Ghostface Killah, the American rapper known for his involvement in the popular hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, has revealed that he will be releasing exclusive music as Bitcoin Ordinals. In a social media post, Ghostface announced that there will be a limited supply of 10,000 Ordinals available through a free mint. He also stated that holders of these Ordinals will have Creative Commons Zero (CC0) rights to the music.
CC0 allows for the waiver of copyright interest in a specific work, giving others the freedom to build upon, enhance, and reuse the music as they wish. Ghostface’s Bitcoin Ordinal collection was made possible through a collaboration with the Ordinals Bot, Rare Scrilla, and NakaPepes.
Ghostface’s involvement in the cryptocurrency industry dates back to 2017 when he attempted to launch his own cryptocurrency company called Cream Capital. The venture aimed to raise $30 million through an initial coin offering (ICO), a popular trend among celebrities at the time.
Ordinals are similar to nonfungible tokens (NFTs), but they are inscribed using the Bitcoin blockchain and require Bitcoin (BTC) as the minting token. As of now, there have been only 1,290 audio files inscribed to Bitcoin, according to the Ord.io website.
Releasing exclusive music as NFTs has become increasingly popular among new musicians. Platforms like Sound.xyz and Audius have utilized blockchain-powered solutions to give musicians more control over their content. Notable artists such as American thrash metal band Megadeth and Michael Jackson’s estate have also released exclusive music and offerings to their fans.
However, using Bitcoin Ordinals as a means for musicians to release exclusive music drops and fan perks is less common. Although Ordinals had gained popularity in early 2023 with the minting of the first one on the Bitcoin mainnet, their presence in the crypto space has somewhat diminished. Nonetheless, they have seen some traction with big-name brands. The NFT marketplace SuperRare recently announced its expansion into Bitcoin Ordinals and unveiled a new Ordinal collection called “No Brainers.”
In February, a Bitcoin inscription campaign was launched to preserve classic video games, with an emulator for the Nintendo 64 (N64) being inscribed in Bitcoin. This demonstrates the potential of blockchain technology in preserving and promoting various forms of digital media.
Overall, Ghostface Killah’s decision to release exclusive music as Bitcoin Ordinals showcases the growing intersection between music and cryptocurrency, offering fans a unique and decentralized way to engage with their favorite artists.