Wisher Vodka x TAG
We sat down with one of our house artists and asked a few questions from our community to learn a bit more about who TAG is behind the avatar. Below is an interview exchange between KLOW and TAG.
What is your background?
My name is Gerald Sandor Yusuf, I go by TAG and I was born in Queens, New York City. I moved to South Florida at 10 years old. I started rapping at 14 years old and learned how to engineer and produce while interning at major studios. I have a platinum record for “XXXtentacion & Lil Pump - Arm Around You (feat. Maluma and Swae Lee)” and a gold record for “YNW Melly - I’m A Star”. I have produced over 40+ songs till date.
What led you to the metaverse?
I was approached to do a NFT with ET (Eric Thomas - The HipHopPreacher). That led me to learning more and meeting my CTO Sundeep, since then my web3 presence and awareness blew up. I have been doing shows on the metaverse in collaboration with some popular brands.
What was the experience like?
It was different but exciting at the same time. The setup allows you to musically take it to another level versus real life. I would definitely keep doing them because it’s only going to get better with technology. It also helped me connect with my audience in a more intimate fashion and I am loving it.
Where was the first place you performed?
In school jumping in cyphers haha! My first real on stage performance was an open mic here in Ft Lauderdale, where I just jumped up and started rapping.
Where was your favorite place to perform
Wisher Vodka in Decentraland of course!
Do you perform IRL too and where?
Yes, it’s been a while now due to the pandemic and we are all at a standstill. Metaverse shows is a definite way for me to get back to doing my shows. I used to do tons of open mics and events around South Florida. I will get back into it once the right opportunity comes along, but right now I’ll be in the Metaverse mostly.
What can someone expect as they enter a metaverse concert with you?
Music at the highest quality…I’m an engineer and producer so I can take it to the next level with vocal and production quality. I’m also getting into more high end visuals, so I’m looking to push the envelope with every show. I am receiving some great feedback from my fans and its so pleasing, keeps me going!
Is it hard to feel the energy from the crowd?
Yes and no, my energy comes from really getting into the song and the quality of the music. I think its very important to maintain the quality, just because its online we needn’t compromise the quality. Of course watching the fans vibing to my music is a feast but we see this even in IRL events. The pomp with the cool wearables and different avatars are a treat to watch which we don't see it IRL unless its a major rave event.
Can you play live and stream in the metaverse?
Yes, my setup is very low latency friendly. That’s music talk for all my musicians out there, but it basically means no delays in the streaming. I use premium quality software to ensure the smoothness and constantly upgrade my rig.
Who is your favorite artist as a DJ?
Well I’m not a DJ lol, but I don’t have a specific favorite artist. It changes from time to time and right now it’s Kanye West.
How has the metaverse changed your career?
It enabled me to reach a brand new audience and new opportunities that are innovative. The immediate feedback and followers I get on my shows is thrilling to watch. Every show just gets better and better, on my genesis NFT launch I had over 70+ fans enjoying the show. I am blessed to say the least.
How do you see the monetization of music in this space?
With the blockchain technology, you’re able to track practically everything, so I think it gives power back to the artist. I see NFT’s being the new way to monetize and continuously keep revenue coming to the artist. More sponsored shows, ad revenues, artist collabs, there is a ton of opportunities in this space and we are so early.
Do you have plans for an NFT?
Yes, I have some out right now! Here is my opensea link https://opensea.io/youknowtag
Where can we find you playing in the metaverse and IRL?
You can find me at the Wisher Vodka (of course), Rocking Uniquehorns, Somnium Space, and more to come. I love the vibe DCL brings to this space and it is becoming a common place for all artists to meet, explore.
How did you connect with Wisher?
We established our relationship over few months now, mainly starting on twitter spaces which later led to doing shows. I had my genesis NFT pre-launch party on Wisher Vodka’s DCL space and I couldn’t be more happy for the support. We were able to meet irl at the NFT NYC event for the first time and this took our relationship to a new level. We love the work Klow and the entire Wisher family does and we are in alignment.
How do you see that connection benefiting you and vice versa?
Wisher Vodka is a big name in the adult beverage industry, so having them at my shows to provide for my fans is big. Also, my connections in the industry can help Wisher Vodka reach a much bigger demographic.
You can learn more about TAG here: https://linktr.ee/youknowtag