Future of money: See how the tech generation invests
Discover why the next generation of investors may be leaning toward NFTs, cryptocurrency and gamification investing.
STAFF VIDEO, USA TODAY
“All you need is a laptop, cell phone and a hot spot,” raps Crypto Quavo as he drives a Bentley Bentayga around Miami in his video for “Crypto Anthem.” The song on YouTube features a cameo by Kwame “Crypto Kwame” Stover.
Crypto Quavo, whose real name is Quavas Hart, hails from Shelby or as he calls it, “The Shell.” He wants to make cryptocurrency accessible for all. As a father of four, the Army veteran understands the power of sacrifice. He served for 10 years and went on three tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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Before becoming known in the cryptocurrency space, Hart, who is 35, worked as a cinematographer. In 2016, he gained recognition during Hurricane Matthew when he used a drone to rescue a man and his dog trapped in their home during the flooding. The video was seen by millions, and he was hailed as a hero.
Hart is a graduate of Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. Although he shoots in any and all genres, he has worked with hip-hop superstars Future, Busta Rhymes and Gorilla Zoe.
He says being behind the camera gives him an adrenaline rush. The feeling became a “must-have,” he writes on his blog.
“I remember the first time I got my first million views; the attention it created gave me a great feeling,” he wrote.
Hart’s passions are in full display on his custom red Chevrolet Corvette C8. He mounted a GoPro camera on the roof and has his signature Crypto Quavo logo on the hood and the doors.
A way of life, a new world
Cryptocurrency, a form of digital currency, is a way of life for Quavas. He was an early advocate.
He entered the space in 2017, starting with Litecoin and Bitcoin. Litecoin was $25 a coin and Bitcoin was $1,500 a coin. Currently, Litecoin is worth $147.95 and Bitcoin is worth a whopping $42,241.80.
Cryptocurrency is emerging as the new way to spend money. Recently, Staples Center was renamed Crypto.com Arena.
However, the average citizen lacks the knowledge or has reservations about investing money into an unregulated currency.
“Everyone is on the internet daily; it’s simple to set up a trading app like Coinbase or Crypto.com so you can invest and start trading crypto,” Hart says.
He recommends that newcomers research coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum, since they are the most popular. Furthermore, you can’t get into non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, and the metaverse — a virtual reality space — without knowledge of cryptocurrency.
NFTs are pieces of digital content linked to the blockchain, a shared database that helps make the crypto market possible. Unlike cryptocurrency, NFTs are not interchangeable, which means no two NFTs are the same. Hart describes NFTs as “trading cards that may gain value.’
The first-ever NFT was sold by Christie’s auction house for $69.3 million. Since then, celebrities like sports stars LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Tom Brady have all created and sold NFTs.
Celebrity-endorsed NFTs come with perks in the metaverse and real life. Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to change the name of Facebook to Meta was a telling sign of the future.
However, children have already been living in the metaverse with games such as Roblox and Fortnite. Tech publication Wired describes the term metaverse as a broad shift in how we interact with technology or a digital economy where users can create, buy and sell goods.
Due to the fact that cryptocurrency is not fully regulated just yet, there are no scholastic resources to educate those eager to learn. Like many other crypto millionaires, Hart is self-taught and works to pass on the knowledge.
“The more you know, the more you make in the crypto space,” he says. “All throughout social media, there are accounts taking advantage of people.”
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But he reminds people that he is not a financial advisor. To combat scammers, Hart offers one-on-one and group classes in-person and online.
In addition, he teams up with Stover for a free community event, Cars and Crypto. To contact Hart about classes or to join his Discord, follow him on all social media platforms @imsofirst.
Salute to Crypto Quavo and every activist getting active. Peace.
Rakeem “Keem” Jones is a community advocate and father of three from the Shaw Road/Bonnie Doone area of Fayetteville. He can be reached at keemj45@gmail.com.