Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons and rapperĀ Snoop Dogg have curated an NFT to help benefit hip-hop’s founding artists.
Speaking to HipHopDX, Simmons said the project,Ā Masterminds of Hip Hop: An Exclusive NFT Collection,Ā would benefit those artists who pioneered the genre but who didn’t get the financial rewards at the time.
āThe idea is something Iāve had for the last couple years,ā Simmons told the publication.Ā āThen over the last two months, this feeling that we should do something to compensate and to give credit to the original founding fathers of Hip Hop intensified. I felt more and more increasingly compelled to do something.ā
He continued, saying the aim of the project is toĀ āmake sure I draw attention to the founding fathers. So now that Iāve started, I have to do a documentary, a book and start to really make sure these NFTs sell and these guys make the money.
āSome…donāt even have bank accounts and we wouldnāt even be here without them. Weāre standing on the shoulders of people who are struggling in many cases. This is why I wanted to do it.ā

Speaking about Snoop Dogg’s involvement, Simmons continued:Ā āāHeās helping to curate. So I got him involved early because Iām in business with Snoop on a number of things. And also, he cares about those guys. When he hears a story about a founding father of Hip Hop, he gets quiet and listens. Heās a heartfelt person who cares.
āA lot of artists when theyāre really young, sometimes they donāt care, and when they get older, most of the time they still donāt care. But Snoop was very, very in tune with giving back and thatās why he got involved.
“Heās going to do an NFT and everything, but itās not about what he does, itās his curation of it and his adding credibility to it that Iām incredibly grateful for.ā
Outside of his business ventures, Snoop made headlines earlier this month for giving some excellent commentary for the Equestrian event at the Tokyo Olympics.
It was also reported earlier this year thatĀ Snoop is working on an anthology seriesĀ about his life and career.
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