Kevin Hart’s media brand HARTBEAT is launching in Web3 with a Roku special, an NFT collection, and a curated crypto wallet.
When Kevin Hart tweeted over the weekend that he’s going down the Web3 rabbit hole, we didn’t expect he’d announce his official push into the metaverse so soon after. But he did.
Hart and his global entertainment media company HARTBEAT Media announced on Wednesday that Kevin Hart Nation is expanding to Web3 with a new TV special on the Roku Channel, an NFT collection, and a curated crypto wallet. This is the first of a series of Web3 experiences coming from HARTBEAT.
“My favorite thing to do is make people laugh, and with HARTBEAT’s expansion into the metaverse and Web3, we will have exponential opportunities to bring humor and comedy to a whole new audience. I am so proud of my team for their forward-thinking and ingenuity,” Hart said in an official news release. “With this new technology, we will be able to continue expanding our footprint into the new technological frontiers of content creation.”
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HARTBEAT’s expansion into the metaverse comes after the media company landed a $100 million investment from Abry Partners to expand its team, create new IP, and accelerate growth.
HARTBEAT in the Metaverse
The TV special will premiere as a Roku Original on July 6, Hart’s birthday, with bonus metaverse-focused content to come. Titled “Confessions from the Hart,” the show will be a 30-minute animated anthology based on Hart’s popular IGTV series of the same name. Fans can expect an insider take on Hart’s virtual universe and stories about his life and career.
Roku is celebrating Hart’s new special by curating a hub that features all of the comedian’s free content on its platform, including his “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” “Die Hart,” and “Cold as Balls.” HARTBEAT also teamed up with Web3 platform Moonwalk to develop the Kevin Hart Nation Metaverse Screening Room to provide fans with bonus content.
“‘Confessions from the Hart’ is a perfect example of the thoughtful, inventive, and hilarious fare Kevin and his creative team have become known for worldwide, and we’re excited to bring it to millions of streamers via The Roku Channel,” David Eilenberg, VP and head of Roku Originals, said in a statement.
Hart’s first NFT collection will feature designs of himself and the characters in his animated special. The collection will include 10,000 NFTs purchasable by credit card or Ethereum. Confessions from the Hart NFTs grant holders exclusive membership benefits for Hart’s IRL and metaverse experiences, including tickets to his upcoming comedy tour. The NFT collection will drop on July 7.
“‘Confessions from the Hart’ is the first in a series of Metaverse activations as we expand IP across innovative distribution touchpoints,” said Jeff Clanagan, president and chief distribution officer at HARTBEAT Media. “We look forward to creating more experiences that complement traditional linear platforms and physical event experiences that Web3 natives and mainstream audiences can enjoy.”
Fans who want to get in on Hart’s Web3 experiences will need a Kevin Hart Nation Wallet. The curated crypto wallet will allow consumers to earn Hart’s social token titled HARTs to engage with social content, redeem free NFTs and purchase limited-edition collectibles and Hart Passes in the future.
Follow the conversation on Hart’s Web3 journey on Discord.
The HARTBEAT Trademark
Hart’s Web3 announcement came on the same day his camp filed a trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office for HARTBEAT. Here are some details on what the new trademark will entail.
Description
The mark consists of a design element of “an abstract six-sided polygon” (which looks suspiciously like a heart) juxtaposed with a different abstract “six-sided polygon” and the word “HARTBEAT.”
The mark
What the mark is for
- Entertainment services, including television shows, radio programs, webisodes, webcasts, podcasts, audiovisual series, films, and documentaries.
- Entertainment and education services, namely, training, mentorship, and thought leadership like sharing and providing information to entertainers, actors, comedians, writers, directors, producers, performing artists, composers, musicians and artists, and content owners related to generational transfer, increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and transforming social and cultural issues in the entertainment industry.
- Entertainment services like live comedy festivals featuring artistic or theatrical performers.
- Organization of entertainment events, comedy shows, competitions, performances, sporting events, cultural events, concerts, festivals, and/or educational events.
- Organizing social entertainment events and exhibitions for educational and entertainment purposes.
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