1/
We didn’t come for hype.

We came to build what was missing.

A thread on what actually went wrong in Web3 music—and how ZAO is rebuilding it from the ground up 🧵

2/
In 2020, NFTs cracked open a door.

Artists could finally sell music as digital assets. MP3s became collectibles.

The promise?

Creative control. New revenue streams. Fan-powered economies.

The ZAO (ZTalent Artist Organization) represents a groundbreaking initiative in the intersection of art, technology, and community.

3/
But by 2022, the floor collapsed.

The tools were broken.

The community was scattered.

And most Web3 music projects?

Just overpriced files with no real value or meaning.

4/
That’s when ZAO stepped in.

Not to chase hype—but to build what never got built.

While others rushed in to extract, we showed up with a long-term vision rooted in community and creativity.

5/
Here’s the truth:

Most big names during the NFT boom weren’t here for the culture.

They were here to cash out.

They minted garbage. Took the bags. Vanished.

6/
Then came the major labels and Web2 musicians.

Same playbook:
- No community
- No roadmap 
- Just another revenue stream to drain

Web3 was treated like a vending machine.

7/
But we see Web3 differently.

They came to extract.
We came to plant.

ZAO was born from artists, for artists.

Not to take from the culture—but to equip it.

8/
Our ecosystem isn’t about speculation.

It’s built around:
- Tools
- Community
- Creative accountability

From festivals to funding, merch to minting—we're laying real infrastructure.

9/
We believe in responsibility—not hiding behind DAOs.

Web3 gave us a new model:

Communities that own their power. Not corporations that deflect it.

ZAO doesn’t decentralize to avoid blame—we do it to multiply accountability.

10/
We’re not here to dominate.

We’re here to distribute power.

Not trying to be the "Spotify of Web3."

That’s a Web2 mindset in a Web3 suit.

We're here so everyone can start their own scene.

11/
The ZAO isn’t the final destination—it’s the blueprint.

Copy us. Remix us. Improve us.

Launch your own version. Build on top of what we’ve built.

Protocols > Platforms.

People > Products.

Purpose > Hype.

12/
We didn’t show up in 2023 to drop an NFT and disappear.

We came to:
- Stay
- Listen
- Build
- Help others build

To remind musicians:

You’re not content creators.

You’re culture creators.

13/
ZAO isn’t here to “save” Web3 music.

We’re here to rebuild it—with the people it was made for.

And we’re just getting started.

Huge shoutout to our top contributors—this movement is built by you!

14/
Top Contributors:  
@attabotty – 2523 pts
@zaal   – 2520 pts
@candytoybox  – 1474 pts
@ezincrypto  – 1454 pts
@hurric4n3ike  – 1262 pts
Heather  – 1049 pts
@failoften – 872 pts
@prizem  – 787 pts
Tricky  – 772 pts
@ohnahji  – 733 pts
Let’s build #THEZAO

Thank you for inviting me to your community.