Masterminds of Hip Hop, the First NFT Collection Celebrating the Original Pioneers of Hip Hop Music

Featuring Russell Simmons, Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Snoop Dogg, MC Lyte, Nikki D, Doug E. Fresh, Big Daddy Kane, DJ Hollywood, Grandmaster Caz, Busy Bee, Eddie Cheeba and More

Global Launch August 14, 2021, on Leading NFT Platform, TOKAU

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Masterminds of Hip Hop, the first NFT (non-fungible tokens) collection celebrating the original pioneers of hip hop music, sets exclusive global launch on TOKAU, a leading platform which allows celebrities and influencers to engage with their fans using blockchain NFT technology. Curated by Russell Simmons, founder of Def Jam Records and music icon Snoop Dogg, the collection will feature never-before-heard or seen recordings and artwork from rap pioneers including Chuck D of Public Enemy, Big Daddy Kane, MC Lyte, Nikki D, Doug E. Fresh, DJ Hollywood, Grandmaster Caz, Busy Bee, Eddie Cheeba and more, music artists who helped create and shape the multi-billion dollar industry it is today.

"I often think of the early days of pre-recorded hip hop when it was only a performance art. There were rappers and DJs who pioneered the space and made it so popular that the recording of rap artists was eminent. None of them has received the accolades that I believe they deserve and this is my chance to use a new vehicle to revisit and repay these amazing artists while they are still living,” says Russell Simmons. “Masterminds of Hip Hop aims to give credit back to the founding fathers of the cultural movement.”

“We are super excited to partner with Russell to create this one-of-a-kind NFT collection and recognize the founding fathers of Hip Hop,” says Miranda Tan, TOKAU, spokesperson and COO. “Our goal is to give credit back to the original artists and help them capture the value of their art and accomplishments.”

Russell Simmons and Snoop Dogg will work alongside the TOKAU team on signing music artists who helped create Hip Hop culture and defined Hip Hop music over the years. Masterminds of Hip Hop will be a collector’s series broken into two phases: Pre-Recorded and Early Recording, releasing a total of forty exclusive NFTs.

Each NFT will be a special collectible that is co-designed and co-curated by Russell Simmons and Snoop Dogg, the artist and the TOKUA team, capturing a piece of Hip Hop history that offers captivating storytelling as told by the artist themselves. Together, the entire Masterminds of Hip Hop collection will present a powerful and emotional experience, one which showcases the origins of Hip Hop music since its humble beginnings to eventually becoming the most powerful influence in the global musical culture today.

In addition, TOKAU’s exclusive partnership with Paybby, the leading digital bank for the underserved community, will allow fans to purchase their NFTs using a credit card while payments using crypto-currency will be made available via www.tokau.io.

The Masterminds of Hip Hop NFT Collection will be available for preview starting August 14^th and on sale August 31, 2021.

About Tokau

Tokau is the first global platform focused on Celebrity and Influencer interactions with their fans using blockchain NFT technology. Tokau has offices in Tokyo, Beijing and US. To learn more about Tokau, please visit Tokau.io.