Thomas Daniels
Rapper Iggy Azalea took aim at Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin and attendees of the TOKEN2049 conference in Singapore, dismissing the event’s panel discussions and Buterin’s on-stage singing performance as “loser s—.”
In a Saturday post on social media, the “Fancy” singer hit back at critics, stating: “I don’t complain about watching you all mumble around on conference stages singing songs about crypto or other loser s— I’d be embarrassed as f— to post.”
Though Azalea didn’t explicitly mention Buterin, her remarks were widely interpreted as a direct jab at the Ethereum co-founder, who performed a cryptocurrency-themed song during the event. Tron founder Justin Sun posted a video of Buterin’s performance, applauding his courage.
Azalea Gains Support Amid Crypto Criticism
Despite backlash from parts of the crypto community, particularly after videos from her own crypto-themed event in Las Vegas circulated online, Azalea, whose real name is Amethyst Amelia Kelly, stood her ground. The rapper, 34, hosted the event to promote her meme coin, MOTHER, and her newly launched casino, Motherland. Defending her event, she remarked that critics would “cry” if they knew the high-profile attendees at her gathering.
Some members of the crypto community, even those who didn’t attend her event, came to her defense, supporting her stance.
Azalea Favors Solana Over Ethereum
Azalea’s criticism extended beyond TOKEN2049. She openly expressed her preference for Solana over Ethereum, citing a conversation she had with a “tradfi guy” on a plane. When asked about Ethereum, she recommended he invest in Solana, emphasizing its lower entry price and superior scalability for retail users.
In a follow-up tweet, Azalea praised Solana’s ability to handle network congestion, sharing a screenshot of her Google search to support her claims. Her support for Solana is likely tied to her meme coin, MOTHER, which is based on the Solana blockchain. Launched on May 29, 2024, MOTHER experienced a dramatic 1400% price surge, reaching a peak of $0.2406 on June 6 before losing 70% of its value. However, in the last 24 hours, MOTHER saw a 22% resurgence, according to CoinMarketCap.
Celebrity Meme Coins Under Scrutiny
The feud between Azalea and Buterin comes in the wake of comments from Andrew Saunders, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer of the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) blockchain Skale, who warned against celebrity involvement in cryptocurrency. Speaking at TOKEN2049, Saunders cautioned, “I come from Hollywood, and I would never touch a celebrity memecoin.”
Buterin himself has expressed discontent with the growing trend of celebrity-backed tokens. In a post on X.com, he voiced frustration with “this cycle’s celebrity experimentation,” suggesting the need for more responsible engagement in the crypto space.
