I have a new book!
NFTS ARE A SCAM hits May 16th wherever books are sold. But, here's why you should pre-order it today...
Over the next month, I’ll be promoting my next book NFTS ARE A SCAM across my channels. I hope you don’t mind! I started writing this one at the tail end of 2020 as I was learning about Web3’s raw new technology and culture. What transpired over the next few years was one of the most thrilling and tumultuous rides I’ve experienced in my career. Although it’s a wild adventure, I believe that it’s incredibly important that you are aware of what is happening in this next Internet. This is why:
The other night, one of my relatives remarked on how different this book was in terms of density. My first book, This Is Not A T-Shirt, had more general appeal because of its relatable themes around an artist’s struggle and brand-building. Her assumption was that NFTS ARE A SCAM will be technical, daunting, and even alienating. And that’s totally fair. When people hear the word “NFT,” they automatically jump to charged themes like crypto, tech, and finance. They assume “NFT” stands for Not For Them!
As you’ll read in my book, the very reason I was drawn to NFTs was because they grant everyday artists, creators, and culture ingress to two exclusionary realms: Tech and Finance. Both fields have been shrouded in opaque and complicated language that is intentionally designed to keep many people out. As we’ve seen over the last decade, those people have grown wealthier and more powerful, while the rest of us have been left to abide by their systems.
Whenever I mention NFTs on social media, you’re bound to see some hate and resistance in the Comments. Much of the negative feedback is warranted. NFTs can be scammy. There are many bad actors in this space. I can respect those whose opinions are supported by research and a well-rounded understanding of Web3, nuances and all.
What does concern me, however, are those who dismiss Web3 and crypto as boring or even “stupid” when deep-down, they may be merely confused, threatened, or overwhelmed. They are capitulating to the lie that Tech and Finance are beyond them. Web3 and NFTs are proof, however, that anybody can participate in, and take advantage of, this bold new technology. Especially artists. Especially creators who’ve been historically exploited or marginalized or kept out of the conversation.
The Hundreds was founded on a blog in the early 2000s and ushered in the Web2 chapter of social technology. Ever since, I’ve straddled tech and culture, screen and street, Silicon Valley and LA. And I’ve only seen the divide widen amongst the haves and the have-nots. I don’t mean this only in the sense of money and power. I mean this in terms of knowledge, skillsets, and access.
I empathize with those of you who are intimidated by the word “NFTs” and assume that this material is going to go over your head. Even after all these years, I’m far from an NFT expert and still bewildered by the vocabulary and terminology. But that’s the point! Nobody really knows what the hell they’re talking about. There are no firm truths or solid facts when the space is this fresh and nascent. We need your help to jump in and help assemble a better definition for the future - not just of NFTs, but for us, and most importantly, for you. I hope this book offers some confidence and insight into a new world that desperately needs your participation. Don’t let somebody else write you out of your story!
Here are some answers to your Frequently Asked Questions about my new book, NFTS ARE A SCAM / NFTS ARE THE FUTURE:
What is NFTS ARE A SCAM / NFTS ARE THE FUTURE?
NFTS ARE A SCAM (SCAM) is my second book, releasing May 16, 2023 through MCD Books and Farrar, Straus & Giroux under Macmillan Publishers. This book is different from my first book, This Is Not a T-Shirt (TINATS), in that it is a collection of essays about Web3, NFTs, crypto, and the Metaverse that I started writing at the end of 2020. It’s kind of like a journal in that sense – notes from the digital road.
I try to remain as objective about the facts as we forge them in real-time. I draw parallels between NFTs and fashion, wrestle with crypto’s unsavory edges, and dream of a richer life (in art, beauty, and wealth equality). As with TINATS and The Hundreds, I also recount the struggles and triumphs in building the Adam Bomb Squad brand.
Where can I buy NFTS ARE A SCAM / NFTS ARE THE FUTURE?
You can pre-order the book / e-book / audiobook RIGHT NOW wherever you buy your books. This includes Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s, and your local mom & pop booksellers.
If you don’t see NFTS ARE A SCAM listed in your indie’s Online Shop, you can call them or walk in and pre-order.
Why is it important to pre-order?
Like music or movie tickets, all of your pre-orders account towards first week sales. This not only helps with bestseller lists, but tells the booksellers where to put their energy in merchandising and promoting the book once it publishes.
Is there an audiobook (Audible)? Is there an e-book (Kindle / Apple)?
Yes to both! Like my last book, I narrate the audiobook myself. You can listen to SCAM like you would a podcast, while working out or commuting. I don’t do as many fun impressions this time around, except when I’m impersonating crypto bros.
I enjoyed your first book, This Is Not a T-Shirt. Do you write about similar topics like brand-building, streetwear, and community?
That’s almost entirely what I write about in this book as well. The word “NFT” can be politicized, polarizing, or intimidating for those who aren’t into crypto. But you will find that the conversation feels familiar. I dove into this space because I saw how this technology could remedy many of streetwear’s fundamental problems and facilitate its greatest promises. SCAM picks up right where TINATS left off. My memoir was about building a brand around community. This is an exploration of what happens when the community builds the brand.
I’m into NFTs. Why should I read this book?
Although SCAM may affirm many of the reasons you believe in Web3, I pull no punches in highlighting the hypocrisies and frailties that plague the culture. By reducing NFTs to gambling assets and shitcoins, we are cheating a remarkable technology of its true potential. How can blockchain tech make our lives better? How best to build a viable culture and sustainable future for Web3? As with streetwear, you will see that the answer rests on the artists and the community.
I’m NOT into NFTs. Why should I read this book?
Perhaps you’ve been curious about the subject matter and want a non-threatening tour of NFTs to form a more rounded opinion. Maybe you watched the AIR movie and want to know how brands and businesses will become more mindful of their communities and supportive of creator royalties (seen in participation models like Nike’s .SWOOSH and Ben Affleck’s and Matt Damon’s new production company). Or it’s possible you want to know about the hardest year of my career, the history of self-expression and how we’re primed for a new definition of fashion, and why crypto can die, but its ideals won’t. This book is imbued with blood, sweat, and tears. I don’t think I can survive another telling like this again.
What’s your favorite chapter?
Speaking of life and death, one of my favorite chapters to write was “NFTS ARE RELIGION.” It’s a subject that’s very near to me, yet I don’t often find a venue to talk about it. As I delved deeper into NFTs and the Metaverse, I couldn’t help but notice similarities to religion and cultism. I wondered if this breakthrough could have occurred at any other point in history. We’re facing unprecedented existential threats, social tribalism, and a search for meaning. It’s unsurprising that we’re starved for community, common ground, and a hopeful future. Is this what it’s all about?
So, are they a scam or the future?
I’ll let you decide for yourself. Order it!