Atlantic Records rapper Kevin Gates will incorporate POAPs into his Khaza Tour, making one available to fans who attend his upcoming sold-out show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on April 16.
Warner Music Group has struck yet another deal in the burgeoning NFT sector.
The major has entered into, what it says is, the first-ever partnership with Web3 startup POAP Inc.
Short for ‘Proof of Attendance Protocol’, POAP recently raised $10 million, led by Archetype and Sapphire Sport.
According to a media statement, the deal will see Warner and POAP “mint shared memories as NFTs”, with collectors receiving authenticated digital proof they attended an event or were part of a specific experience.
WMG says that owning a so-called ‘POAP’ can also grant collectors access to future rewards from the issuer, such as airdrops, raffles, private chat rooms, exclusive content, and more.
Atlantic Records rapper Kevin Gates will incorporate POAPs into his Khaza Tour, making one available to fans who attend his upcoming sold-out show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on April 16.
Oliver Tree, also an Atlantic Records artist, was the first WMG artist to use the technology, offering a POAP to fans who joined a pop-up event celebrating the launch of his latest album, Cowboy Tears.
To date, WMG says that over 4.5 million POAPs have been issued to over half a million collectors.
The company has previously partnered with the likes of adidas, Budweiser, Coach, TIME Magazine, Lollapalooza, FOX, the US Open, and others.
“The bridges that POAPs forge between our digital identities and our physical lives provide a tangible layer to our experiences and memories.”
Oana Ruxandra, WMG
“The bridges that POAPs forge between our digital identities and our physical lives provide a tangible layer to our experiences and memories,” said Oana Ruxandra, Chief Digital Officer & EVP, Business Development, WMG.
“Music has always been highly contextual: who we are and what we are doing all affect how we perceive a record. POAPs provide artists and fans new ways to hold on to moments shared forever.
“We’re really looking forward to collaborating with the POAP team as we continue to explore and innovate.”
“The team is incredibly excited to work with POAP to continue building unique ways for our artists to be more closely connected with their communities.”
Joe Khoury, Atlantic Records
Joe Khoury, VP of A&R and Marketing, Atlantic Records, said: “From Oliver Tree’s Cowboy Tears album launch event to Kevin Gates’ headline show at Red Rocks, POAPs allow us to commemorate these special moments and give loyal fans a way to relive their experiences while being rewarded for being supporters of their favorite artists.
“The team is incredibly excited to work with POAP to continue building unique ways for our artists to be more closely connected with their communities.”
“POAPs are a game-changer for artists who want to connect directly with their fans.”
Isabel Gonzalez, POAP
Isabel Gonzalez, POAP COO, added: “POAPs are a game-changer for artists who want to connect directly with their fans,.
“Dropping a POAP offers artists a fun way to celebrate a show that’s much more permanent than a ticket stub. It’s much harder to lose mementos when they’re minted to a blockchain – and once artists are ready to dive deep into the potential of Web3 technologies, POAPs let their fans share that journey.
“We’re incredibly excited to support WMG and their partners in thinking about the relationship between creators and their fans in a new way.”
‘Can’t wait for everyone to grab their POAPs so we can commemorate and remember this experience forever.”
Kevin Gates
Gates said: “Anytime we can give our extended family something new, special, organic, and sentimental, I’m wit it.
“This will be our first time performing at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Nervous, excited, but ready. It’s been a long time coming.
“Can’t wait for everyone to grab their POAPs so we can commemorate and remember this experience forever. It’s going to be a special night and we can’t wait to see everyone there.”
Elsewhere in the world of blockchain, Warner Music Group recently partnered with New York-headquartered digital collectibles platform Blockparty, marking the firm’s first major label partnership.
In January, WMG inked a strategic partnership with gaming virtual world The Sandbox, marking what WMG says is its “first entry into the NFT metaverse realm”.
In February WMG entered into a partnership with blockchain gaming developer Splinterlands.
