Azealia Banks, the controversial rapper, and her boyfriend Ryder Ripps have made a decent amount of cash selling an audio recording of their private tape on the blockchain as a non-fungible token (NFT) to the tune of more than $17,000.
In layman’s terms, NFTs are, in essence, a type of cryptocurrency like Bitcoin that is tied to digital artworks, music, GIFs, memes, or tweets instead of traditional money.
NFTs are part of the Ethereum blockchain, and their format can be just about anything under the sun, including an intimate audio recording. NFTs are virtual blockchain assets with distinct identification codes. They cannot be traded or sold at equal prices, unlike other cryptocurrencies.
The 24-minute album published on the NFT marketplace Foundation on March 6 and titled “I F—ED RYDER RIPPS,” is a recording of Banks and her boyfriend having intimate relations. NFTs are essentially a type of cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin, that are tied to memes, digital artworks, GIFs, or tweets instead of money.
“Historic and sexy event”
According to a VICE report, the private tape was sold to an artist who goes by the name Rulton Fyder, who now has full and sole ownership of the album. The audio album is perhaps the first erotic artwork to be minted as an NFT.
As Banks and Ripps wrote in the product description: “This sale is for the full rights and sole access to the first audio s*x-tape to be minted on the blockchain. Recorded in February 2021 by Azealia Banks and boyfriend Ryder Ripps, this sound-based artwork is sure to titillate for its full 24:22 duration. Don’t miss out on this historic & sexy event.”
On scandals and scams
Banks is no stranger to controversy. She has been involved in multiple scandals, including most recently when she made public her engagement on social media and wrote, “I’m Jewish now.” One commenter responded by saying, “it doesn’t work like that” and Banks fired back with a transphobic rant.
Banks also made headlines after she seemingly shared a video on the internet of herself digging up her dead cat’s remains and seemingly boiling it into a soup, according to Business Insider.
Meanwhile, after selling her audio recording, Banks called cryptocurrency “a scam” and not something she would indulge in, in the future.
She took to Instagram to give her opinion on the use and concept behind digital currency. After capitalizing on NFT to sell her audio recording, she later criticized the blockchain method in a three-story-long message on Instagram.
Image courtesy of Azealia Banks/YouTube Screenshot