As the NFT space expands, the line between IRL and URL has become blurred. This is most evident at the intersection of digital and physical goods, but also in virtual and in-person events. With virtual concerts branching out into the physical space and physical conferences online, many major brands have bet on what the future of events will look like.

One such entity that recently kicked up dust at this intersection has already established itself as a serious contender. Months ago, Rolling Loud, the world’s biggest hip-hop festival, made a splash by announcing its entry into Web3 through an upcoming large-scale PFP project called LoudPunx. Now, LoudPunx has taken another step forward, sharing a roadmap and new information about the utility of the project exclusively through nft now.

The truth about LoudPunx

In a nutshell, LoudPunx is the genesis NFT collection created by Rolling Loud. It represents Rolling Loud’s first big step toward Web3, even as information emerges from behind the veil of the project in a slow trickle. However, fans can expect thousands of unique PFPs, all with different characteristics, each granting a unique variety of incentives to holders.

Sounds familiar? Good, because LoudPunx is made to be simple. Where the project departs greatly from the others, however, is that each NFT within the collection will provide a global input into everyone Rolling Loud Music Festival. That means that by owning just one LoudPunx NFT, a collector could attend every Rolling Loud, from New York to Miami, Portugal, Toronto, Thailand and beyond, for free.

“We are targeting underserved markets. You don’t see many NFT collections offering meetups in Europe, you know? Some smaller meetings, maybe, but definitely not with Travis Scott and Kendrick Lamar,” Rolling Loud’s Web3 boss Ronald De Luise said in an interview with nft now. “We are excited to bring that experience IRL [of Rolling Loud] to Web3 worldwide. And I really don’t see anyone else doing that with our size and magnitude of talent anytime soon.”

De Luise went on to point out that festival admission isn’t the only incentive available to those planning to purchase a LoudPunx. As with every show, there will be different entry levels available for holders of specific traits, as well as unique 1/1 exclusive experiences for those who earn rare pool tokens. But overall, the global initiative that LoudPunx will bring to Rolling Loud fans can only be communicated through the project roadmap that shows the many locations and services that will be included throughout the LoudPunx ecosystem.

Building LoudPunx for the future

Beyond the obvious utility that LoudPunx’s NFTs will present to their holders, De Luise says that a secondary function of Rolling Loud’s flagship project will be to expand the horizons of the intersection of hip-hop and Web3. Commenting on the less-than-ideal history that rap/hip-hop has established so far in the NFT space, De Luise says that she sees LoudPunx as something of an incubator for future projects.

“I think [hip-hop representation in Web3] It hasn’t been very good so far. There have been many badly launched projects,” De Luise said. “We have an idea that LoudPunx will be an incubator for the hip-hop space. Others can look at our collection, see that it is backed by tons of usefulness, and come to us for guidance.”

De Luise noted that he is critical of brands entering the NFT space for the right reasons and has high hopes of vetting talent that wants to bring value to their fans. “Blockchain technology is developing in a way that is going to better serve artists, and not just hip hop artists, to deliver to their fans,” he said.

While LoudPunx as an incubator is certainly an attractive feature for fans of Rolling Loud’s Web3, the project will apparently first and foremost be a service to its owners in hopes of creating a thriving and inclusive community. While the perfect details have yet to be announced, both De Luise and his associate Charles Kieu of Rolling Loud’s partnerships and operations team said those planning to participate should watch for more information over the next month.