Nearly a million digital collectibles vanished from the market in thirty minutes, generating $12 million for a rapper whose career began when most NFT enthusiasts were still learning to walk. Snoop Dogg‘s July 10, 2025 drop on Telegram—approximately 996,000 animated tokens featuring vintage rides, swag bags, and smoke-themed art—arrived precisely when the NFT market desperately needed resuscitation.
The timing couldn’t have been more strategic (or ironic). Q1 2025 witnessed NFT sales volume plummeting 61% from $4.1 billion to $1.5 billion, with monthly volumes declining 41% and transactions dropping 55%. Against this backdrop of digital asset malaise, Snoop Dogg’s collaboration with Telegram demonstrated that celebrity magnetism could still override market fundamentals—at least temporarily.
The mechanics proved as innovative as the execution was swift. Unlike traditional NFT drops requiring multiple platforms and wallet connections, Telegram’s integration with the TON blockchain enabled discovery, purchase, and ownership within a single application.
These weren’t merely speculative assets destined for secondary market flipping; they functioned as animated profile tokens directly within Telegram’s ecosystem, exchangeable for the platform’s in-app currency, Stars. This marked the first-ever celebrity NFT launch hosted entirely on Telegram, establishing a new precedent for creator-to-fan engagement.
Pavel Durov’s public endorsement amplified the event’s reach, while the accompanying music track “Gifts” and promotional video transformed a digital asset sale into multimedia entertainment. The collaboration positioned Telegram beyond its messaging origins toward thorough Web3 functionality—tokenized usernames, peer-to-peer payments, and now celebrity NFT drops.
This marks another chapter in Snoop Dogg’s extensive blockchain narrative. Previously operating under the alias “Cozomo de’ Medici,” he assembled a personal NFT collection worth millions while consistently championing Web3 adoption. His previous Snoop Passport Series launched in June 2023 demonstrated his commitment to connecting music and blockchain technology through exclusive content offerings.
His latest venture suggests NFTs might evolve from purely speculative instruments toward socially integrated digital goods. Market analysts view the drop as potential catalyst for broader recovery, though whether thirty minutes of frenzied purchasing translates to sustained market revival remains questionable. The crypto gaming sector’s projected play-to-earn model transformation indicates similar shifts toward converting digital engagement into income streams.
The minting process, scheduled within 21 days, and subsequent secondary trading on TON blockchain will provide clearer indicators of lasting demand versus momentary celebrity-driven euphoria.
What’s certain: when nearly a million people simultaneously decide digital smoke-themed art deserves real money, traditional market metrics become remarkably irrelevant.
