MANILA, PHILIPPINES —In a combined effort to bring celebrities and influencers closer to their fans, Gushcloud International, a global digital talent and media group, teams up with AI-powered influencer platform, Robin8, and global NFT platform, ToKAU Japan, to create NFT collectibles via the increasingly popular blockchain technology.
“At Gushcloud International, talent and their sustainability are at the core of our business. Hence, we are constantly looking beyond influencer and content marketing for innovative solutions for talent to keep monetizing, as well as be connected with their audiences. Working along with ToKAU and Robin8 allows us to provide an option for influencers and celebrities to create fan collectibles using the NFT blockchain technology for a deeper engagement and allows us to also understand the superfan data behind each influencer and celebrity. We will be kick starting our partnership with the release of NFT collections of Russell Simmons (entertainment mogul and founder of Def Jam), Luna Maya (Indonesian actress that has more than 30 million following on her social platforms), and a special release of never been seen Hip Hop footage packaged into NFTs,” says Althea Lim, CEO of Gushcloud.
An NFT, otherwise known as a non-fungible token, is a unit of data stored on a digital ledger called a blockchain, that certifies a digital asset to be unique and therefore not interchangeable. NFTs can be used to represent items such as photos, videos, audio, and other types of digital files. NFTs are tracked on blockchains to provide owners with proofs of ownership that are separate from copyright. The NFT market value tripled in 2020 and has reached more than $250 million. During the first quarter of 2021, NFT sales have since exceeded $2 billion.
Besides key global talents such as Russell Simmons and Luna Maya, Gushcloud International is also partnering up with ToKAU on a venture to give credit back to original Hip Hop artists through an exclusive ‘Masterminds of Hip Hop’ NFT collection. In their NFTs, Simmons shares behind-the-scenes stories about his life and friendships with artists through his 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s; and Maya reflects about her childhood dreams and also self-written poems that have never been published before. This allows them a platform to share these intimate moments in their lives to their fans. The ‘Masterminds of Hip Hop’ NFT collection will also contain key NFTs reflecting moments of history dictated via voice notes, photos, sounds, and visuals from key founding fathers and pioneers of Hip Hop, including DJ Hollywood, Grandmaster Caz, BusyBee, MC Lyte, Doug E Fresh and more.
Miranda Tan, CEO of Robin8 and spokesperson for ToKAU, adds, “Having millions of global fans, these celebrities and influencers will now have the opportunity to get closer to their audience, and through our platform, they will establish a longer-term bond with their fans. At ToKAU, we will continuously innovate ways to build a thriving relationship where both fans and celebrities will continuously receive ToKAU incentives and NFT benefits monetarily.”
To further highlight the significance of this partnership, Country Director of Gushcloud Philippines Jamie Paraso says, “Gushcloud Philippines is committed to building a sustainable influencer marketing industry. This venture is a step forward for the local industry and an exciting opportunity for the local influencers and celebrities, and for their fans. We look forward to the release of the NFT collections and to hearing the stories of the celebrities and influencers.”
Together, Gushcloud International, Robin8, and ToKAU aim to expand the portfolio of influencer and celebrity NFT collections. These influencers and celebrities will now have the opportunity to distribute their art, stories, and voices using cryptocurrency, and give deeper insight into their life stories through never before seen and heard content that are near and dear to their hearts, putting a new twist to modern day collectibles.
Russell Simmons, Luna Maya, and ‘Masterminds of Hip Hop’ NFT collections will go on sale in August 2021, following a launch party held in New York City and will be traded on the Binance and BakerySwap NFT exchanges.
