Ian Tayao is a Filipino musician, producer and skateboarder known for fronting the bands Queso (formerly Cheese), Wilabaliw & Armalite.
He has been called one of Philippines’ “Three Kings Of Slam” alongside Greyhoundz’s Reg Rubio and Slapshock’s Jamir Garcia, due to his aggressive and experimental musicianship that blends alternative rock with elements from rap music.
He also incorporates some video game references here and there — just because he can!
The Artist/Gamer/Musician recently joined United Gamers’ CrypTalk video series to talk about his perspective on NFTs, Axie Infinity, Crytozone, Cryptoblades, and the play-to-earn games he is currently streaming among other things.
During the CrypTalk episode, while talking to host Hot-E, Ian Tayao added some perspective on why he supports NFT and cryptocurrency. In an interesting segment, he harkened back to the early days of trying to make a living in the local music industry and having little support… and compared it to how creators are empowered by crypto.
“A little bit of history. Back in the day, as a musician, there was no form of support other than the labels and the selected radio stations. And you’re really lucky whenever a radio station or a label picks you up from the dirt.
But nowadays, there’s this cryptocurrency world, this NFT space where it can serve as a catalyst for growth in the sense that we can exchange coins. We can expedite a system wherein we can exchange coins for goods, for products provided by the artists, the creative minds.
If you want to just hop on the bandwagon, it’s not just about expecting returns. It’s actually about funding empowerment in a way.”
He goes on to talk about:
- How Axie Infinity still reigns supreme
- The best advice he’s gotten on his crypto journey
- His greatest struggles in the space
- The impact of the scholarship program on countless Filipino investors — especially artist-musicians turned investors.
Ian also talked about how his experiences as a musician helped him as he started out in a budding new industry, and how that enabled him to create a sustainable mindset when it comes to facing the shifts, struggles, and monetary challenges of the crypto biz.
You know him for his art, music and gaming, but get to know more about Ian Tayao on United Gamers’ CrypTalk!