The Black Keys took the stage at a 2024 event called “America Loves Crypto”, but their appearance was not about supporting digital currencies.
Instead, drummer Patrick Carney later admitted they played simply because they needed the money.
The event was part of a series organized by Stand With Crypto, a group advocating for pro-crypto political candidates ahead of the US presidential election. The Black Keys’ involvement was surprising, considering they had previously made fun of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) while promoting their latest album.
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Speaking to Rolling Stone on February 6, Carney explained their decision:
It was very simple. We had lost all of our income for the year. We had retainers for people that we were working with. We got offered a lot of money to play a show, and we saw that the Black Pumas had done the same event and we were like, ‘Book it.’ It’s that simple, bro.
When asked if they were crypto supporters, Carney brushed it off with a joke, saying they were fans of Crisco, the cooking brand.
Stand With Crypto, originally launched by Coinbase
$3.41B
, had endorsed 39 candidates for Congress, almost evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. However, some The Black Keys fans were unhappy with the political figures the group supported.
Carney acknowledged the backlash but said, “We were told it was a bipartisan thing. It was what it is.” He also pointed out that the show was small, held in their hometown, and gave them a chance to visit family.
Meanwhile, Sony’s blockchain platform, Soneium, recently released its first music NFT collection. What does it include? Read the full story.
Having completed a Master’s degree in Economics, Politics, and Cultures of the East Asia region, Aaron has written scientific papers analyzing the differences between Western and Collective forms of capitalism in the post-World War II era.With close to a decade of experience in the FinTech industry, Aaron understands all of the biggest issues and struggles that crypto enthusiasts face. He’s a passionate analyst who is concerned with data-driven and fact-based content, as well as that which speaks to both Web3 natives and industry newcomers.Aaron is the go-to person for everything and anything related to digital currencies. With a huge passion for blockchain & Web3 education, Aaron strives to transform the space as we know it, and make it more approachable to complete beginners.Aaron has been quoted by multiple established outlets, and is a published author himself. Even during his free time, he enjoys researching the market trends, and looking for the next supernova.
