studio Transient Labs, a Denver-based company founded in 2022. The deal was facilitated by WME, representing both Snoop Dogg and Transient Labs. Transient Labs’ Chief Operating Officer, Chris Ostoich, voiced his excitement about this novel opportunity to link one of the world’s greatest artists to his fans.
Snoop Dogg has long been a player in the crypto space. In 2021, it was revealed that he was the person behind the pseudonymous NFT influencer account “CozomoMedici”, which held $17 million worth of digital collectibles. That same year, he launched his first NFT collection, dubbed “A Journey with the Dogg”.
Despite the potential of NFTs, they have recently been a point of contention. The ongoing controversies have been fueled by concerns about the environmental impact of blockchain technologies, the potential for market manipulation, and issues surrounding intellectual property rights. Practices like ‘wash trading’ — where a person artificially inflates demand for specific NFTs by pretending to be both the buyer and seller — have added to the skepticism. Nonetheless, the NFT market has shown resilience. OpenSea, a popular NFT marketplace, recorded over $320 million worth of NFT trades on the Ethereum network in January alone. Snoop Dogg’s pioneering venture in this space thus arrives at a critical juncture, potentially shaping the future of NFTs in the music industry.
