Universal Music's Kingship Band: Bored Ape NFTs Explained

In November 2021, Universal Music Group announced that its 10:22PM record label had signed a virtual band made of ape characters from the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection. Coverage from Bloomberg and other outlets described the act as four virtual apes forming a single group, with the label promoting it as a metaverse project rather than a traditional lineup of performers.

The band was named Kingship. Its members were based on NFT artwork, so the identity of the act was tied to specific tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. This was the first time a major label had built a band around NFT characters in this way, and the announcement drew wide attention from both music and crypto media.

The key idea was that the NFTs would act as the visual and legal anchor for the group. Rather than inventing new characters from scratch, the label used established, collectible artwork that already had a community of holders and a recognisable style.

Bored Ape Yacht Club is a collection of 10,000 cartoon ape NFTs created by Yuga Labs. Each token has its own artwork and traits, and the collection became one of the best-known NFT projects of its era. Yuga Labs later released Mutant Apes, a related collection, which is why the Kingship line-up mixes both types.

The label's band used three Bored Apes and one Mutant Ape. Because each character came from a token, the band's visual identity depended on the ownership and metadata of those tokens. Changes in ownership could, in principle, affect who controls the character's use.

If you want the official background on the collection, look at Yuga Labs' own published materials. For a view of the tokens themselves, a marketplace such as OpenSea shows the collection, token IDs and listing history, but it does not replace the on-chain record.

In March 2022, the 10:22PM label announced a further step. It acquired Bored Ape #5537 and presented it as the basis for a manager character named Manager Noët All, who would run Kingship. Digital Music News reported the purchase at about $361K, and Reuters described the other band members as NFTs on loan from a collector, Jim McNelis.

The arrangement mixed ownership and loan structures. Owning one token gave the label direct control over that character. Borrowing other tokens meant the band could use them without owning them outright, which is a common pattern in NFT partnerships but one that depends on the written agreement between the parties.

For readers, the lesson is that a headline price for an NFT says little on its own. The useful details are which token was bought, what rights came with it, and whether other tokens were licensed rather than sold. Those details are usually in press releases, contracts or on-chain transfer records.

In November 2022, Universal Music Group said it was building out Kingship as a metaverse band with characters based on Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs. Decrypt covered the update, which indicated the project was continuing beyond the original launch announcement.

Public plans at the time included new music and virtual performances in the metaverse. Those plans were announcements of intent, and an announced plan does not guarantee a finished release. Readers should treat older statements as a record of what was promised, not a confirmed schedule.

When following any music project of this type, separate three things: what the label has said it will do, what has been released, and what is still under development. Only the second category is a fact you can verify by listening, watching or checking official distribution.

Owning a Bored Ape is not the same as owning the music or the band. The NFT gives the holder a token, and the terms attached to that token decide what the holder can do with the artwork. Yuga Labs has published terms for its collections, and those terms have changed over time, so the current version is the one to read.

In general terms, collectors who hold an ape may be able to use its artwork for personal or commercial projects, depending on the license they have. A label that builds a band from an ape needs a clear agreement covering how the character is used, how it is performed or displayed, and what happens if ownership changes.

If you plan to use NFT artwork in your own work, read the current official license, keep records of the token you used, and get professional legal advice before publishing anything commercial. Do not assume that holding an NFT gives you the same rights as a record deal.

A band built on NFTs is only as credible as the on-chain record behind it. Anyone can post a screenshot, so start by finding the token ID mentioned in an announcement. Then open a block explorer for the Ethereum network and look up the contract and token ID to see the current holder.

The steps below cover a basic check you can repeat at any time:

1. Note the collection name and token ID from the official announcement.
2. Confirm the contract address against the collection's official records.
3. Open the token on a block explorer and read the current owner and transfer history.
4. Compare that owner with the wallet the label or partner has named publicly.
5. Check any marketplace listings for the same token, noting that listings can be out of date.

If a claim cannot be traced to a token ID or a contract, treat it as unverified.

Some of the most common mistakes in NFT news come from mixing up the artwork, the token and the band. A Bored Ape is a token with its own identity. The Kingship band is a music project that used those characters. A purchase of one token does not prove that the whole band is owned by one party.

Another mistake is treating a floor price or a sales headline as the value of the music. NFT prices move quickly and reflect trading demand, not the success of any release.

Finally, be careful with claims that a band or collection is still active simply because its artwork remains on a marketplace. An active listing shows that a token can be bought, not that a project is producing new material.

NFT projects tied to entertainment brands can attract scams, including fake mints, impersonation accounts and phishing links that copy an official announcement. Practise defensive habits before connecting a wallet or signing anything.

Use these basic protections:

• Go to official sites by typing the address yourself or using a bookmark you created earlier.
• Never share your seed phrase or private keys with anyone, including people claiming to be support staff.
• Read every signature request in your wallet and reject anything you do not understand.
• Use a separate wallet for NFT activity if you hold valuable assets elsewhere.
• Revoke token approvals you no longer need with a reputable approval-checking tool.

If you already signed something suspicious, move remaining assets to a new wallet and report the incident to the platform you used.

If you want to explore the collections and marketplaces connected to this story, start with the places that show ownership and listing history clearly. OpenSea is a general NFT marketplace where you can browse collections, view token details and check past sales. Element Market aggregates listings across several marketplaces, which can help you compare offers, though you should still verify each token on-chain.

For the collection itself, the Mutant Ape Yacht Club page lists the spin-off collection and its related details. Use these as starting points for research, not as sources of investment advice.

NFT markets are volatile, and the value of any token can fall quickly. Only spend what you can afford to lose, and remember that the rules and availability of NFT services vary by location. Check your local laws before trading, and remember that this content is for adults 18+ only.