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Base co-founder faced backlash after promoting a Soulja Boy–linked meme token despite the rapper's past failures

ZachXBT documented 73 crypto promotions and 16 NFT launches tied to Soulja Boy that later collapsed

Prior cases include multiple rug pulls, abandoned charity-themed tokens, and regulatory enforcement actions

Base co-founder Jesse Pollak is facing criticism from parts of the crypto community after publicly promoting a meme token linked to rapper Soulja Boy on the Base network. The incident has drawn renewed attention to the artist's extensive history of failed crypto and NFT promotions, as documented by blockchain investigator ZachXBT.

Pollak's decision to highlight the token prompted questions about platform responsibility, particularly given Base's positioning as a Coinbase (NASDAQ: $COIN ) backed Layer 2 blockchain designed to onboard mainstream users into the crypto community. While no direct endorsement of the token's structure or performance was disclosed, the association itself became the focal point of the backlash.

ZachXBT Points to Long Record of Failed Promotions

ZachXBT referenced research published in April 2023 that documented 73 crypto promotions and 16 NFT launches tied to Soulja Boy. According to the investigator, many of those projects ended in abandonment or rug pulls. The research highlighted that the rapper, as a U.S.-based influencer, is subject to Federal Trade Commission disclosure requirements.

https://x.com/zachxbt/status/2000074012487995586?s=20

One of the earliest examples cited was RapDoge, a token promoted by Soulja Boy in July 2021. The rapper encouraged followers to help push the token's price higher. Hours later, after additional promotion from other artists, the project was rug-pulled.

Charity-Themed Tokens and Deleted Accounts

The research also highlighted two tokens, Orion and The Life Token, that used cancer awareness and suicide prevention narratives as part of their marketing strategies. Orion reportedly rug-pulled within one month of promotion, after which its social media presence was deleted. The Life Token was later abandoned in early 2022.

Another case involved SaferMars, which became notable after Soulja Boy inadvertently revealed compensation details in a promotional post. The project rug pulled shortly afterward, and the related promotional posts were deleted.

NFT Activity and Prior Enforcement Actions

ZachXBT further identified nine NFT collections launched by Soulja Boy in 2021 alone. One collection, SouljaBoyNFT, advertised multiple utilities before its website went offline. Based on disclosed promotional pricing, up to $12,000 for Instagram posts and $10,000 for X posts, the investigator estimated that NFT-related promotions generated approximately $730,000 during the prior bull market.

Separately, Soulja Boy has faced regulatory scrutiny in the past. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged the artist over Tron-related activity, and he has also been sued in connection with Safemoon