Just Ape wants to take us back to our roots. Why? The web3 space appears to have strayed from its original path, which is to bridge gaps. Whether you’re a newbie or have been around in the crypto and non-fungible token (NFT) world for a while, you probably have heard of many evangelists on Twitter, YouTube, or blogs saying how web3 will make the world a better place, bring immense opportunities for all, create a more inclusive economy, etc.
How’s that working out today? Well, we’re kinda getting there….maybe? But the truth is, there have been many setbacks and hindrances. We’re not really going in a straight direction.
For one, there have been frequent clashes between different blockchain communities; Solana and Ethereum, in particular, have a strong sibling rivalry going on. And Just Ape is currently helping in creating a unified industry by partnering with projects from both communities. The project is all about bridging gaps.
And while there have been countless NFT projects featuring anthropomorphic apes, the team is confident that it can position its brand effectively considering that the ape isn’t designed to cater to a specific niche, but to tap into a variety of markets.
What is Just Ape?
Just Ape is an NFT collection of 10,000 small and clean-looking apes on Solana that aims to bring its community back to basics, eliminating the fluff, nonsense, and other complexities that are prevalent in the web3 space today, especially on Solana.
The team’s no-nonsense approach translates well into the art of the apes, which features rather generic traits. The team argues that while others might see this as a negative, it believes the opposite is true. The fact that the monkeys have simplistic designs makes it easier to fit them into various brands, which makes garnering partnerships a lot easier.
The Just Ape team focuses on facilitating this seemingly forgotten aspiration to connect people across time and space; bridging web2 and web3, as well as local and global. And to do that, it starts by connecting its on-chain brand to the off-chain world, establishing the so-called phydigital experience powered by web3.
What would that look like? Let’s explore it in the next sections.
IRL Events
Just Ape plans to bring exposure to its brand by hosting its own real-world events, as well as attending other NFT events across the globe.
Merchandise
The team shares that it has hired a world-class Merchandise Lead to create high-quality gear for its holders, which is expected to drop quickly after mint.
Showroom
Since not all pieces of merchandise will be for sale to the public, some of them will be exhibited in the Showroom. The team expects that this will help maximize revenue streams long term.
Just Ape Studios
Just Ape Studios will be the parent organization that will be funded by the team’s and community’s efforts, with a goal to break the norm and restore the forgotten ideals and dreams of the industry.
Controversy with Famous Fox Federation Co-Founder
Days before mint, Twitter user Jaxx.S◎L raised some concerns regarding the integrity and ethics of Just Ape creative director Rabbels, who was allegedly a co-founder of another NFT project, Famous Fox Federation (FFF). According to FFF co-founder Draxxts.sol, the Just Ape executive was once a member of his founding team but was removed from leadership since he contributed ‘jack shit’ after mint.
Draxxts went on to share that Rabbels took most of the mint funds after the fact. The worst part is, he believes that Rabbels ‘just wants money from the space’.
We don’t condone needless fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) here at Metaroids, but we feel that every would-be investor of this project deserve to know this. At the end of the day, this is the opinion of one ex-partner, not exactly the whole story.
Who is Behind Just Ape? The Just Ape Team
Most of the team members of Just Ape have pseudonymous identities, although they have likely already doxxed themselves privately with Magic Eden. The team also works on another project called The Chimpions.
Grooovy and Rabbel are the Co-founders of the projects.
We know Rabbel to be the Creative Director. According to ME’s page, he has worked in several Fortune 500 companies, mostly as a Product Designer and UX Consultant for nearly a decade.
Grooovy indicates in his Twitter bio that he is a Software Engineeer, who happens to be the InterOps Lead of The Chimpions, the Biz Deb Lead of Zaysan Raptors, and a co-founder of TikiDAO.
Hyblinxx, who serves as the Brand Director, is an artist with 10 years of experience in photo art direction, branding, and creative marketing, having worked with big brands like Amazon, Oracle, and Target.
Other members include community managers Chained and Roninwar, as well as some developers, alpha hunters, etc.
How to Buy Just Ape
The mint date for Just Ape is on the 8th of June, which will the soonest you can get your hands on one. But it will be readily available on secondary markets like Magic Eden after mint. Note that you will need Phantom or another web3 wallet to buy the NFT.
If you want to mint during the mint day, bookmark Just Ape on ME Launchpad and wait until mint. The mint price will be 5 SOL.
If you missed the mint, you can always buy it on secondary here. But the price would likely be different.
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