Following in the footsteps of countless other artists, from Edison Chen to Higher Brothers, Singaporean rapper ShiGGa Shay is dropping his first-ever NFT collection on April 13, followed by a new EP titled I am u on April 21.
A collaboration with crypto.com, the NFTs are dubbed Spacebars and feature the artist as an astronaut avatar in outer space. The collection encompasses intergalactic-themed cards split into three series. Each series varies in rarity, while each card features a four-bar or freestyle rap recorded especially for the release. Each card is sold at 40 USD.
Fans who amass the complete collection will have the means to unlock a legendary NFT card and an exclusive 16-bar freestyle prelude.
Cover art for ShiGGa Shay’s new EP I am u
Consisting of five tracks exploring the intricacies of love, relationships, and the human experience, ShiGGa Shay’s new EP features collaborations with multiple creators, including Taiwanese-American rapper Øzi and musician superjdoug.
Two of the EP’s five tracks were produced by JB Made It, a pioneer in the United Kingdom’s drill music scene and a producer for international singers such as Drake, Fivio Foreign, and Chief Keef.
Singaporean rapper ShiGGa Shay
Born Pek Jin Shen, ShiGGa Shay is one of the forerunners of Singapore’s hip hop music scene. His songs are often a mash-up of English and the Chinese languages Hokkien and Mandarin, reflecting his culturally mixed upbringing. In fact, his moniker is an onomatopoeic play on the Chinese words shi ge shei (是个谁), meaning ‘who is it’ or ‘who are you.’
In September 2020, the 29-year-old became the first Southeast Asian to stage a mixed-reality concert, which was described by one media outlet as a “spectacle to behold.”
Taiwanese-American rapper Øzi
On the new EP’s lead single, ‘Mercury,’ which was co-composed by ShiGGa Shay and Øzi, both rappers rhyme about toxic relationships.
The latter, a 25-year-old singer and songwriter, debuted in 2018 with a namesake album that was nominated for six Golden Melody Awards, the Mandarin music equivalent of the Grammys.
All photos courtesy of Drink Entertainment
