In case you haven’t heard, memecoin mania has taken over the crypto space.
From the explosive growth of Dogwifhat to the political showdown between $BODEN and $TREMP to the rise of Base memecoins, there has been no shortage of storylines over the past month. However, while many of the tokens currently tearing up the charts come from repurposed internet memes, one of the most significant new coins finds its roots in the NFT space.
Created by digital artist Darkfarms, Book of Meme ($BOME) has experienced an unparalleled ascent since its presale launched in the early hours on Thursday (March 14). The project peaked at an eye-popping $1.46 billion market cap after less than 48 hours, minting several new millionaires across the web3 community. At the time of publication, $BOME sits around a $700 million market cap and ranks in the top 130 coins on CoinMarketCap.
In an indication of the degree to which Book of Meme captured the cultural zeitgeist, Beeple paid tribute to the memecoin’s rise in his Everyday, and Bold Leonidas soon followed with a cartoon tribute of his own. The project’s unheralded success also gave birth to its own memecoin presale meta, which saw more than $122 million raised by launches that did not come close to matching $BOME’s returns.
Darkfarms may seem like an overnight success to those outside the NFT space, but the artist has been a mainstay of the Pepe art community for years. As a frequent contributor to projects like Fake Rares and Notable Pepes, Darkfarms has also released his own Smowl and Derage NFT collections.
Now that he’s at the helm of a larger movement in Book of Meme, Darkfarms has been helping direct its holders’ newfound liquidity back towards the artist community. This week, Darkfarms sold his first 1/1 inscription on Bitcoin Ordinals for 18,888,888 $BOME ($275,000) and kicked off a slew of $BOME auctions by fellow artists, including _0ND1, Chrome Void, Chris Granneberg, Emmy Walka, and more.
We caught up with Darkfarms for an interview amid the mayhem to reflect on the dizzying saga and how he hopes to channel the memetic energy moving forward.
nft now: What was the inspiration behind the $BOME launch?
In my exploration of the $BOME launch, I sought to immerse myself in the current meta, delving into realms like shitcoins, decentralized social apps, and the evolving narrative around NFTs. My intention was to foster a community where individuals could come together, irrespective of their PFP or blockchain allegiance.
Did you expect it to reach this level of success?
I must confess I did not anticipate the level of success the project would achieve. Platforms like X and Telegram have proven both rewarding and challenging due to the inundation of information, often laden with misinformation and links to obvious scams and wallet drainers.
What are your plans for the project going forward?
Looking ahead, the project is poised for evolution. Every shift, every meme that has shaped its trajectory will find its place in the “book of meme.”
Several artists have already followed in your footsteps in launching a token. Do you see this as an emerging trend?
As for the prospect of other artists embarking on similar ventures, it’s a realm ripe for exploration. Yet, it necessitates innovation, a willingness to challenge conventions, and a deep appreciation for the cultural significance of crypto history and memes. While the path may be fraught with risks, I have faith that there are individuals courageous enough to pioneer new and remarkable endeavors.
Artists are now doing auctions in $BOME. What do you think the future is there?
It’s not about burning or the price of $BOME, it’s more about building trust between collectors and artists. Web3 changed a lot and is wonderful with all the fast trades and transactions with the help of bots, but I think we might be losing something important — a relationship between people who do art and who love art. As I said, not a financial opinion or something, this action could be dangerous but may be worth a try.
The post Darkfarms Reflects on Book of Meme’s Meteoric Rise and What’s Next appeared first on nft now.
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