What was the first event that led you to NFTs and the metaverse?
VERBAL: I was originally looking into the possibility of performing live concert in VR, or virtual space, when I noticed the utilities of NFTs. That's exactly when the idea struck me.
Until then, I had heard of NFTs and blockchain, but I didn't know what they were. I was surrounded by people who bought and sold crypto assets and were knowledgeable about them, but to be honest, I didn't really feel a connection to what I was doing.
Going back a little, I was also working on planning and renting motion capture suits from around 2012. At that time, "Skrillex" was controlling an avatar with just the upper body, and when I learned that it was a motion capture suit called "Xsense" from the Netherlands, I bought a few of them myself.
However, at the time, what we wanted to do and what the engineers in Japan could do didn't match up. At that time, I met a person from France who shared my vision, and we experimented with various performances using motion capture suits at live shows for "m-flo", the music group I belong to.
That experience and know-how made me realize, “Live concert is possible enough in a virtual space!"
I was impressed by the idea of connecting with people all over the world in a virtual space, and just as I was starting to focus on it, the COVID-19 pandemic began.
When physical live concerts became impossible due to the COVID-19 pandemic and I was looking for ways to utilize virtual spaces, one of my friends told me about NFTs and airdropped them to me.
That was from the end of 2020 to 2021. I think I was classified as a latecomer in terms of when I got my hands on NFTs, but from then on I became interested in what they were.
I was surprised to learn that "if you have this, you can enter a token-gated room" and "if you have this, you can wear sneakers in a space like Decentraland" and thought, "You can really do that!?"
I knew that there were similar schemes in traditional games, but I thought the idea of being able to trade and distribute it in a decentralized way was amazing.
I felt that there was potential, such as being able to make it into a ticket like an access pass and being able to attach extras. From there, an idea was born and I got hooked.
Do you discuss NFTs with fellow m-flo member ☆Taku Takahashi?
VERBAL: Taku also likes NFTs, of course, and has a keen perspective on them. I airdropped an NFT for my brand, AMBUSH®, and he mentioned that he recently bought a cryptocurrency called Cardano, so I got the impression that he is more interested in cryptocurrency investments (laughs).
I think he knows a lot about certain cryptocurrencies, so I'd like to hear more about it next time.
You released your NFT in 2022 and it sold out in just 2 minutes. Was there anything special you paid attention to?
VERBAL: I think it all comes down to good timing. I also think it was helpful that I carefully prepared and cared for it before it went on sale.
Because it's a Japanese project and brand, it needs to comply with domestic law. Even if we did an airdrop, we were careful because if we didn't announce it when released, it could be subject to taxation.
Also, since we positioned it as a "fashion NFT," it attracted attention from the fashion industry. For those who were not yet familiar with NFTs and the metaverse, we met in person or used Zoom to explain how to use the wallet.
In addition to this onboarding, I think it was also a big factor that we were able to release it at a stage when we had already made a sufficient appeal to people who belong to the existing Web 3.0 field.
The NFT we released was called "POW!® Reboot," and in fact, AMBUSH® also started with the "POW!® Ring" in 2008.
The NFT with the exact same design as that was not started with the intention of creating a special brand, but was born from the idea and flow of "Let's give away something interesting as a gift" with my wife, designer YOON.
Before releasing "POW!® Reboot," we airdropped 99 NFTs through gifting, and that led to a big audience interest wondering if we are releasing an NFT. The release was made possible after receiving such a positive response, and I think this is one for the main reasons things went well for the company.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of “fashion x NFT”?
VERBAL: To give an easy-to-understand example, one advantage of NFT is that even if a similar product appears, if it is not official, it can be determined to be a fake. I also think that the high degree of freedom in design is valuable.
The fashion industry has a traditional aspect, and when we go to Milan or Paris Fashion Week, there are certain rules.
From that sight of view, I think that fashion in the context of Web 3.0 will be interesting because it will welcome completely new creators.
For example, when you enter the metaverse, you are not bound by gravity, so I think you will be able to express different sizes and interesting shapes.
Originally, there was no distinction between haute couture and ready-to-wear in fashion until the mid-19th century.
If you had to say, the distinction was between flashy clothes that rich people paid a lot of money to have made by craftsmen and less flashy clothes that other people wore because they were easy to work in and based on utility. In terms of its relationship with NFTs, I think that right now there are no standards, just like when fashion first started, so it's an exciting time.
What challenges do you feel exist when combining NFTs with fashion?
VERBAL: I guess it's the complexity of it. Even when I talk to people in the fashion industry, I get the feeling that they still don't fully understand it. On the other hand, there are people who are trying to incorporate the technology by incorporating various expressions and through various media.
I myself try to speak to such people without using difficult terminology from the Web 3.0 field as much as possible.
What are you looking forward to from "music x NFT"?
VERBAL: I think the benefit of NFT is that it can't be copied and you can immediately tell if it's a fake.
If you release your own master recording, or even sell things like access passes or live tickets as NFTs, you can prove who the original owner was and create a royalty system.
While the premise is that they will be resold in the first place, there are various expectations when you think about the benefits, and I think the possibility of transactions taking place within those expectations is what happens when music and NFTs are combined.
What is your idea for using NFTs to express the vibration and dynamism that can be experienced at a live music concert?
VERBAL: Realism is a difficult point. However, it is possible to use a technology called “volumetric scanning” to record an artist's movements during a live performance, and then import it into the metaverse and watch.
I think it would be interesting to be able to see your favorite artist appear in front of you. For example, at a live performance at the Tokyo Dome, the stage is far from the audience seats, but in the metaverse it’s right in front of you.
In my imagination, I think it might be even possible to enter the artist's dressing room.
From an artist's perspective, in the real world there is a high barrier for the kind of situation when a fan comes to the dressing room. But if it was in the metaverse, safety is guaranteed, and I feel that it could be a new form of communication for both parties to shorten the distance in the entertainment sense.
What is the gap with other countries in the areas of NFT and the metaverse?
VERBAL: English is the mainstream language, so when you try to learn information in Japan, you feel like you're a step behind.
I think that Japanese people who love NFTs get information in time and have a certain level of knowledge.
However, when you go to places like Los Angeles, many people have a certain level of knowledge and know-how, and I feel a difference in the atmosphere from Japan.
I think that the NFT field is currently spreading as a normal thing mainly among English-speaking people, which creates some kind of gap between us.
Like fashion and music, are there trends in digital assets like NFTs?
VERBAL: Digital assets like cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and, for better or for worse, an exciting market, so my personal impression is that unless something that can generate relatively stable transactions (such as Stablecoins) becomes more widespread, people will be scared and won't get involved.
What ideas do you think will win the hearts of new users?
VERBAL: I think convenience, such as being able to actually make payments with cryptocurrencies, will be important. Some people will want to make payments with cryptocurrencies, and I think it's especially important to make efforts to make people who are experiencing this world for the first time feel the benefits.
Even if you keep flying and accumulate mileage points, you can't transfer them to somebody else under the existing system, but with blockchain, this will become possible. That's what's interesting about it.
As such efforts spread, there will probably be more exchanges between friends like, "Hey, can I borrow that NFT?"
What is so attractive about the metaverse?
VERBAL: I'm originally a gamer, and I also like this worldview, so I may be biased, but I think it's interesting that it has the potential for expression.
What really impressed me was how people who have a hard time being an artist in the real world are active in the metaverse. The wide range of design sense and worldviews is also a factor.
To give an example from a more familiar perspective, designers can send a link to the metaverse they created instead of a resume, so I think what's appealing about it is that it's a tool that allows you to communicate things more visually and express your ideas when you're trying to get people to know you better.
What are the prospects for AMBUSH® under your leadership?
VERBAL: At AMBUSH®, we create synergy through collaboration and incorporate new ideas. In that sense, it is natural that we are taking advantage of Web 3.0.
We would like to continue to work more deeply in the Web 3.0 field. Our project "POW!® Reboot" is celebrating 1st anniversary in February 2023, so we would like to do something new and take the next step to connect to the real world.
With what genre would you like to collaborate in the future?
VERBAL: What I really felt during the COVID-19 pandemic was that the barriers between music and fashion are starting to fade with the acceleration of Web 3.0.
Music and fashion were close but far apart, but with the advent of Web 3.0, we witnessed the moment when the two mixed together. I think that this is a hint, and I would like to pursue it further.
At this stage, the legal framework for music-related NFTs has not yet been developed, so I think it is difficult to just carelessly issue music NFTs. Still, I would like to think about connecting fashion and music in the long term.
The area I most want to pursue right now is a fun shopping experience available only on Web 3.0 that utilizes DeFi. This idea is always in the back of my mind.
Please send a message for people and creators who will be challenging the Web 3.0 area in the future.
VERBAL: I think it is important to clarify what you want to do. For example, finding NFTs you want to buy, or why you want to explore the metaverse.
It doesn't matter if you collect NFTs speculatively, use the metaverse to study, or just focus on crypto assets. I think being honest with yourself and pursuing your feelings will lead you to the better future.
◉ VERBAL
Besides his work with band “m-flo”, VERBAL is also known as a member of the super luxurious rap group TERIYAKI BOYZ®, the newly started creative unit PKCZ®, and HONEST BOYZ®, and has collaborated with many artists by utilizing his unique connections. VERBAL has close ties with overseas artists such as Pharrell, Kanye West, and AFROJACK. Within few years, he has made great strides as a DJ, and his style has attracted attention from the fashion world. He is in charge of creative direction for the jewelry brand "AMBUSH®", which was started in 2008 with designer YOON, and has released collaborative works with prestigious brands such as Louis Vuitton (Kim Jones), SACAI, and UNDERCOVER. In 2015, VERBAL was selected as one of the “BoF500 - Top 500 People in the Fashion Industry in the World” published by the fashion news site “Business of Fashion”.
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