My name is Darryl, but you probably know me as Bases. I am a musician and animator creating on Tezos, and the co-founder of Tezos Hip-Hop.
Finding myself as an artist
Some of the earliest creative moments I can remember are sitting in the kitchen of our mobile home, sun-blazing, pots-and-pans singing. I had a Casio walkman. The first tapes I acquired were Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall, Kriss-Kross’ self-titled, and Tom Petty and The Wallflowers. I can still remember the furred earbuds gracing my ears, as the ’90s shouted along the tiny speakers. This is the first time I can remember feeling completely free. These influences are felt and communicated each day in the music I create.
Over the years, I have found that music and creative expression offers us the ability to be in a constant state of flow. When we are like water, we can reach deep into the depths of the unknown; to capture creative moments and experiences waiting to be discovered and expressed. Music allows me to express myself completely, while creating visuals and dynamic experiences for listeners. It is rewarding. Challenging. Timeless.
Curating web3's music
I help the DNS team curate music, develop our music community, and also collect and advocate for artists in the space.
Our team believes this is achieved through direct and daily communication with the community. We make a point of being always visible, whether is it in the Discord or Twitter Spaces I host, to get feedback and hear new ideas. You don't make the best platform in a silo.
Today we are also announcing a weekly Twitter Space called ‘Collecting with DNS.’ Our goal is to support emerging artists, emphasize smaller edition sizes (1 of 1s and more), and showcase the best music in web3.
We hope to set a standard for the ecosystem, by fostering a community of audiophiles, and an ever-expanding collection of tracks from notable artists. We believe in you and we believe in your work. Please bring your best art!
Web3 is an art renaissance
I appreciate music on many blockchains (Ethereum, Polygon, and more...), but I want us to focus on the Tezos community. It allows artists and collectors to mint and collect efficiently. We can collect from some of the best artists in the world, in real-time, which is not possible on many platforms.
I am committed to artist empowerment: I believe in the power of decentralization, and its ecosystem, and see web3 as our best opportunity to create a better environment for new artists.
Supporting Web3 music creators
I have chosen to join DNS because I believe in their vision. In my eyes, they proved to be one of the most important and inspiring projects in the ecosystem. It is a world-class product. They consistently support and show up for the community when it is needed most.
Everyone loves art. It transcends time. The team understands this and knows that in supporting us, we will support them. Their priority is to fully absorb themselves into the artist community; support artists and set the standard for their peers. It is a symbiotic relationship.
As a curator, I will listen to and discover as much on-chain music as possible. Create the first genre-specific playlists: Jazz, Classical, Experimental, Hip-Hop, and so on. I also want to curate seasonal and topical content!
You can help us by attending our Spaces, listening to tracks on the site, and providing artists the time and respect they deserve. The space is open to all, and we encourage you to come whether you are a new or returning artist.
Listen to my first playlist here. See you soon!