Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot
Getty Images for ABARussian punk band/activists Pussy Riot have teamed with several cryptocurrency groups to mint an NFT that will be sold this weekend to raise funds for Ukrainian civilian groups.
UkraineDAO will launch Saturday at noon EST with the release of a 1/1 NFT of the Ukrainian flag, the sale of which will benefit Ukraine’s Come Back Alive, “one of the most effective and transparent Ukrainian charitable and volunteer initiatives.”
“Our goal is to use what we’re good at, web3, to assist Ukrainians as they cope with the Russian invasion of their country,” Pussy Riot tweeted of UkraineDAO. “We’ll be buying an NFT of the Ukrainian flag.”
In a statement, the group’s co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova added, “We purposefully avoided adding our own art to this release, in a way it’s our strong conceptual artistic statement. People can have different aesthetics, but it’s not about what color we prefer, it’s about uniting to save lives. The Ukrainian flag unites us.”
The NFT sale also allows for people to donate any amount of money to participate, with those people receiving a digital souvenir for their contribution.
The Defiant reports that within 12 hours of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, more than $400,000 in Bitcoin was donated to Come Back Alive, as the nation’s banking institutions were rocked by the invasion and the subsequent declaration of martial law.
“Crypto is borderless, permitless and it’s so much easier and faster than fiat,” Tolokonnikova told Bloomberg.
Check out the UkraineDAO site for more information on the NFT sale as well as to donate. UkraineDao was created in partnership with Trippy Labs and PleasrDAO; the latter is also the crypto group that secretly purchased the one-copy-only Wu-Tang Clan album previously owned by Martin Shkreli.
Busta Rhymes is honoring his late friend D’Angelo in a truly moving way. The rapper released a heartfelt tribute track titled “Magic,” marking one of his most emotional releases in years. The song celebrates the neo-soul legend D’Angelo, who sadly passed away earlier this month after a private battle with cancer. Over the smooth, soulful backdrop of D’Angelo’s “One Mo’ Gin” from his 2000 classic Voodoo, Busta reflects deeply, sharing raw and powerful emotions through his storytelling.
Throughout the seven-minute piece, Busta takes listeners on a journey through his 34-year friendship with D’Angelo. He recalls their early sessions with A Tribe Called Quest and describes the lasting connection they built over the decades. Instead of simply celebrating the music, Busta pays homage to the person behind it. He describes D’Angelo as a rare, once-in-a-generation artist who “never needed a co-sign” and “touched the souls of the people and everything between.”
During an interview with Okayplayer, Busta called D’Angelo “a godsend,” reflecting on his influence across R&B and hip-hop. “The Earth shifted when D came to do music,” he said, a statement that perfectly sums up D’Angelo’s impact. Anyone familiar with Brown Sugar, Voodoo, or Black Messiah knows his legacy speaks volumes.
“Magic” feels like a conversation between two lifelong friends. Busta Rhymes gives fans an intimate look at a bond that helped shape decades of soul-infused hip-hop. The tributes pouring in since D’Angelo’s passing highlight not only his extraordinary artistry but also the love and respect he inspired among peers. Lauryn Hill expressed it beautifully, writing, “Thank you for being a beacon of light to a generation and beyond who had no remembrance of the legacy that preceded us.”
