Apefest

About

Apefest is a festival and promotional convention based on the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT project for its members. The event is both controversial and seen as cringey by many internet users, particularly those who are generally opposed to and skeptical of the cryptocurrency or NFT community. Among the notable performers in 2022 were LCD Soundsystem and comedian Amy Schumer. Celebrities such as Jimmy Fallon were also in attendance. Apefest 2022 took place in New York City between June 20th and 23rd.

History

Apefest 2021

On October 31st and November 1st, 2021, the BAYC held its first Apefest in New York City.^[5] Roughly 700 people were in attendance at the event, which included an “immersive gallery experience,” a costume contest, the “Ape Fest Mutant Halloween Party” and then an “Ape Fest Yacht Party” aboard a 1,000-person yacht.^[5] Additionally, the band LCD Soundsystem played at the event, documented in a tweet posted by Twitter^[6] user vkinc on October 31st that accumulated roughly 24,800 views and over 200 likes in eight months (shown below).

.BoredApeYC didn’t tell me James Murphy lcdsoundsystem was jumping on the decks 🧨💥#apefest #yachtparty pic.twitter.com/GLIZvNVXsd

— Vanessa (@vkinc) November 1, 2021

Apefest 2022

Anticipation for Apefest 2022 was built in late May through multiple tweets posted by the BAYC leading into June 2022. For instance, on May 31st, the official Twitter^[1] account of the BAYC tweeted about securing tickets through an app called tokenproof, earning roughly 2,500 likes in three weeks. On June 3rd, 2022, the BAYC Twitter^[2] account announced that the website^[3] for Apefest was officially live, earning roughly 1,700 likes in two weeks.

Ticketing went live on June 8th, 2022. BAYC co-founder Josh Ong posted a tweet^[4] on June 8th that read, "GM. Good luck on Apefest tickets if you're trying," and earned 80 likes in two weeks.

Starting on June 20th and continuing into the 23rd, Apefest 2022 took place on Pier 17 in Manhattan, New York. It was speculated by news outlet NFT Evening^[7] on June 6th that among the list of performers for Apefest would be Snoop Dogg, Lil Baby. and Madonna. However, after the first day of festivities, Amy Schumer, LCD Soundsystem and Lil Baby were the only notable performers. On June 21st, Twitter^[8] user crypt0_w1z188 posted a video of Lil Baby performing, earning roughly 19,100 views and over 300 likes in less than a day (shown below).

Thank you BoredApeYC lilbaby4PF pic.twitter.com/ZcpkEkzEUM

— BIG APE 🧪 (@crypt0_w1z188) June 22, 2022

Apefest 2022 Reactions and Memes

After the initial buzz surrounding Apefest in May and June 2022, many meme creators and Twitter users started to post humorous content about the festival, largely making fun of it and its imagined attendees. For instance, on June 5th, 2022, Twitter^[9] user alancarroII posted a Starter Pack style tweet showing what "90% of mfs at ApeFest will look just like," earning over 145 likes in three weeks (shown below, left). On June 6th, Twitter^[10] user NFTsAreNice joked about one's girl being an Apefest "+1," earning over 325 likes in three weeks (shown below, right).

Amy Schumer

On June 21st, 2022, Twitter^[11] user juegosnomames tweeted a photo of comedian Amy Schumer onstage at Apefest, captioning it "lmao" and earning roughly 6,500 likes in one day (shown below, left). Multiple Twitter users expressed disbelief at Schumer actually being one of the scheduled performers. For instance, on June 21st, Twitter^[12] user MegalodonTeflon tweeted a screenshot and link from the Apefest website, earning roughly 1,000 likes in one day (shown below, right).

Jimmy Fallon

On June 21st, 2022, it was documented by multiple Twitter users that late-night television host Jimmy Fallon was in attendance at Apefest. For instance, on June 21st, Twitter^[13] user zahhhmbie posted a selfie with Jimmy Fallon that earned roughly 1,200 likes in one day (shown below, left). Also on June 21st, Twitter^[14] user FFVV1211 posted a photo of Fallon and NFT artist Beeple at Apefest, earning roughly 1,400 likes in one day (shown below, right).

Eminem and Snoop Dogg

On June 23rd, 2022, on the final night of Apefest 2022, rappers Eminem and Snoop Dogg debuted a new music video for the song “From the D 2 The LBC” which featured the rappers transforming into animated versions of the Bored Apes owned by each of them. A picture posted that evening by Eminem of his and Snoop Dogg's Apes received almost 35,000 likes on June 24th.^[15]

Took too long to reconnect with snoopdogg- you know we had to make a movie! https://t.co/087W2OZJOI #FromTheDToTheLBC #curtaincall2 BoredApeYC pic.twitter.com/k443JqXHON

— Marshall Mathers (@Eminem) June 24, 2022

The closing act by the two rappers seemed to be well-received by those present at Apefest, judging by audience reaction recorded in video from the scene. Some online, however, expressed doubts about the spectacle, including this tweet by @GRIMVVICE on June 24th, which received almost 20 likes over the course of the day.^[16]

eminem and snoop dogg made a song together for a bored ape music fest fuck it why not we live in hell

— Isabeau (@GRIMVVICE) June 24, 2022

Search Interest

External References