Welcome friends! What follows here is the roadmap for my journey into web3, and why I’ve chosen using NFTs to release my next single Run It. We’ll share some insight into our family and cultural influences, talk about the creation of Run It and its backstory, cover the importance and involvement of community, and the thought process behind releasing on web3. Lastly, we’ll go over the game plan and what the future holds for our community. Thanks for taking the time to read through and share this adventure!
Family History, Cultural Significance
I’m Amy Correa Bell, daughter to Joe and Juanita Correa, and youngest sister to brothers Les and Eddie Correa. Our mother is a first generation citizen from Guatemala and her story and struggle of coming to America has changed the trajectory of our lives. There is a family and cultural influence that comes with growing up in a Latino family, in the San Fernando Valley of Southern California with 80s and 90s culture influencing our musical paths - a time when breakers and boomboxes were found on street corners and our living room, and MTV music videos introduced artists like Madonna, Prince and Run DMC. The Correa brothers, both DJs and vinyl collectors, regularly threw parties and made beats, while I entertained the family with made up songs and acting skits.
Run It - The Creation
During the recent pandemic there was time to create, and Les presented a new track after a long period of writers block. I immediately ran to the booth and came up with lyrics and vocals that became the song Run It. The realization set in that this song had more significance than anticipated - the lyrics speak of our survival as a culture: “I wanna go outside, I’m Alive! Told you I’d never forget it, promise you I won’t regret it. They cannot override my light, everyone wanted to get it, turn it around and I run it.” After investigating NFTs and web3, it became clear this could be our first genesis release and facilitating our journey while honoring our family and ancestry.
There was an email from Mark de Clive-Lowe about his upcoming Mashibeats Creator Club where 10 lucky artists would be chosen to be mentored through the process of releasing music NFTs, which we immediately signed up for. After being blessed to be chosen, I discovered a genuine community of talented peers and felt a new support as an artist to move forward in this space. At the same time, the song was sent to Radio DJ Francesca Harding, who included it at the primetime hour of her show! It was a serendipitous, emotional moment which brought additional encouragement to stay the course and see this song through.
Run It - The Community
The community I’ve discovered is a place that allows connection with culture, celebration of dreams and accomplishments, and the sharing of guidance, support and feedback. This has been found in the web3 arena through the Creator Club and the friendships gained on Twitter spaces, Discord and in real life! There are no mistakes at this point besides not doing anything, so we move forward as pioneers, allowing the risks and rewards of being a part of this grand experiment.
Run it - The Game Plan
The Run It NFT will be available for minting starting July 15, 2022 at 1pm PST on amycorreabell.xyz. The artwork is by the amazing Lee Robson Spence. Minting has been setup using Artiva, which provides an easy to use and trustworthy interface for minting and buying NFTs. Doing this independently facilitates direct connection with fans and supporters, and if you’re new to web3 this is a perfect way to start exploring music NFTs! We are offering two separate editions: a lower priced Classic Pass NFT with a supply of 20 ready to be minted, as well as a higher tiered VIP Pass of 3 providing VIP access and experiences. We have 23 NFTs in total available with these utilities:
VIP Pass (3): 0.7 ETH
• HQ WAV
• Digital Art
• Event + Live Show Access +1 (1 YR)
• Live Phone/Video meet (1 HR)
•. Night in LA hang w/ Amy and Les (an amazing night on the town!)
• Priority access to new music (1 YR)
• Canvas Artwork
• Personalized “mixtape” CD from Amy
• AMY Vault Key 🔐
Classic Pass (20): 0.07 ETH price
• HQ WAV
• Digital Art
• AMY Vault Key 🔐
Token gated access for Vault bonus content will be announced on twitter in the days after minting opens. Be sure to follow @AmyCorreaBell on twitter for first announcements!
Run It - The Music Video (short film)
The Run It music video concept is a reference to my ancestral heritage and the struggles they endured that allowed present day opportunities and dreams to become a reality. The video is a personal insight into myself and the connections to my mother and her grandmother’s struggles before coming to America.
The music video is being directed by award-winning João Dall'Stella in a cinematic short-film style and will highlight the ancestral importance of blood memory - the concept that the experiences of one generation are passed on to the next generations through DNA.
Run It Cultural Event
The Run It Cultural Event will be an in person event premiering the music video, highlighting the director, along with a live performance from Amy Correa Bell, and will also include the introduction of 5 aspiring artists and directors.
The chosen artists will have the chance to showcase their work as NFTs featuring musical elements from Run It, while displaying their visual talents. These 5 creators will be on-boarded into the web3 space with our community guiding them along.
A percentage of the funds raised through the Run It NFTs will go towards funding the Run It Cultural Event as well as the charity and mission of farmworkerjustice.org which aligns with our movement. The intention is to bring awareness to both their mission and our personal story of survival and overcoming.
WHY AM I RELEASING “RUN IT” AS A MUSIC NFT?
- To contribute to culture and change through music and artistry
- To experiment with new technology and create a blueprint for others to follow
- To achieve permanence on the blockchain, honoring ancestors past, present and future
- To explore alternate revenue streams for myself and my family that allow sustainability through my creative work
- To connect causes to the NFT releases through exclusive live events
- To connect on a deeper level with fans and community through artistry and creation
THE FUTURE
Run It is the Genesis release, the beginning!
The future plan is to release more music and art NFTs, exploring and experimenting with different platforms and utilities that are available through blockchain technology. This is about more than just my artistry and releasing music - it’s about my love for performance and how community, and most importantly culture, can intersect and thrive.
Run It came from the chance to build with my brother musically. It became a video that highlights ancestral heritage and survival. It will give back by highlighting others and sowing a portion of proceeds to an important charity.
Most importantly, I want to dedicate this release to my mother Juanita. She loves everything I do, but this leaves a legacy and honors her beyond anything I've done up until now. :)