God Bless America 🇺🇸 As the son of an Italian immigrant mother who became a naturalized U.S. citizen, I’m proud to celebrate America’s 250th Independence Day as a second-generation American, a first-generation college graduate, and the proud son of a firefighter and Rescue Company captain. My family’s American story started with my grandmother, who crossed the Atlantic by ocean liner in steerage (the lowest ticket class) alone with two young children for 2 weeks, one of them my mother, leaving behind everything and everyone she knew in her village in search of a better life. Italy at the time was still a poor and mostly agricultural country. In 1950’s America, she worked in the sweatshops, one of the few opportunities available to newly arrived Italian immigrant women, earning 25 cents a day just so her children could have opportunities she never did. My mother and her siblings embraced becoming Americans. They learned English because it was the language of opportunity. And despite the prejudice and negative stereotypes, they went to American schools and understood that assimilating into American society and culture would create opportunities for them. At the same time, they never lost their Italian heritage or their Catholic faith. They became Americans without forgetting where they came from. My mother went on to spend more than 40 years working in the family’s independent auto parts business. My mother, aunt and gay uncle were pioneers who built the business into a long-lasting local store in a male dominated industry. My uncle (and godfather) unfortunately died of AIDS in the late 1980s. So my aunt kept the business going for the next 35 years, and my mom remained a dedicated part of the business for over four decades. Their perseverance, loyalty to one another, and commitment to family shaped the person I am today. My father’s story was no less American. My grandfather was an orphan who served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before becoming a police officer, while my grandmother worked as an evening maintenance cleaner at a local university. Together, they built a life centered on hard work and service while raising their two children in the projects. My father carried that legacy forward by spending 30 years putting his life on the line for his community as a firefighter and later a Rescue Company captain. After retiring, he spent another decade teaching the next generation of EMTs, firefighters, and police officers to do the same. He ultimately succumbed to an illness linked to his time spent at Ground Zero during the 9/11 rescue and recovery effort in New York City. The privilege of being born an American citizen and the opportunities I’ve had exist because generations before me were willing to sacrifice, persevere, and risk everything for the chance to become Americans and also serve their fellow Americans. They believed the promise of America was worth betting everything on - including their lives - just like our founding fathers did. Their stories made my story possible. Today, I’m grateful for the opportunities this country has given my family and for the sacrifices that made my story possible. Happy 250th Independence Day. God bless the stars and stripes. God bless those who put their life on the line for freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. God bless those who serve their fellow Americans with pride and love of country. God bless America. Land of the free. Home of the brave.

i wish people would pump artists the way they pump pfp projects.

are you this old?

eth goes up. i make art. eth goes down. i make art.

NO ACCOUNT SHOULD HAVE LESS THAN 22.2K FOLLOWERS. DROP AN EMOJI. FOLLOW EVERYONE WHO LIKES IT. 🔥

The Historical Timeline of CryptoPunks Derivatives (a thread 🧵)

what flavor is your NFT?

show me an original idea and i'll show you a dozen more just like like it.

was interviewed by the @nytimes about how NFTs saved my life and gave me the opportunity to pay off my debts and help my family in the process.

i don't know who needs to hear this today. but fuck you! 🖕🏼

i've formulated an end-game plan for my custom @unofficialpunks: 💜 35 minted + 15 more w/ future owners 💜 yes; feature rarity is playing a role 💜 there will be a cap (>150 and <300) 💜 after, i'll focus mostly on community growth #cryptoart #nfts #unofficialpunks

don't have a punk. so i made my own. #secondrealmpunk

look who has a @Crypto_Skulls avatar! welcome to the fam @3LAU. ☠️💀 #WeDigTheSkulls #skullish #skullgang

Three things you didn't know about @Crypto_Skulls💀 1️⃣1500 skulls go to a community DAO. (4,770Ξ / $15.2M) 2️⃣Skull owners obtain all IP rights to their skulls. No limits. 3️⃣The creator, Alex, left his full-time job to focus 100% on skulls. #WeDigTheSkulls #skulls #skullgang

depression is no fucking joke. i've struggled with it my whole life. yes; i talk about my struggles in interviews, my writing, and through art. but so many more suffer silently. for them, i'm on a mission to alter societal views of mental health. for me, it's still a struggle.

just purchased my first-ever @GenuineUndead. figured i should be hanging out where my collectors also hang out. so i went for aesthetics. and apparently i'm really into skulls with mohawks and red eyes. 💀

i see people saying that the market is brutal and people are leaving, but all my homies from 2019 and 2020 are still here. weird.

an update on Gary from someone who saw him IRL. he is okay.❤️

there seems to be a renewed interest in 1/1 art. i hope collectors are doing more to look beyond @SuperRare and @niftygateway for them. a lot of fantastic artists out there.

the @Crypto_Skulls community team is killing it. This week all holders can claim the V2 drop on Wednesday, March 23rd. And they've decided to open source the DAO branding guidelines. The clan and I can't wait to see what's next: #WeDigTheSkulls #skullish

i just turned 43... and i took a few minutes to think about 13, 23, and 33 me. great leaps were made between each of those decades. i think 43-53 is going to be pretty amazing.

Clear IP terms that are easy to get for @CryptoSkulls holders. 1️⃣ full commercial rights. 2️⃣ no monetary limits on commercial use. 3⃣ the intention: transfer of copyrights. Be honest! Punks or Apes don't even compare. #WeDigTheSkulls☠️ Source: 👉 cryptoskulls.com

I just published Crypto Art: A Brief History. It's an overview of key moments within the last decade. 👉 link.medium.com/7joE3g043eb #nftart #nfts #cryptoart #nft #blockchainart #crypto

the @SuperRare DAO vote is now closed. and it seems like me, @maxosirisart, & @robnessofficial are all in! to those of you who had the courage to vote YES, thank you. to those who abstained, thank you too. and to those who voted NO, i appreciate your honesty.

People are selling Apes for Skulls🤯 #skullish @gocholive shares a video of him selling his #MAYC to buy @Crypto_Skulls 📺piped.video/watch?v=JTiXyHCs… #wedigtheskulls #skullgang☠️

the number of ppl in the comments who don't realize AR is trolling them is hilarious. 😂

Artists, please don't slide into my DMs and have our first interaction be you asking me for an RT.

if you're an artist in the NFT space and you're flexing a pfp avatar that isn't your actual face or an artwork you created, i'm judging you.

the search experience on NFT marketplaces is terrible.

okay; after just a few hours of interacting with the @GenuineUndead crew, i can already tell you that deciding to join this community has proven to be successful in so many way. first, there's a NY/NJ crew that meets monthly. i was just talking about needing a local NFT IRL meetup. also, there's a health, learning, & growth aspect to the community that fits my personal interests. Like the Genuine Life 100-day accountability challenge going on right now. it's for moments of serendipity like this, that i continue to dive into and learn more about who my collectors are and where they spend their time.

thanks for this awesome custom @Crypto_Skulls piece by @theMikeElf! hangin proudly in the office. #eldiablo #skull3955 #skullnation

My Bone Yard. #skullgang☠️ @Crypto_Skulls

😂🤣

Down the Rabbit Hole🕳🐇 - The Guide TL;DR: a burn & redeem adventure with surprises along the way. START/🧵

First mint on SuperRare in 2 years💎👀 A little bit about my @SuperRare (re)genesis piece and why I chose mint "Goodbye, My Love" today on the 2nd anniversary of being banned from the platform. Sound on 🔊 (link below 👇)

🔵OPEN CALL "CRYPTO ART FRIDAY"🔵 This week's theme: Lucid Dream To participate: 🎨 POST your art below 🔁 RT & LIKE ✅ FOLLOW @ericprhodes and @creativebytes_ Closes: August 24th at 11:59 PM EST @joynxyz @cryptoartfriday

⭐️Welcome to the Art Studio⭐️ ⚡️Opensea: 2nd.ai/os ⚡️MyBAE: 2nd.ai/bae ⚡️SuperRare: 2nd.ai/sr 💌Newsletter: 2nd.ai/newsletter ✨More: 2nd.ai/links #NFTart #NFT #cryptoart #trashart #unofficialpunks

el Diablo's inner demon is risen... 💀+🩸=👹 @Crypto_Skulls @SKULLNATI0N #demonicskulls

updated my honorary @ittybits_eth PFP w/ the signature pixel (#0053CD) background. 🤏🏻🟦 🙏 @posvar

don't be fooled. the best place for your cash is a cold-storage wallet stored in #bitcoin

if you’re out in the art world as an artist and saying things like “that’s my color pallet” or “that’s my idea” or “that’s my composition” or “that’s my technique” plz stop. none of that is precious. and holding onto it only stops you from moving forward in your practice.

fuck scarcity. your art can become wildly popular whether you've made 85K, 50K, 10K, 5K, 2K, 500, 200 or 50 of them. just do you. be you. that seems to work best. *Warhol, Picasso, Hirst, Beeple, Dali, O'Keef, Kahlo, or Da Vinci

🔥The History of Alt-Punks Article🔥 "A Short History of Alt-Punks NFTs" is available now on @theouterrealm. 👉theouterrealm.io/blog/a-shor… #NFTs #NFTart #cryptopunks #fastfoodpunks #covidpunksnft #punkverse

i don't know who needs to hear this, but you can distribute your art any way you see fit. you have choices: OEs, LEs, 1/1, for sale, for free, as a gift, trade, or whatever. think of them as levers for you to pull. you decide if, when and how much to pull. now, let's make art!

Are you tired of shilling art to scammy engagement farmers who give you nothing in return? That's why I created #CryptoArtFriday! A community-driven initiative aiming to engage & amplify artists in a meaningful way. In partnership with @joynxyz and @creativebytes_. Details👇 This week's topic: Connection Each week a new theme will be announced. For the genesis launch, we're starting a couple of days early because I'm so excited to share this with you. For this weeks topic, you have until Thursday, August 17th at 11:59 PM EST to submit your artwork. By replying to this thread you'll be entered automatically. Here's a suggested submission format: [title], [mint year]. [optional description] [edition size or 1/1] [price] [buy or mint link] Attach your artwork Once submitted, you'll be able to view submissions here: epr.is/joyn Note: give it at least 15 minutes to show up on JOYN How will the submissions be used? ✅ I’ll curate a selection of 10 artists to be included in a weekly showcase on JOYN. ✅ I'll also be curating for exclusive drops on Nifty Gateway through their publisher program.

not every artist can make a $500 sale in today's market. BUT to throw that success in the face of other artists while they're finding joy in sharing art for free is a garbage move. attack a platform. that's fine. use your success to shame other artists. that lacks perspective.

NFTs made many people think they could make a living as an artist. Regardless of individual successes, that shift in mindset is a net positive for creatives. I can't remember when the traditional art world was that empowering and culturally significant.

i'm bullish on NFT artists that are still here. especially the pre-hype pre-2020 artists. the explorers. the adventurers. the never stopped creating. the for the long-haul. the historical NFT creators.

i love the idea of open sourcing the front-end and the back-end of the @phunkyApeYC marketplace. will empower so many creatives. they're putting @Pauly0x and @ryder_ripps on blast right here: "only half of the @NotLarvaLabs marketplace is open source"

I’ll never take advice on how to be an artist from a collector.

You've been airdropped Golden Key. #followtherabbit → epr.is/rabbit

#artforthepeople I'm gifting 62 skyscapes to celebrate @TATRtech's first social liquidity mining rewards on 12/9. 1⃣Drop your #eth addy 2⃣Follow/RT 3⃣@ five #cryptoart friends 4⃣...receive a random original 1-of-1 skyscape. #NFTart #DeArt $tatr $whale

just picked up my first @nuclearnerds. i'm a fan of collaborative story telling. and the art is pretty fqn cool too! and ofc i picked one with catchers gear (i love baseball) and chucks. it reminded me of The Sandlot.😅

Saying what’s up to the legendary @artnome at #NFTNYC. cc/ @NFT_NYC

🤣

if you’re goal as an artist in the #NFT space is to make $$, then it’s not money you’re after, it’s attention. the attention of those who would be willing to pay you for your art. think about how you’re connecting with your core audience. don’t think growth, think connection.

time square billboard the new NFT flex?

i'm still not convinced that people in this space who support CC0 actually understand what "public domain" means. prove me wrong.

imagine sharing that you suffer from anxiety and people tearing you down because of it. this is part of what makes it so hard for men, in particular, to show any kind of vulnerability regarding mental health.

i just started therapy again. and looks like i needed it. i've been noticing the arc of the pendulum swing between my anxiety and depression states expanding. insomnia has set in too. which feeds it. but this is the way my mind and body works. it'll reset soon. #mentalhealth

was a very emotional day. had a passing in the family. going to take the rest of the day and probably tomorrow off. gn + gm. see you in a day or two.

i unfollow people all the time. especially when i feel like they don't add anything to my Twitter experience. today i unfollowed @/beeple. hopefully the twitter algo fills his slots in my timeline with more interesting artists that i follow.

at what point do all the amount of 10k pfp air drops, their utilities, and extended functions become so convoluted, disorganized, and untenable that we get back to buying art from artists?

became member of the @OnChainMonkey gang today. #OCM #3017

hot take: land in the metaverse is infinite and so not scarce. (which is why my land investments will mostly be focused IRL for the foreseeable future.)

Things I'm manifesting for myself: 🔳 @FastCompany's 100 most creative people 🔳 Collaboration w/ @LEGO_Group 🔳 Collaboration w/ @Topps 🔳 @nytimes bestselling author 🔳 Art in the @metmuseum 🔳 Art in the @Guggenheim

Big thanks to all commented, made suggestions, corrected dates, and challenged items in the timeline. We have a more-improved and easy to read timeline because of your input. Here's the updated timeline: epr.is/timeline

We did it! 💚🐸 my piece, Visualize Fake Memes, is now included into Season 0 (S0) of @FAKEMEMES_ETH. the meme has been called up to the Big Leagues. It went from a super fake meme to real Fake Meme! #FML #FM #fakememes

it's #MentalHealthMonth and i'm overwhelmed. i've been taking breaks to recharge. i'm in the process of finding a new therapist. i planned on celebrating my growth this month with you. but i can't bring myself to it. this is what living #anxiety and #depression is like.

the royalty debate is raging. i have opinions. but i thought it would be more helpful to the conversation to share what some of our thought-leaders in this space are saying. so in this thread i'll aggregate what i think are some of the most thought-provoking comments. 1/🧵

🔵CRYPTO ART FRIDAY CHALLENGE🔵 This week's #CryptoArtFriday theme is Water! 🎨 POST sketches, WIPs, old art, new pieces, etc. 🥳 HAVE FUN with it 🔁 RT & LIKE ✅ FOLLOW @ericprhodes and @creativebytes_ Ends: September 14th at 11:59 PM EST @joynxyz @cryptoartfriday

if you were told that NFTs was a way to make easy money as an artist. then you were sold a bill of goods by false idols. the fact is that for most it will take time, effort, and a fuq-ton of energy to succeed. just dropping NFTs and hoping for riches is a poor strategy.

the momentum is w/ @rarible rn. i've had the pleasure to talk them recently and there's an appetitive for improving the UX and making artists a priority. let's cheer them on, have patience with this interest, and guide them in the right direction w/ high quality feedback.

hey folks! i need to take a #mentalhealth break over the next two days. the tank is nearly empty. and i need to rest. but i'll be passively communicating. will be slow to respond to DMs. but please reach out anyway. ☮️❤️

inspired by @cryptoyuna, here’s my own “hello world” video. i’m in full no-shave-november regalia (a month early). 🎥👨🏻‍🎨

The More You Know🏳️‍🌈✨ if you own @Crypto_Skulls, all rights are granted to you. #WeDigTheSkulls #skullgang☠️

paper handed $ENS tokens yesterday and feel good about it. no amount of FUD about predicting the future in hindsight for a coinbase listing is going to make me feel bad about making a profit. people love to FUD about the past like they're the Nostradamus of crypto. fools.

Free Mint #2 - Drink Me 2K white rabbits are running around web3. this is a little drink for 345 collectors who jumped into the rabbit hole with me so far. 🍶app.manifold.xyz/c/drinkme THEN join m in Discord after you take your drink: discord.gg/ericprhodes #followtherabbit

･ *ﾟ 　 ･ ﾟ* ･｡ *･｡ *.｡ ｡･ °*. ﾟ PRE-2021 NFT ARTISTS ARE UNDERVALUED ﾟ*. ｡｡ ･ ｡ ･ﾟ ｡°*. ｡*･｡

the @phunkyApeYC with 400 ETH in volume on a platform that was mostly unknown. probably nothing. what happen's when their open source marketplace goes live? 🚀🌕 nftrade.com/assets/eth/0x176… #phunkyApeYC #phunk

if you've seen the term #trashart in the NFT space and want to learn more about it, then start here (a 5-min read): The Origins of Trash Art theouterrealm.io/blog/the-or… A Short History of NFT Trash Arts theouterrealm.io/blog/a-shor…

this @ittybits_eth honorary pfp feels good right now. and matches my bags as well. whatcha think @CozomoMedici?

just because you put #NFT in your new twitter handle doesn't mean you're an expert. we're all still just figuring it out (even those that been here for 2+ years), but ignoring the history just makes you look stupid and ungrateful.

nothing’s better than getting an @XCOPYART for free because you’re a bamf’n OG.

as a collector, name one thing you look for from an NFT creator?

as an artist, and unless you know the market makers personally (and i've found that very few actually do), it's probably best to focus being the best version of your self. make art that you enjoy making. don't worry so much about why you're not being "chosen". choose yourself.

hey collectors, how important is scarcity and rarity to you when making the decision to purchase #NFTart? Do you view it the same way you would when purchasing a 10K/PFP generative collectible? #NFTs #NFTart #NFTcollectibles

i've been blocked by, don't follow, and have muted most people who identify as "influencers" on twitter. not having my feed all junked up with shilly content and flame wars makes the space significantly more enjoyable.

probably see me doing a lot of super fake meme stuff. and that might not be your thing. i get it. but being inspired by @fakememes_eth led me to the telegram group, which ultimately led me now to owning some btc pepes. these mfers green-pilled me. 🐸

Look at me! Got to see the amazing the amazing @GiselFlorez 🔥🔥