NFTs

Ice Cube’s Big3 Basketball League Adds Snoop Dogg As An Owner — And Will Let Fans Buy In, Too

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As members of the California-based supergroup Mount Westmore, Ice Cube and Snoop Dogg have been working closely together with E-40 and Too Short on their new album, Bad MFs, which is out now via Gala Music. However, it appears they liked working together so much that they’re expanding their endeavors. With Cube’s summer basketball league, Big3, returning for its fifth season, Snoop is joining the fun as part-owner of team Bivouac, which Cube revealed to TMZ Sports. In addition, they’re offering fans the chance to buy in, too.

They’ll do so with a custom cryptocurrency called FEAT — Forever Experience Action Token — dropping on Friday, June 10. “It’s better than an NFT,” he said in the interview. “I think people who can see the future of sports wanna be closer to the action. I don’t think any other league can offer something like what we’re doing… In a lot of ways, we’re in the perfect spot.”

Of Snoop’s involvement, he said, “Snoop is always at the cutting edge. He always wanna be first. When we said we was gonna start selling teams, he hit me right away saying, ‘I need to be a part of that.’”

That’s certainly characteristic of the Doggfather, who also said he wanted to make Death Row Records “the first label in the metaverse” after acquiring it earlier this year. Meanwhile, we’ll see if he can make Bivouac, which boasts a roster including Corey Brewer, Gerald Green, and Will Bynum coached by Gary Payton, a contender this season, which starts June 18 in Chicago.

Kanye West Files New Trademarks That Expands Yeezus Brand

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kanye west donda chris brown

Kanye West is a man with endless ambitions. The hit producer, who morphed into a Grammy Award-winning artist, is already the dominating music and fashion industry, but Ye wants more. It’s reported that Kanye West filed 17 new trademarks all surrounding the Yeezus brand. Mr. West filed trademarks for amusement parks, NFTs, toys, campaign buttons, clothing, cosmetics, and household items.

The news of Kanye filing trademarks for most of these items comes to no surprise seeing that he’s steady taking on new business endeavors. What fans should be surprised about is the trade mark for NFTs. Kanye didn’t hold back when he expressed how he felt about the metaverse. Back in February, Mr. West wrote on Instagram, “Do not ask me to do a f*****g NFT. Ask me later,” Seemingly later is now because according to his new trademarks, Kanye has a future dealing with NFTs.

READ MORE: Kanye West Signs Boston Celtics Guard Jaylen Brown To DONDA Sports

Along with the new trademarks surrounding the Yeezus brand, Kanye is building a strong roster for his DONDA sports agency. Already he’s partnered with Antonio Brown, signed NFL champion Aaron Donald, and Boston Celtics shooting guard Jaylen Brown just announced his arrival to the squad. “I’m team Ye,” said Brown.

Who knows what Kanye plans on doing with these new ideas, but we’re sure the world wants to know.

The post Kanye West Files New Trademarks That Expands Yeezus Brand appeared first on The Source.

A Yeezus Amusement Park May Be In The Cards, According To Kanye West’s Latest Reported Trademark Filings

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Kanye West 2022 Paris Fashion Week
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Kanye West, through his various endeavors, has a foot in pretty much every field of human endeavor right now; Recently, for example, Donda Sports has received attention for signing Aaron Donald and Jaylen Brown. Now, it looks like Ye is keeping an open mind when it comes to entering the amusement park game.

According to trademark attorney Josh Gerben, West — or more accurately, his Mascotte Holdings, Inc. company — filed 17 new trademark applications based on his Yeezus name, on May 27. The filings suggest Ye intends to attach the Yeezus name to things like amusement parks, blockchain-based currencies and non-fungible tokens (cryptocurrencies and NFTs), stores, toys, games, sporting equipment, buttons, clothing, bags, household items, and cosmetics, among others.

Aside from aforementioned ventures, West has kept busy with new music: Over the past week, he collaborated with Vory on “Daylight” and XXXTentacion on “True Love.” The new Yeezy Gap Engineered By Balenciaga collection also just had a global launch, and more reveals about what Ye has been up to have been shared as the new Hulu series The Kardashians. For instance, he apparently walked out on Kim Kardashian’s Saturday Night Live monologue after taking exception to some of what she said, and took his kids to school in a fire truck.

Snoop Dogg Buys Ownership Stake In Ice Cube’s BIG3 Basketball League

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Snoop Dogg Rutgers University

Snoop Dogg continues to update his business portfolio. The west coast icon, along with PayPal co-founder Ken Howery, spent over $600,000 to purchase an ownership stake in Ice Cube’s BIG3 league. The pair now have a 40-percent ownership stake in the Bivouac team in the league.

READ MORE: [WATCH] Ice Cube on The BIG3 “Ownership Is Important”

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Snoop, Ken, and their communities on board with the BIG3,” said BIG3 co-founder, Ice Cube. “Having someone with Ken’s knowledge and experience wanting to be a part of our league demonstrates that we are moving in the right direction. Snoop is an undisputed legend who has jumped headfirst into the Web3 space and clearly understands the importance and the value of what we are trying to create. Together, I know they will take Bivouac to new heights and we can’t wait to get started.”

Snoop and Howery purchased 25 Fire-Tier editions of Bivouac priced at $25,000 each. Meaning, the team’s stock was divided into blockchains for sale.

“The BIG3 is on the leading edge of enabling blockchain technology as utility,” said PayPal co-founder Ken Howery. “The league’s embrace of NFTs as ownership rights is both visionary and practical; key features of every smart investment.”

Howery and Snoop have some work to put in on The BIG3 as the Bivouac squad went winless last season due to injuries.

BIG3 is the official creator of the new global sport, FIREBALL3, the league is returning for its fifth season on June 18 with coverage live across CBS and Paramount+.

Share your thoughts with us on social media.

The post Snoop Dogg Buys Ownership Stake In Ice Cube’s BIG3 Basketball League appeared first on The Source.

Snoop Dogg Purchases Ownership Stake In Ice Cube’s BIG3 League

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snoop dogg big3 ice cube

Snoop Dogg continues to update his business portfolio. The west coast icon, along with PayPal co-founder Ken Howery, spent over $600,000 to purchase an ownership stake in Ice Cube’s BIG3 league. The pair now have a 40-percent ownership stake in the Bivouac team in the league.

READ MORE: [WATCH] Ice Cube on The BIG3 “Ownership Is Important”

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Snoop, Ken, and their communities on board with the BIG3,” said BIG3 co-founder, Ice Cube. “Having someone with Ken’s knowledge and experience wanting to be a part of our league demonstrates that we are moving in the right direction. Snoop is an undisputed legend who has jumped headfirst into the Web3 space and clearly understands the importance and the value of what we are trying to create. Together, I know they will take Bivouac to new heights and we can’t wait to get started.”

Snoop and Howery purchased 25 Fire-Tier editions of Bivouac priced at $25,000 each. Meaning, the team’s stock was divided into blockchains for sale.

“The BIG3 is on the leading edge of enabling blockchain technology as utility,” said PayPal co-founder Ken Howery. “The league’s embrace of NFTs as ownership rights is both visionary and practical; key features of every smart investment.”

Howery and Snoop have some work to put in on The BIG3 as the Bivouac squad went winless last season due to injuries.

BIG3 is the official creator of the new global sport, FIREBALL3, the league is returning for its fifth season on June 18 with coverage live across CBS and Paramount+.

Share your thoughts with us on social media.

The post Snoop Dogg Purchases Ownership Stake In Ice Cube’s BIG3 League appeared first on The Source.

Jay-Z And Damon Dash May Settle In Their ‘Reasonable Doubt’ NFT Lawsuit

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Last summer, Roc-A-Fella Records filed a lawsuit against Damon Dash after the label’s cofounder announced plans to auction a portion of Jay-Z’s debut album, Reasonable Doubt as an NFT. The label argued that the album is owned by the company, and not by its individual partners.

The lawsuit is ongoing, however, Jay and Dash are reportedly in talks to reach a settlement deal.

Jay-Z’s attorney Alex Spiro said in a filing earlier this week Dash and Jay were “in the process of meeting and conferring to determine whether they can reach a settlement agreement that would resolve this case.”

If Jay and Dash are unable to settle the case, Spiro and Jay plan to file a motion seeking full victory in the case.

Dash currently owns one-third of Roc-A-Fella, however, Spiro and Jay argue that Dash’s stake in the label doesn’t give him the right to sell any portion of the esteemed album.

“The sale of this irreplaceable asset must be stopped before it is too late, and Dash must be held accountable for his theft,” read the lawsuit filed against Dash last June. “The bottom line is simple: Dash can’t sell what he doesn’t own.” A judge immediately blocked the album’s sale as an NFT.

Dash and Jay must reach a settlement deal by April 1, according to the letter.

Snoop Dogg Will Appear As ‘Supercuzz’ In A New NFT Comic Book Series

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In the latest NFT news from Snoop Dogg, the rapping multihyphenate will appear on a series of NFT comic book covers. The Death Row records owner will grace five different covers of “Supercuzz,” a comic book series by crypto marketplace MakersPlace.

“Supercuzz” will see Snoop play the titular character—a superhero saving the day in the fictional “Angel City.”

“Snoop Dogg and BossLogic are two iconic forces in their respective crafts and are both pioneers in the NFT space,” said MakersPlace CEO Craig Palmer in a statement. “We’re honored to host the release of ‘Supercuzz’ collection on MakersPlace and give art enthusiasts accessibility in purchasing NFT’s from their favorite creators.”

Over the past year, Snoop has become a force in the realm of NFTs. Last year, he revealed himself to be the owner of @CozomoMedici, a popular NFT Twitter account. In February, he purchased Death Row Records, the former of the “Gin And Juice” rapper, Dr. Dre, and Tupac, and announced plans to turn it into an “NFT Label.”

Weeks after the announcement, fans noticed that some of the label’s iconic albums, including Snoop’s Doggystyle, and Dr. Dre’s The Chronic went missing from streaming services.

In addition to his recent NFT projects, Snoop also joined FaZe Clan as a member of the esports brand’s board of directors and talent. With this new partnership, he plans to launch a community outreach program.

Some Death Row Albums Including ‘Doggystyle’ And ‘The Chronic’ Were Removed From Streaming Services

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Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg Super Bowl 2022
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Following his purchase of Death Row Records last month, it appears Snoop Dogg has removed several of the label’s albums from digital streaming platforms. Upon purchasing the label, Snoop revealed plans to transform Death Row into an “NFT label” which will operate within the Metaverse.

Among the albums missing from streaming services are Snoop Dogg’s debut album Doggystyle, Dr. Dre’s debut album The Chronic, and Tha Dogg Pound’s Dogg Food. Still available from streaming are Tupac’s All Eyez On Me and The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory, as Death Row no longer owns the rights to Tupac’s master recordings.

While Snoop has not confirmed that he ordered these albums’ removal from streaming services, Dr. Dre’s attorney Howard King issued a statement to Complex earlier this month, following Snoop’s acquisition of Death Row. “There are false reports out regarding ownership by Death Row of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic,” King said. “Dr. Dre owns 100% of The Chronic.”

Over the past year, Snoop has built a large collection of NFTs, and even revealed himself as the owner of popular NFT Twitter account @CozomoMedici. Singer and prolific songwriter Sia also revealed herself as Cozomo de’ Medici’s “granddaughter” and the owner of the @BiancaMedici69 NFT Twitter account.

In addition to his venture into the NFT space, Snoop also joined FaZe Clan earlier this month as a member of the esports company’s board of directors and talent. He plans to launch a community outreach program through FaZe Clan.

Biggie’s Estate Is Launching A Notorious B.I.G. NFT Collection Backed By Quincy Jones

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Bob Dylan wasn’t kidding: the times, indeed, they are a-changin’. Today, on the 25th anniversary of the death the Notorious B.I.G., The Estate Of Christopher Wallace has announced that they will be launching a series of collectible NFTs. The series is being released in partnership with the NFT platform OneOf, which is backed by Quincy Jones. You can go ahead and file this as the most 2022 way to remember Biggie on the 25th year after his death.

“Using NFT technology, Biggie’s legacy and his outsized impact on music and culture will be forever cemented on blockchain, to be honored and shared with fans around the world and for generations to come,” OneOf COO Josh James said.

This is either a welcome statement or an appalling one, based on where you stand on the recent proliferation of NFTs. Details of what specifically these NFTs will look like weren’t immediately available, but there doesn’t seem to be a lack of ways to remember Biggie’s legacy to begin with. A Ready To Die 25th anniversary box set was recently announced, and even the apartment where he recorded the album went up for sale last year. Not to mention well… the music itself, which will undoubtedly live on forever.

Biggie’s mom, Voletta Wallace, voiced her excitement for the drop. In a statement, she said, “We are excited about our partnership with OneOf and their expertise to memorialize my son Christopher with this first official NFT drop to give his fans an opportunity to participate in and honor their love of him and his music.” For what it’s worth 2Pac’s “Immortal Collection” of NFT Jewelry was released last year. So maybe the two rappers can continue their beef on the blockchain as well?

Tyler The Creator Has Absolutely No Interest In NFTs: ‘What The F*ck Is A NFT?’

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Tyler The Creator 2021 American Music Awards AMAs
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NFTs have been a big deal for about a year now, and while some are still trying to wrap their heads around what “non-fungible tokens” even are, others have dived head-first into the game. Celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Brie Larson, Johnny Depp, Steve Aoki, Nas, Eminem. and more have all hopped on the NFT train, cashing in by selling exclusive content to their fans. On the other hand, names like Kanye West have expressed no desire to join the trend, as he stated in a now-deleted Instagram post. “My focus is on building real products in the real world,” he wrote before adding, “Do not ask me to do a f*cking NFT.”

Well, it seems like Tyler The Creator is also among the skeptics, as he revealed during a recent interview that was part of Converse’s 2022 All Star series. “What the f*ck is a NFT?” he said in a response to a question about them. He later added, “I paint at home, I play instruments. … I have a friend who’s making me speakers by hand right now. What the f*ck is a NFT?”

Tyler continued, “None of the examples I’ve seen is, like, beautiful art,” he said. “It’s a f*cking monkey in a Supreme hoodie.” He concluded his point by adding that you “can’t NFT me looking at you in real life.”

You can watch the full sit-down with Tyler in the video above.