Trapital Turns 3 on March 1!

Hey! Can't believe it's almost been three years since I started Trapital. What began as a side project has turned into a platform that has helped push the business of hip-hop forward.

In tomorrow's memo, I'll reflect more on Trapital's past three years. Each week I send this memo to thousands of execs in music, media, and tech who are taking hip-hop to the next level. Get the memo here: https://trapital.co/newsletter

Here are a few of the latest topics in recent Trapital email memos:

Jay Z Sold 50% of Armand de Brignac to LVMH

In 2014, Jay Z's original 50% stake was worth around $50 million before he acquired 100% of the company. In 2019, Forbes reported that the company was worth $310 million, far less than the $500 million Jay Z said it was worth on 2018's "What's Free." Either way, not a bad exit! One of the reasons Jay Z bought the company was to boycott Cristal after a chief exec made racist remarks in 2006.

Check out Web Smith's analysis on the Jay Z-LVMH deal at 2PM.

new podcast: Ted Lucas, Slip-N-Slide Records

Ted and I talked about him starting his independent record label in 1994 and how much has changed since then. He went onto sign Trick Daddy, Trina, Rick Ross, Plies, and more. We also talked about Miami's legacy in hip-hop and why South Florida still doesn't get the credit it deserves. We also talked about R&B's comeback, and the wave of tech folks moving to Miami. Had a lot of fun in this one. Ted had me cracking up! Too funny. Such a great convo.

Listen on Apple Music, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.

NFTs Potential in Hip-Hop

What is an NFT? An NFT is a digital asset that relies on blockchain technology. "Non-fungible" means the asset is unique and not interchangeable. In the physical world, this includes assets like artwork and real estate. But in the digital world, this can include digital versions of collectibles, like Logan Paul selling unique Pokemon cards, or NBA star Ja Morant's digital highlight sold on Top Shot. Blockchain technology makes it easier to verify authenticity.

There's already great momentum in hip-hop. The late MF DOOM had just held an auction for augmented reality NFTs for his signature masks. Soulja Boy recently minted his own NFT. Hip-Hop Legends NFT is also selling several collectibles on its marketplace. As Cherie Hu said in her January article in Water & Music (paywall) on NFTs, hip-hop is ahead of most genres.

For more on NFTs, read Jonathan Bales' Lucky Maverick post on why he spent $35K on a Ja Morant highlight.

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Enjoy the rest of your week. I'll be back next week.

Dan

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