Elton John has partnered with Jadu and Sweet to auction a Rocket Man NFT hoverboard that will let Metaverse avatars fly in style, with all sales benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
In addition to the NFT hoverboard, John will also be releasing a series of access tokens that will unlock a series of fan experiences as part of the Rocket NFT Club.
On the partnership, John commented,
“Whilst I’m no metaverse expert (!) I wanted to make sure that my first NFT was something true to me, and collaborating with LGBTQ+ artist Voxel Bunny and Jadu on something so unique which benefits the Elton John AIDS Foundation for Pride month was the perfect opportunity.”
“Web3 has the potential to bring people from across the world together like never before and I’m excited for the opportunities to connect with my fans in a vibrant and growing community.”
Produced by Jadu, the Rocket Man hoverboard is one of the rarest items within the company’s collection, which also includes boards created in collaboration with Grimes and Snoop Dogg.
Created by Voxel Bunny, the Rocket Man hoverboard design references a keyboard pinball machine, paying homage to Elton John’s “Pinball Wizard” music video from 1975 and features John’s emblematic star glasses, piano keys and music notes from the song “Rocket Man.”
“As a fellow LGTBQ+ artist, it’s hard to put into words the pride I feel paying tribute to Elton John and his legacy which continues to make a meaningful impact on the lives of so many,” added Bunny.
“And knowing that my creation will play a role in helping to end the AIDS epidemic for the most vulnerable individuals and communities means the world to me.”
Jadu is an augmented reality (AR) game-world built around virtual items owned by its community of players.
Jadu is developing an AR mobile app, emerging from beta in summer 2022, that connects to players’ Ethereum wallets, letting them turn their 3D animated NFTs into playable avatars.
As more aspects of our social lives go digital, the Metaverse continues to gain traction, with Jadu offering a unique take: virtual items that work in the physical world with the help of AR.
Jadu crafts fantastical virtual objects like Hoverboards and Jetpacks that can be owned as NFTs and used in-game by 3D playable avatars.
Jadu founder and CEO Asad J. Malik said,
“It’s been a true delight to design our rarest Hoverboard with Elton John’s iconic body of work as an inspiration and we’re honoured to play a small role in the Elton John AIDS Foundation fulfilling its mission to end the AIDS epidemic.”
New York-based Sweet is a highly flexible, NFT platform and marketplace used by top creators, sports, entertainment, and consumer brands worldwide.
Sweet delivers immersive NFT programs driving revenue, consumer engagement, and gamified experiences reaching both sophisticated and novice NFT collectors in ways never before possible.
“Elton John has been on the frontline of innovation in music, fashion, and technology for over half a millennia.
During his ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour,’ the release of these Elton John access tokens combines the innovative web3 world with Elton’s penchant for providing high-value opportunities accessible to his entire fanbase,” said Tom Mizzone, CEO of Sweet.
The NFT hoverboard auction begins at 10 a.m. ET on Monday and will close on June 22 at 6 p.m. ET. Bids are now open here.
Auction sales will go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation which is committed to overcoming the stigma and neglect obstructing the end of the AIDS virus.
