Ghostface Killah, a renowned member of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, has revealed plans to release 10,000 exclusive music Ordinals on the Bitcoin network, granting holders Creative Commons Zero (CC0) rights to the content.
The announcement, made via X, detailed that the Ordinals would soon be available through a free mint, allowing holders to freely build upon, enhance, and reuse the works as they desire. This groundbreaking initiative was made possible through Ghostface Killah’s collaboration with Rare Scrilla, NakaPepes, and Ordinals Bot, an Ordinals inscriptions platform.
Bitcoin Ordinals represent a novel concept in blockchain technology, where unique digital assets are created by inscribing content onto individual satoshis, the smallest denomination of Bitcoin. By assigning a serial number to each satoshi based on its mining order, known as an ordinal, the Ordinals protocol enables the creation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and other assets directly on the Bitcoin blockchain without the need for a secondary layer.
Despite sparking interest among users, this innovation has raised concerns within the Bitcoin community regarding network congestion, transaction fees, and the inclusion of non-essential data such as artwork and memes.
Ordinals gained significant traction in 2023 with developer Casey Rodarmor’s minting of the first one on the Bitcoin mainnet. Following a brief lull, Ordinals experienced a resurgence in weekly sales on March 4, surpassing Ethereum (ETH) according to blockchain-based rankings on CryptoSlam.
Ghostface Killah’s release of 10,000 audio files as Bitcoin Ordinals adds substantial weight to the trend of musicians embracing blockchain technology for content control and fan engagement. While platforms like Sound.xyz and Audius have utilized blockchain-powered solutions for musicians, the use of Bitcoin Ordinals for exclusive music drops and fan perks is relatively uncommon.
Nevertheless, this technology has garnered interest from major brands, as seen with the recent expansion of the NFT marketplace SuperRare into Bitcoin Ordinals and the launch of their “No Brainers” collection.
Ghostface Killah’s venture into the crypto world traces back to 2017 when he endeavored to launch his cryptocurrency company, Cream Capital, through an initial coin offering (ICO) aimed at raising $30 million. The name “Cream Capital” directly references the Wu-Tang Clan’s popular song “C.R.E.A.M.” from their debut album, “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)”, released in November 1993. The song’s title stands for “Cash Rules Everything Around Me” and has garnered widespread acclaim worldwide.