Kanye West Reverses NFT Disinterest, Files 17 New NFT and Metaverse Trademarks

Kanye West, who once asked fans to “STOP ASKING ME TO DO NFTs,” could be preparing to mint his own non-fungible tokens (NFT), according to 17 new trademark applications filed by the rapper’s Yeezus brand.

Kanye West Files NFT and Metaverse Trademarks

In January, Kanye West shared a handwritten note telling his fans to stop asking him to do NFTs. Five months later, the rapper and entertainer appears to have changed his mind based on newly-filed trademark applications.

Trademark attorney Josh Gerben of Gerben Intellectual Property reported that West’s Mascotte Holdings Inc. has filed 17 trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 

Kanye West Goes Big on NFT and Metaverse

Attorney Gerben reported that the filings included mentions of potential “non-fungible assets” and “metaverse experiences.” He tweeted;

The filings, which were made on May 27, include a note on the potential for “providing an online marketplace for buyers of crypto and digital collectibles, currencies, tokens, and assets” by West’s brand.

According to Gerben, the 17 trademarks filed by Kanye West all center on the use of the YEEZUS brand, which was the name of West’s 2013 album as well as a long-running tour. The filings also suggest West might launch Yeezus-branded amusement parks.

On The Flipside

• The professional basketball league owned by fellow rapper Ice Cube has decentralized team ownership in the form of NFT stakes. 

Why You Should Care

Celebrity NFT projects and endorsements are becoming increasingly popular, slowly fulfilling the goal of revolutionizing digital asset ownership.

Read the article below to find out about West’s previous stance on NFTs:

Kanye Scoffs at NFTs, Saying He Makes “Real Products in the Real World”

Read about West’s musical NFT debut below:

Kanye West’s Unreleased Track Sold as an NFT