One of the newest additions is from Rundown Media CEO, Mr. Kiarash Behain, who launched his own NFT, Lil’ Hippo.
Los Angeles, CA, Feb. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
The market is buzzing with everything related to digital assets. Since cryptocurrencies have become the new digital stock market, the NFT sector has surged massively in 2021. One of the newest additions is from Rundown Media CEO, Mr. Kiarash Behain, who launched his own NFT, Lil’ Hippo. As per its official website, it is a ‘dope collection of 10,000 Lil’ Hippo NFTs’.
According to Behain, “My primary aim of this NFT is to help the young generation enter the Metaverse. It would guide them about cryptocurrency, NFTs and financial literacy. I am a strong believer of cryptocurrency and its potential to change the world. This was the reason why I created Lil’ Hippo.”
Cryptocurrency is a virtual currency or digital asset which can be utilized as a medium of exchange and secures transactions through cryptography. Its features make it nearly impossible to double spend or counterfeit.
An NFT or Non-Fungible Token is a one-of-a-kind digital asset that can be owned individually. Some of the popular NFTs currently existing are tweets, music, videos and artwork.
While NFTs are at the forefront of all the discussions, the next generation isn’t completely convinced with the idea of digital investments. According to a recent article from PC Mag, a good number of young people, 51% of millennials to be precise, think that NFTs and cryptos are a scam.
A poll was conducted by Tidio on less than 2,000 individuals to identify the top trends of 2021. The focus was mainly on the internet. The most significant news stories to have topped the chart include GameStop’s stock surge, Trump’s Twitter ban and supply chain issues. Metaverse ranked 7th and NFTs were 8th followed by inflation rates and Bitcoin prices.
As Tidio explained, possibly, NFTs ranked lower as 60% of the participants consider these as scams. Less than 10% of them only view digital assets as a worthy financial investment. Again, 16% of the respondents only trust the fact that NFTs’ current rates reflect their true value.
The majority of these respondents with negative viewpoints are the younger generation. Another 83% of Gen Z also hold the same perspective. On a positive note, 73% of millennials and 41% of Gen Zers are interested in investing in NFTs and cryptos. Being optimistic here, Mr. Kiarash Behain launched Lil’ Hippo which appears to be unlike a typical NFT project.
As the creator explained, “I drew inspiration from ’80s, ’90s, 2000s and 2010 eras of Hip-Hop for creating this unique NFT collection of cartoon hippos. It will also feature a ‘rare and prolific crew of 60 pioneers’ called the Lil’ Hippo Legends. These will, however, not be available for purchase.”
He further stated that Lil’ Hippo Legends will be unveiled and put up for auction every month. 100% of the proceeds will be contributed to youth empowerment. Lil’ Hippo is also inspired by the DNA of 60 Lil’ Hippo Legends which has over 500 Hip-Hop looks and styles. The designs can make for some interesting-looking NFTs with endless possibilities.
For instance, an NFT can be influenced by Nicki Minaj’s wig, Lisa Left Eye’s condom eye patch, a Kanye-style ripped shirt having holes and a Gucci Mane style ice cream cone tattoo on the face. Another NFT can be inspired by a “Certified Lover Boy” heart-shaped haircut like Drake, Rick Ross’ beard, Ice Cube’s face and Pharrell’s N.E.R.D. Gucci Link chain. A percentage of the overall efforts, funds and resources are aimed towards youth empowerment through the love of art, music and technology.
Apart from this, Lil’ Hippo has future plans of hosting events, launching youth and adult interactive online workshops, supporting youth programs on financial literacy and cryptocurrency, and giving back to the community. The idea is to encourage the older generation to empower the next-gen through interactive workshops and education.
As the official website says, “A percentage of all proceeds will be fueling the brains of the future into tech.”
Kiarash Behain also reveals that he was inspired to create Lil’ Hippo by his children, Kaira (daughter/age 14) and Kairo (son/age 11). According to the website, it states ‘Education starts at home. An entrepreneur and his children have set forth to spark the brains of the next generation that will change the world.’
“Growing up, Jay Z and Lil’ Wayne played a big part in my upbringing. Today, my son and daughter are Jay Z and Lil’ Wayne fans. I wanted to apply the same concept of passing generational knowledge through financial literacy in the form of the culture that shaped me” says Kiarash.
Kiarash furthermore states that if an individual owns at least one Lil’ Hippo, they can access first dibs on future drops and interactive events along with an exclusive community on Discord. Free NFTs are also made available to Lil’ Hippo owners through weekly airdrops. This announcement will be made on the Discord channel of The Rundown.
Kiarash Behain, aka The Rundown, is famous for his popular daily ‘Crypto Talk’ rooms on social audio platforms. In the first few weeks, he hosted exclusive minting sessions for the NFT. It took a short span of only 6 hours for 1,500+ people to buy more than 3,100 Lil’ Hippo NFTs. The floor price on OpenSea after the 1st round of minting was 1 ETH or $3,000+.
As of now, the only way to grab a spot on Lil’ Hippo’s minting whitelist is by becoming a part of The Rundown’s social audio rooms and Discord community. It presently boasts 70,000 members.
While other popular NFTs are being sold for thousands and millions, Lil’ Hippo is entering this dynamic space at an impressive time and rapidity. Behain is hopeful that his new NFT will bring
more awareness and knowledge along with guiding the new generation to the Metaverse. Only time will tell if this NFT project will reach the astronomical success of Bored Ape Yacht Club, CryptoPunks and its other predecessors, but based on its imagery and utility alone, it certainly has the potential.
About Kiarash Behain
Kiarash Behain is the Chief Executive Officer of Rundown Media, which is a creative media agency based in Los Angeles, California. The American media mogul is a successful entrepreneur, social media marketing guru and a creative director with years of experience and a wealth of knowledge. His passion is primarily to brand and market celebrities, influencers and brands. Behain is the man behind many award-winning marketing campaigns of hit TV shows, leading Billboard albums and Hollywood blockbusters. His viral marketing strategies have gathered 6 billion+ impressions globally and still counting.
There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any security or any other product or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this PR should be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment or security, or to engage in any investment strategy or transaction. It is your responsibility to determine whether any investment, investment strategy, security, or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. Consult your business advisor, attorney, or tax advisor regarding your specific business, legal, or tax situation.
