Universal Music Buys Ape NFT to Frontline a New Cursed Band

Hell is empty, and all the monkeys are here.

Virtual Band

Have you ever wanted a band as gimmicky as Gorillaz, but with grifty NFT nonsense instead of musical talent? No? Well, too bad! 

Universal Music has purchased a Bored Ape NFT to the tune of $360,817 to frontline a new music group, Reuters reports. The female character has been dubbed "Manager Noët All" and will lead a band called "Kingship."

Joining her in this exercise in tediousness are three other Bored Apes and a Mutant Ape NFT on loan from crypto collector Jim McNelis. Like the Gorillaz, Kingship will be an all virtual group. However, it’s going to create music and perform virtual concerts on the metaverse.

"For it to become part of culture, I think that would be an amazing thing," McNelis told Reuters, referring to his precious NFTs. 

Digital Shills

Originally announced in November, Kingship is a big signal of the music industry’s belief in the future of entertainment. 

In a statement, Universal Music said that the group will be "developing and releasing new music, NFTs, community-based products, activations and experiences in the metaverse, and kick off a new generation of artist, fan and community engagement."

Kingship will also follow a growing trend of digital "celebrities" big corporations are using to shill products. 

Indeed, though crypto once offered a promise of decentralized technology that gave power and agency back to the masses, it was inevitable that companies would figure out a way to make a quick buck off of it. 

Who knows though? If Kingship manages to create bangers half as good as the Gorillaz, we might begrudgingly queue it up on Spotify. 

READ MORE: Universal Music label acquires ape NFT to lead virtual music group [Reuters]

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