Snoop Dogg is auctioning his own memorabilia in an online sale due to end on June 2.
Fans of musicians can find value in seemingly mundane items if they are connected to their heroes. The rap star Snoop is making sure he gets his share of the proceeds of this obsession.
He’s not quite the first. Musicians have increasingly looked for ways to monetise areas away from their core business as recording royalties have plummeted.
But Snoop is being more direct than most, partnering with an authentication and auction business to put the buyers directly in touch with the producer of the artefacts that mean so much to them.
The project is called the Shiznit.
“This is shit that we have, but we didn’t know it was worth something,” Snoop told Variety.
The Realest is handling the sale, which includes master tapes of some Snoop recordings, lyrics, autographed personal items, clothes and even smoked joints that Snoop is lighting up and putting out specifically for sale.
A pair of Gucci sneakers that Snoop has had enough of. You can buy them now.
The auction opened on May 21 and will end on June 2, with an associated exhibition touring in the US.
Musicians used to get rich from their music, and could count on a lifetime of royalties from hit songs.
But the internet streaming age has seen these revenues plummeting.
In response, artists have diversified.
Touring has become a more important revenue stream, where once it was seen as a means to promote a record. Merchandise now extends well beyond t-shirts to full clothing lines, sneaker brands and other tie-ins.
And they make money from their name. Bob Dylan, for example, produces limited edition signed art prints that sell for several thousand dollars a shot.
But forgery is a problem for fans hungry to get authentic items linked to their heroes. Going direct to the source is one way to cut out that risk.
Scott “DJ Skee” Keeney is the founder of the Realest. They opened with a limited sale of items from Megadeth, selling a Dave Mustaine guitar for $15,000.
Keeney told Variety: “Snoop is passionate about helping introduce an entirely new revenue stream for artists that is not just a typical ‘estate’ or garage-type sale of items, but from documented and authenticated ephemera.
“Items like setlists, stage equipment, outfits, signage, and more are things that fans desire but can’t find. It helps to build a new revenue stream for artists.”
The top item at the sale currently is that smoked blunt, with a bid of $1,314. Once put out, the cigar end is encased in a resin for sale.
