MTV Video Music Awards introduced a new category this year for 2022, “Best Metaverse Performance”.
Artists and musicians that exist both in the music industry and the Web3 space that create fully immersive experiences will now be recognized alongside other established genres.
A collaborative performance by Snoop Dog and Eminem, and Yuga Labs, the creators of the bougie Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT’s kicked off the new category and a new era in music at the MTV VMA’s.
SEE SNOOP DOG & EMINEM’S MTV VMA PERFORMANCE
Weeks before, Twitter lit up when Snoop Dog and Eminem began using the cryptic hashtag #D2LBC between them, sparking curiosity and excitement about a potential collaboration. The use of the hashtag by other accounts as early as June gave hints that insiders were aware that something between Yuga Labs, Snoop Dog and Eminem was cooking. The full phrase “From the D 2 the LBC” is the title of a song co-released by the performers on June 24, 2022, produced by Eminem, distributed by Aftermath, Shady (Eminem’s label), and Interscope records.
SEE THE MUSIC VIDEO for D 2 the LBC
A promo video was released at Apefest, the Bored Ape Yacht Club’s convention held in June, made in collaboration with the two rappers, James Larese, the NYC-based animation studio Nathan Love, and LA production company London Alley.
Beyond the new category, already the use of holographic technology at the MTV VMA’s 2022 was received with mixed reviews, like the “twerking hologram” making waves across social media, first called out by influencer Paige Spiranac and also the performance by Snoop Dog and Eminem.
Despite the support of the NFT and BAYC communities, the concept of the rapper’s performance and the execution, left some viewers confused and ironically…bored.
The winners of the Best Metaverse Performance were international superstars, Blackpink for an in-game concert with PUBG Mobile. The first K-Pop group in history to perform at the VMAs also walked away with the Best K-Pop award in addition to dominating the new category. The group’s international following is immense, ranked among Twitter's top 10 most followed K-Pop groups.
The in-game concert can be viewed by players of the game or platforms like YouTube where the performance has been published, demonstrating how the genre can be expressed in endless ways.
SEE BLACKPINK’S WINNING SONG FOR “BEST METAVERSE PERFORMANCE”
The idea of Metaverse may still be a confusing concept for many but with the addition of the new category, it’s clear that it’s here to stay. A simplified vision of the Metaverse may be best explained as “life and everything in it, but in the virtual world.” Finding the entrance to these virtual worlds that live on blockchains will become easier, brought to us by the artists we support and follow, who will continue open the door to these worlds for us.