Mike Shinoda interview with HYPEBEAST

[PeppePark]

In a new interview with HYPEBEAST, Mike Shinoda talks about the hot topic of the moment, NFTs, mentioning the "One Hundredth Stream" jam and "Happy Endings".

 

Earlier this year you sold your first piece “One Hundredth Stream” on Zora, and you followed that up with another debut of your single “Happy Endings” as an NFT on the platform. How did you first get introduced to the world of NFTs and what draws you to it?

"I collected crypto enough to get a sense of it, just to watch it. Sometimes I’ll do that. I’ll go on Robinhood and buy one share of something just to have it and watch it, for it to be on my radar and be invested that way. That’s kinda what happened with crypto. I bought a few different coins, and I just watched them, paid attention. And then a friend of mine who goes by the name RAC — he’s like an expert in the space — he introduced me to the dudes from Zora, and I liked their style. I feel like their approach was the way that I wanted to do things. If you want to do anything in NFTs, you’ve got to start somewhere, and I felt like they were a good starting point because their perspective on it was a little less like a platform.

The difference between Web 2.0 and Web 3.0 — one of the primary differences that we’re all looking for is they don’t want a platform, say Facebook, standing between the creator and the fan and monetizing that relationship. I felt like Zora was the closest thing to that Web 3.0 promise, and that’s why I minted with them. But there’s others! I’ll probably do stuff on Nifty or other platforms in the future."

 

You’ve now become the one of the first artists to debut a single in the form of an NFT auction. How did the idea first come up?

"I wanted to do something special and different. I like to play around and debut stuff with new technology or ideas if I can. I had a Fort Minor song called “Welcome” that was one of the first 360° videos, and I did it because YouTube had just turned on 360°, so I thought “now’s the moment to go after this.” We’ve debuted Linkin Park stuff with games, special digital releases and things like that. To me, this felt like introducing the fans to the subject was important to me. I could see the trend is going towards this direction and everybody’s going to be talking about this. I am a part of it already, so I want to represent.

It was actually the first major-label NFT, at least that any of our labels have dealt with. So on my song it’s me, iann dior and UPSAHL. I wrote the song with UPSAHL and Samantha Ronson and Pete Nappi, and Sam and Pete are on Disney, so it’s like Universal, Disney and Warner Records and so on. All these labels and publishers, and I said, “I want to debut this as an NFT” and they said, “how are we going to do this?” But we made it happen."

 

As NFT is a relatively new concept, many fans might find it hard to see why they’d spend a significant amount of money on a piece of art or music that they could then stream for free on Spotify or YouTube. What do you think is the core value of owning an NFT that separates it from accessing the material through other channels or platforms?

"I think NFTs are a very special thing. You can create and sell something, and every time it resells, I can take a small percentage and everyone who’s in touch with it or sold it, all our names are associated with that item. That’s a game changer. That’s a big deal. Some people like to use this example, like “oh it’s a digital Mona Lisa.” Maybe in some cases yeah, but just imagine this if you can.

Let’s say Ninja or a pro gamer buys a skin for their character and they play in a world championship with it. They win the game with like a Michael Jordan-level action — they’re playing Valorant, they get an ace, they kill everybody, they win the game. Everyone’s freaking out, and it’s the greatest moment in esports history. They can then sell that skin and say, “this is the skin from that memorable moment.” And people, when they buy it, it’s not hearsay. They can look at the blockchain and the information written on the item and say, “it was first owned by Ninja and now it’s owned by me,” and when they sell it, that [next owner] can prove that it was owned by Ninja.

That’s a big deal. I mean, you can’t even get that when you try to buy a Michael Jordan-signed basketball. You have to trust that that person isn’t lying. In this case you don’t need trust, you can just look at the chain."

 

Turning to your single “Happy Endings,” how was the experience of working with the newer generation of musicians? Were there any specific lessons or techniques that you learnt from iann dior and UPSAHL?

"Okay, let me put it in context. This song comes in an interesting time in my career. When quarantine started last year, I started doing Twitch streams because everyday started feeling the same. Have you ever seen Groundhog’s Day? I felt like it was Groundhog’s Day, where it just repeated over and over, so I started streaming on weekdays and that helped me do a creative thing every day. I decided to make something new from scratch five days a week, and then chill on the weekends. I ended up making over 100 instrumentals. I made all that stuff and even put out three mixtapes or compilations called Dropped Frames. But I’ve been doing it every single day, and when I’m not on those, I might be developing other things, working with other artists or writing.

I basically did a Zoom writing session with UPSAHL and my friends Samantha Ronson and Pete Nappi, and we wrote this song, and the more we played it for people, everyone was like, “dude that’s so dope, you’ve got to put this one out.” So we ended up eventually getting iann dior on it and putting it out this way.

The response has been great. This year I’ve been producing fans’ vocals. Fans will upload songs, and they use a hashtag — and this is good for HYPEBEAST readers too because I really want some different kinds of vocalists. All you’ve got to do is put up your demo with a minimal track or no track even, and I want acapella vocals, and use the hashtag #ShinodaProduceMe. Me and the fans from Twitch will go looking through all the submissions on the hashtag and when I find something I like, I’ll contact that person and I produce my favorite ones on the stream, on Twitch in front of fans. I’ll give the artist that finished mastered track back, and they can release it however they want. Some of these kids I’m producing, they have like 2,000 fans, 3,000 or 4,000 fans, and now they’ve got a track produced by me and they can go to labels with it, go to Spotify with it, whatever they want to do. I think those things all kind of work together in one sense, like how I stay sharp and I keep creative things going."

 

Read the full interview on the HYPEBEAST website.

[JZLP-Benningstrong]

" I wrote the song with UPSAHL and Samantha Ronson and Pete Nappi, and Sam and Pete are on Disney"

 

I dislike the new Shinoda, he's like the total opposite of what he was all about.

[berryaaron11]

1 hour ago, JZlinkinparamore said:

" I wrote the song with UPSAHL and Samantha Ronson and Pete Nappi, and Sam and Pete are on Disney"

 

I dislike the new Shinoda, he's like the total opposite of what he was all about.

maybe he was playing a façade all along, or maybe he started recently, i mean, pretty much every musician will do that eventually unfortunately.

[Soeffingnaive92]

2 hours ago, JZlinkinparamore said:

" I wrote the song with UPSAHL and Samantha Ronson and Pete Nappi, and Sam and Pete are on Disney"

 

I dislike the new Shinoda, he's like the total opposite of what he was all about.

So here’s the Disney thing exposed in all its beauty 😂😂 next step is ShinodaxPeppaPig 

[lpliveusername]

I'm just gonna leave this here:

https://twitter.com/radiodisney/status/854892884432211968

[Soeffingnaive92]

58 minutes ago, lpliveusername said:

I'm just gonna leave this here:

https://twitter.com/radiodisney/status/854892884432211968

I remember this 😂😂
TBH I never understood how a song about mental health issues, depression, anxiety, with specific lyrics about paranoia, panic attacks was labeled as a Disney song just for the melody and due to Kiiara’s presence 😂

Edited March 24, 2021 by PurpleFlinstoneVitamins92

[JZLP-Benningstrong]

lawson poems

Edited March 24, 2021 by JZlinkinparamore

[Soeffingnaive92]

33 minutes ago, JZlinkinparamore said:

lawson poems

Instantly saved in my iPhone gallery 😂😂😂😂

[Cesar656]

On 3/24/2021 at 5:27 AM, JZlinkinparamore said:

" I wrote the song with UPSAHL and Samantha Ronson and Pete Nappi, and Sam and Pete are on Disney"

 

I dislike the new Shinoda, he's like the total opposite of what he was all about.

I mean, Shinoda on LP has a sound, and Shinoda alone has a different one.

If this is what he enjoys doing, why not? Id rather have this music than him talking bout gangs, guns, drugs, cash, sluts or whatever

[Soeffingnaive92]

1 hour ago, Cesar656 said:

I mean, Shinoda on LP has a sound, and Shinoda alone has a different one.

If this is what he enjoys doing, why not? Id rather have this music than him talking bout gangs, guns, drugs, cash, sluts or whatever

As much as I don’t like the song and I think I’ll never listen to it again on purpose, if he’s up to this sound and is happy with it, I’m glad he found a way and he’s not stuck in a “I don’t want to write music anymore after 7.20.17” (as an example). Him taking about drugs and guns wouldn’t be Mike yeah 

[JZLP-Benningstrong]

12 hours ago, PurpleFlinstoneVitamins92 said:

As much as I don’t like the song and I think I’ll never listen to it again on purpose, if he’s up to this sound and is happy with it, I’m glad he found a way and he’s not stuck in a “I don’t want to write music anymore after 7.20.17” (as an example). Him taking about drugs and guns wouldn’t be Mike yeah 

 

well my English sucks

I barely care about the lyrics 

 

I just can't stand his uninspired disposable music.

[RogueSoul]

the worst part of the 2014 Disney music debacle is that you guys still think anything that sounds trendy is "Disney" music. dude writes a song with an uplifting message for the first time in like 4 years and your brain is too caught up in the lack of despair that it can't possibly be considered anything but kids music.

 

if you don't like the song - don't listen to it! there are dozens of songs you can keep listening to from the back catalogue, and i'm sure even more new music being made everyday that sounds like what you want to hear. go find it. stop dwelling on one man's three minutes of positivity and excitement about a changing world.

 

and that the people who think the disney joke is still funny 7 years later lol. you may be worse than the people who think that anyone involved with this band can only make music that sounds like HT/Meteora.

[Lebron]

26 minutes ago, RogueSoul said:

the people who think that anyone involved with this band can only make music that sounds like HT/Meteora.

HT/Meteora/MTM * 😎

Edited March 27, 2021 by Lebron

[Stranger]

32 minutes ago, RogueSoul said:

the worst part of the 2014 Disney music debacle is that you guys still think anything that sounds trendy is "Disney" music. dude writes a song with an uplifting message for the first time in like 4 years and your brain is too caught up in the lack of despair that it can't possibly be considered anything but kids music.

 

if you don't like the song - don't listen to it! there are dozens of songs you can keep listening to from the back catalogue, and i'm sure even more new music being made everyday that sounds like what you want to hear. go find it. stop dwelling on one man's three minutes of positivity and excitement about a changing world.

 

and that the people who think the disney joke is still funny 7 years later lol. you may be worse than the people who think that anyone involved with this band can only make music that sounds like HT/Meteora.

 

this sums up everything. 💯

 

[Soeffingnaive92]

6 hours ago, RogueSoul said:

the worst part of the 2014 Disney music debacle is that you guys still think anything that sounds trendy is "Disney" music. dude writes a song with an uplifting message for the first time in like 4 years and your brain is too caught up in the lack of despair that it can't possibly be considered anything but kids music.

 

if you don't like the song - don't listen to it! there are dozens of songs you can keep listening to from the back catalogue, and i'm sure even more new music being made everyday that sounds like what you want to hear. go find it. stop dwelling on one man's three minutes of positivity and excitement about a changing world.

 

and that the people who think the disney joke is still funny 7 years later lol. you may be worse than the people who think that anyone involved with this band can only make music that sounds like HT/Meteora.

People can post the dollar sing under any Grey Daze related post made in the last year or say every single time that they are milking Chester’s legacy but how do we dare making a single innocent joke about the Disney thing regarding a song. I LOVE OML and I don’t think the album sounds Disney, I like blackbear and he doesn’t sound Disney, Mike is in a specific mood that you call uplifting but I find hella cringy.

i saw people here calling Crawling cringy, I think HE is 10.00000 times a lot more cringy than that, Disney or not.  

[RogueSoul]

26 minutes ago, PurpleFlinstoneVitamins92 said:

 I LOVE OML and I don’t think the album sounds Disney, I like blackbear and he doesn’t sound Disney, Mike is in a specific mood that you call uplifting but I find hella cringy.

i saw people here calling Crawling cringy, I think HE is 10.00000 times a lot more cringy than that, Disney or not.  

 

1) no one so much as mentioned One More Light or Amends but you cannot form your full argument, much less a full sentence without justifying your liking for one or the other, and that is part of the point. why bring up shit like this that literally has nothing to do with the conversation? what are you trying to prove that all of us don't already know?

 

2) every single person here is free to express their opinion whether its positive or negative. my problem is not with the fact you don't like the song. your opinion does not matter to me; nor should mine to you. the fact is every single goddamn thread about this song - or just Mike Shinoda lately - is the fact that . show me the last time someone, in a thread, commented on a Grey Daze thread about the cashgrab this or that. while you search back a few months to when people actually gave a shit, i will go to any of the last 5 threads about 'Happy Endings' to find you or someone else talking about "selling out," "Disney music," etc. the one person in particular (  ) has signed off everything that doesn't have a shouted vocal in it as "Disney" music since 2017 and it shows. no one is able to discuss something without someone else bringing up some irrelevant bullshit just to prove a point that things aren't how YOU want them to be. Voice your concern! But don't define every sentence or comment you make by that point. it's a shallow and immature look.

 

This goes to anyone reading this for any band or artist: say your piece, but don't linger. disagree or agree. hate or don't hate. but not over and over and over again. no one wants to read that shit

 

i've noticed this over the past few weeks post-HT20, but the negativity is really starting to get in the way of constructive conversation, or even just casual conversation void of negativity. feel free to put me in my place if im stepping out of line lol

[Soeffingnaive92]

1 hour ago, RogueSoul said:

 

1) no one so much as mentioned One More Light or Amends but you cannot form your full argument, much less a full sentence without justifying your liking for one or the other, and that is part of the point. why bring up shit like this that literally has nothing to do with the conversation? what are you trying to prove that all of us don't already know?

 

2) every single person here is free to express their opinion whether its positive or negative. my problem is not with the fact you don't like the song. your opinion does not matter to me; nor should mine to you. the fact is every single goddamn thread about this song - or just Mike Shinoda lately - is the fact that . show me the last time someone, in a thread, commented on a Grey Daze thread about the cashgrab this or that. while you search back a few months to when people actually gave a shit, i will go to any of the last 5 threads about 'Happy Endings' to find you or someone else talking about "selling out," "Disney music," etc. the one person in particular (  ) has signed off everything that doesn't have a shouted vocal in it as "Disney" music since 2017 and it shows. no one is able to discuss something without someone else bringing up some irrelevant bullshit just to prove a point that things aren't how YOU want them to be. Voice your concern! But don't define every sentence or comment you make by that point. it's a shallow and immature look.

 

This goes to anyone reading this for any band or artist: say your piece, but don't linger. disagree or agree. hate or don't hate. but not over and over and over again. no one wants to read that shit

 

i've noticed this over the past few weeks post-HT20, but the negativity is really starting to get in the way of constructive conversation, or even just casual conversation void of negativity. feel free to put me in my place if im stepping out of line lol

I don’t accept you telling me I can’t make a full argument without comparing things. The OML comparison was to justify the fact that I’m not in the “no screaming =Disney shit” state of mind. But the fact you and other people act so defensive on a post that was 100% meant to be a joke (and a funny meme) about Mike showed me that maybe I’m out of touch with the feelings of this forum nowadays. 
The conversation in the shout box has been constructive in the past few weeks and fun, so I don’t see all this negativity being spread all over the forum. 
Peace 

Edited March 27, 2021 by PurpleFlinstoneVitamins92

[Stranger]

18 minutes ago, PurpleFlinstoneVitamins92 said:

I don’t accept you telling me I can’t make a full argument without comparing things. The OML comparison was to justify the fact that I’m not in the “no screaming =Disney shit” state of mind. But the fact you and other people act so defensive on a post that was 100% meant to be a joke (and a funny meme) about Mike showed me that maybe I’m out of touch with the feelings of this forum nowadays. 
The conversation in the shout box has been constructive in the past few weeks and fun, so I don’t see all this negativity being spread all over the forum. 
Peace 

 

the problem here is your jokes is not really a joke. it's you being sarcastic and try to cover/labelled it as "jokes". it's getting bored and tired seeing your "jokes". not everything meant to be joke for.

[Soeffingnaive92]

4 minutes ago, Stranger said:

 

the problem here is your jokes is not really a joke. it's you being sarcastic and try to cover/labelled it as "jokes". it's getting bored and tired seeing your "jokes". not everything meant to be joke for.

I thought the Disney Mike meme was super fun TBH, and it all would have stopped there as of me. You talk like I spend every single day here making jokes about how bad Mike’s music is while I clearly don’t. Lol. 
If you look at my serious comment I made yesterday, I clearly said that even tho I don’t like the song at all I’m happy to see him feeling good. 

Edited March 27, 2021 by PurpleFlinstoneVitamins92

[Stranger]

48 minutes ago, PurpleFlinstoneVitamins92 said:

I thought the Disney Mike meme was super fun TBH, and it all would have stopped there as of me. You talk like I spend every single day here making jokes about how bad Mike’s music is while I clearly don’t. Lol. 
If you look at my serious comment I made yesterday, I clearly said that even tho I don’t like the song at all I’m happy to see him feeling good. 

 

it's because of Mike, you said it's SUPER FUN. what do you think, if people keep making fun bout Chester and making memes of what he said in the past? i know you're bias towards Chester but that doesnt mean you can disrespect Mike just because he's not your fav. they're both Linkin Park, in case you forgot bout it. 

[Soeffingnaive92]

12 minutes ago, Stranger said:

 

it's because of Mike, you said it's SUPER FUN. what do you think, if people keep making fun bout Chester and making memes of what he said in the past? i know you're bias towards Chester but that doesnt mean you can disrespect Mike just because he's not your fav. they're both Linkin Park, in case you forgot bout it. 

Criticizing someone’s music the way I did is disrespectful? I NEVER said personal stuff about Mike and I’d NEVER go that path. If you think the Disney meme was disrespectful well...sorry for hurting your sensibility... Amyway, despite me being bias towards Chester (that’s true) my criticisms towards Mike is due to the high consideration I have for his music skills, I know he’s capable of A LOT MORE. That’s all for me. I said multiple times that if LP comes back I’ll be super curious and excited and emotionally involved, I never ever (ever) said “LP is just Chester” 😊

Edited March 27, 2021 by PurpleFlinstoneVitamins92

[JZLP-Benningstrong]

Thanks Chester for bringing back Grey Daze.

[RogueSoul]

i'm going to sell everyone's account who disagrees with me as an NFT

[JZLP-Benningstrong]

1 hour ago, RogueSoul said:

i'm going to sell everyone's account who disagrees with me as an NFT

 

I'm in

[jopevc]

22 hours ago, RogueSoul said:

the worst part of the 2014 Disney music debacle is that you guys still think anything that sounds trendy is "Disney" music. dude writes a song with an uplifting message for the first time in like 4 years and your brain is too caught up in the lack of despair that it can't possibly be considered anything but kids music.

 

if you don't like the song - don't listen to it! there are dozens of songs you can keep listening to from the back catalogue, and i'm sure even more new music being made everyday that sounds like what you want to hear. go find it. stop dwelling on one man's three minutes of positivity and excitement about a changing world.

 

and that the people who think the disney joke is still funny 7 years later lol. you may be worse than the people who think that anyone involved with this band can only make music that sounds like HT/Meteora.

👏👏👏 👏👏👏 👏👏👏