Updated 11/18/2022:
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PAISLEY (short film) sold out on Glass.xyz in 4 minutes!
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PAISLEY (Delux3) Collection including a physical vinyl record NFT by On-Chain Records and apparel designed by Sky Welkin available here.
In 2017, I had a thought, “patterns prevail”. It was derivative of a quote from my best friend and frequent collaborator, Sky Welkin, which read “passion prevails”. Sky is a talented cartoonist that embeds profound messages like this throughout his work.
During our college years, he’d often come by and draw while I made beats, this was our ghetto co-working era, and in these sessions we’d smoke, engage in discourse, and share ideas about the respective worlds we were building in our art. In fact, I was very much into doing something new each album, but Sky was the primary influence for me to get into world-building and having a particular sense of style that was cultivated over time.
In one of my college apartments, I decided that to let Sky use all of the walls in my room as a canvas - the few hundred dollars that I’d spend to have the room repainted when I moved was minuscule compared to the living art piece around me. Every so often I would discover some new character scene or phrase that he’d drawn without me noticing, but one of these phrases was placed in such a way that I couldn’t miss it as soon as I woke up, “passion prevails”.
Web3 has offered much in the form of expansion for the experiential qualities and monetization of my art. We always say things like, “time passes quickly in web3”.
As much as I agree, I find it interesting that time also seems to stay still - art is appreciated for it’s beauty regardless of age and with the possibilities available to me with NFTs, something like my debut album, can no experience a new form of appreciation.
As I begin to release works from the PAISLEY collection over time, it was only fitting that I began with the short film.
When I was working on the album, I connected with my friend and collaborator, Dawit N.M. to share the pattern theories I was creating from and what I was aesthetically into at the time. Dawit went on to handle the art direction for the album, as well as bringing my convoluted story concept to life as a film.
The story of PAISLEY exists in a universe in which we've all been made to forget true selves. Though, there are those of us that break free and reawaken, remembering all the knowledge of self that was once lost. A human that knows who they are can no longer be controlled and is thus a threat to those in power.
This is the case for our protagonists Figaro and Paisley. The pair, bound by fate, seek each other out in parallel universes with the hope to awaken their companion and continue their journey towards freedom. Our short film finds Figaro, moments after being awakened by Paisley, and follows them towards their attempted escape.
The PAISLEY album and short film are an allegory for patterns at every level of life. Just as cells make up organisms and organisms make up the planets, and the planets the universe, and so on - patterns, appear, reshape, and reappear until their purpose in your life is realized. In my album I explore the different patterns in my relationships and my relationships as patterns, that were required for me to grow individually.
This year marks the 3 year anniversary of the PAISLEY collection, this short film has only been screened at live performances and intimate talks. Now it will be immortalized on the blockchain.
The story of PAISLEY was even more fleshed out in the form of a graphic novel written by another close friend of mine, Tavis Northam. Production was paused, but now with the possibilities introduced to us through the blockchain we are exploring ways to finish what we began and share its success with everyone that supports us.
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Update added 11/18/2022
I CAN’T BELIEVE WE SOLD OUT 50 EDITIONS ON GLASS.XYZ IN 4 MINUTES!!!
THANK YOU.
This was Dawit’s first web3 experience. We’d caught up and talked about it at the beginning of 2022, though I’m glad we didn’t decide to release anything together until later because I’ve learned so much in that span of time that’s really made this feel like a full circle moment.
I’m so grateful to have been able to facilitate his first web3 experience, help him setup a wallet, get him some crypto, and show him how to buy/sell/mint NFTs. Thank you all for helping make this a great memory.
Replay the replay the release space here.
PAISLEY (DELUX3) Collection
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PAISLEY LP (Deluxe) Vinyl NFT PRE-ORDER NOW AVAILABLE
- Compact disc and Digital download are also available
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PAISLEY (Graphic novel) [STAY TUNED 👀](https://my phone number)
PAISLEY LP on Vinyl, Compact Disc, & Digital Download
Vinyl record - $60
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Extremely limited quantity. Pre-orders close January 22nd.
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Includes additional AR content embedded into the vinyl record.
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Physical record contains an NFC chip linking to its registration on the blockchain.
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Includes digital download.
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Includes PAISLEY zine by Sky Welkin.
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Unlocks apparel and merchandise discount.
Compact Disc - $10
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Pressed on-demand.
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Unlimited quantity.
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Unlocks apparel and merchandise discount.
Digital Download - $5
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Contains all 14 tracks on Paisley (Deluxe) in multiple audio formats.
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Unlimited Quantity.
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Unlocks apparel and merchandise discount.
ICYMI watch the short film below 👇🏾 via Glass.xyz