My interview with Radio Caca's Head of Marketing Vitaliy Tyan was a great opportunity to get insights into how a DAO-governed company works, as well as to learn more about upcoming partnerships at RACA. Vitaliy also discussed his views on the interoperability of NFTs and the escapism of the Metaverse. The article contains Vitaliy Tyan's thoughts and insightful comments on some of the hottest topics in the crypto industry.
A pioneer in the metaverse arena, Radio Caca is a decentralized organization (DAO) run by internet-savvy individuals from around the globe who share a vision of building a brave new virtual world. It exclusively manages Maye Musk Mystery Box (MPB) NFT. Radio Caca has its own native RACA token for blockchain-based blockbuster game Metamon Island and for United States of Mars Metaverse (USM), one of the largest Metaverses on the BNB Chain (CRYPTO: BNB).
Among Radio Caca's mind-blowing alliances is its partnership with three-time Grammy nominee French Montana, who presented the project during Miami NFT Week. By combining the digital and physical worlds, this partnership plans to redefine the music industry and includes the launch of a 2D metaverse powered by blockchain and NFTs with play-to-earn gaming. French Montana’s upcoming music album will be released as an NFT and include NFT characters that can be used in the 2D metaverse - it is the first ever NFT collection that combines music, visual art, game characters, and metaverse together.
The Right DAO Mindset: Make the Wave or Make it Bigger
As opposed to companies with traditional corporate governance models, Vitaliy Tyan says running a DAO feels quite different. According to him, there are multiple factors that are involved in running a successful DAO company.
- Factor #1: a community that is loyal, organic, and passionate about the vision
The origin story of the project matters because it shows the transparency, fairness, and integrity of the project. When any community member feels like a second-class citizen, a true DAO cannot exist.
“Radio Caca is one of the “purest” and “truest” DAOs because we are a fair-launch token. That means we did not pre-sell RACA tokens to anyone. Everyone, including the dev team, chose to get RACA at a market price just like everyone else. Everyone feels like a true member of the community and is devoted to it wholeheartedly. There is a unified vision and belief that RACA will continue to lead the world into the age of Web 3.0,” Vitaliy said.
- Factor #2: a development team that delivers on its promises
Vitaliy explained that their dev team continuously develops their products and services. Their NFT marketplace, Metamon P2E, and Metaverse are on a world-class level – and no one doubts it, as people can easily imagine all the more they will accomplish. It proves to the community that not only is there passion, but there is also real work being done.
- Factor #3: Passionate Community + Development = Infinite Potential
“Leadership must be laser-focused on continuously growing the community and adjusting development efforts to better serve the community. People are smart; they can clearly see if you walk the talk,” Vitaliy added.
- Factor #4: Transparency & Adaptability
Vitaliy believes it is crucial to keep all members informed about progress as well as to continuously adapt and make strategic pivots as necessary.
“Never fall prey to sunk cost fallacy. We are building a new world here, it’s always about doing what’s right for the community and not about having your personal opinions validated,” Vitaliy emphasized.
- Factor #5: Always Think Bigger
“Some people make the wave, some people join the wave, and some people are not even aware that there is a wave. Make the wave or join the wave and make it bigger. Thinking small takes no courage.”
French Montana's Here – Who's Next?
Whoever has looked into Radio Caca since the beginning and seen what they've accomplished and what they continue to do knows it will continue to increase in the number of its allies and partners.
“What we are doing with French Montana is unlike anything that’s out there – the drop will be the first of its kind. This is going to cause a cascade of positive changes in the music industry, too,” Vitaliy predicted.
Cambridge University and Princeton University are two of the top universities partnering with Radio Caca, and Vitaliy said Radio Caca is planting very important seeds across top education institutions that will allow the best and the brightest to create amazing things in RACA's Metaverse.
“We’ve recently been selected for Tachyon ConsenSys Mesh Accelerator as well. There is always more to share, so for those who want to stay in the know, I highly recommend following our socials and reading our medium so you will see our track record.”
The Spirit of Web 3.0 – Convergence & Collaboration Done Right
In answer to my next question about what impedes NFT interoperability, Vitaliy explained that right now the focus of most projects out there is primarily to build their community and differentiate themselves from others, cutting through the noise.
“Many projects out there don’t have a large development team or an established community that can organically make their products be in high demand. Right now, it is quite rare for a project to think out of their own box and look at a larger picture. Or, in most cases, many teams do have amazing ideas but don’t have the experience, resources, and community to execute them successfully.”
One of the reasons Radio Caca launched OpenPFP.com in late March of this year (2022) is to work with other NFT communities and creators and have their NFTs integrate with its thriving ecosystem, a very large community, and multiple strong partnerships. The RACA team now wants to do something that very few projects can execute and deliver.
“We understand that the next step for the Web 3.0 community is achieved by empowering and serving each other (e.g. NFT Communities) with our products and services. This is an important component of our Metaverse vision. We want top NFT communities to know that in our Metaverse, they can have a place to gather, network, and trade, and take pride in who they are. We believe every NFT community should maintain their individuality & spirit – our ecosystem is to make their existing experience more special, more fun, more Metaverse. This is the spirit of Web 3.0 – convergence & collaboration done the right way – all to better user experience and to shape the future in a way we can be truly proud of,” Vitaliy concluded.
NFTs Need Both Development and Community Support
Vitaliy noted that players will soon be able to move their assets freely from one game world to another. But for people to transfer their assets from one place to another, he added, it has to make sense.
NFTs should have the most support/features/perks in the ecosystem that created them. But most projects only specialize in the creation of NFTs, not continuously developing for and around them.
“The best NFTs don’t just enhance your game experiences, they are also digital assets that should gain more benefits over time (beyond simple appreciation). That’s why you want to make sure that your NFTs have both the development and the community to go along with it. If your existing NFTs are not being supported by the original dev team, your next best bet is to find an ecosystem that can welcome and work with you to integrate them so your community has a place to call ‘home’,” Vitaliy explained.
Modern Education Requires More Immersion and Engagement
I asked Vitaliy about the role of the metaverse in modern education, and he said that technology has advanced much faster than our education systems, and students need an immersive and engaging learning environment where they can be creative and collaborate.
However, instead of competing with existing education institutions, Radio Caca collaborates with them and combines the best of both worlds.
“By directly working with top universities and getting their student bodies engaged in Web 3.0/Metaverse/NFT as early as possible we are facilitating a true exchange of ideas among people who have both the optimism, time, and energy to educate, onboard, and lead a new generation into this new age. We, at Radio Caca, believe that if we continue to empower universities and students and give them all the tools to develop in our Metaverse, they will build and continually support their Metaverse presence in the ways that serve them most effectively,” Vitaliy stated.
The RACA team collaborated with over a dozen academic blockchain societies from some of the world's prestigious universities, including Cambridge University and Princeton University as mentioned above. The Princeton Blockchain Society tweeted that this partnership gives students the opportunity to showcase their talents.
The Metaverse: An Escape from Reality or a Way to Recharge?
A lot of people worry about how their mental health will be affected by the new reality where people spend most of their time in the Metaverse. However, Vitaliy believes these concerns are overblown.
“What is the difference between a real hobby and escapism? You engage in a hobby because it brings you happiness in some form or way. You engage in escapism because you need to take a psychological/mental/physical break from something. There is value in both.”
He explains that technology is a tool, and learning how to properly use and relate to it properly will further evolve our society. Any potential human-related problems that may arise would be challenges that society will evolve through together.
“Metaverse can be a place where you can create, succeed, win, enjoy, collaborate, experience new things and experience old things in a new way, learn, make new friends, and re-meet your old friends. That is beautiful, right? It’s empowering. Just like in real life, your options here are limitless.
And if some experiences in the Metaverse allow you to take a break from your challenges in life, then people should take as much time as they need to heal and re-energize themselves. Just like in real life, we need people who are there for us – to celebrate victories with and to support us during adversities. It is up to us to be good humans to others in the real world and in the Metaverse. And as both worlds will converge more and more, the responsibility of the human stays constant – be a good neighbor to your community and continue to try your best,” Vitaliy summarized.
We Already Live in the Metaverse via Apps and Sites, but We Feel Alone
I agree with Vitaliy that we already live in somewhat of a Metaverse, we just go to different apps and sites to curate our digital experiences. In the process of being separated from one another, he explained that we don't get a sense of immersion and it is also more challenging to develop and participate in the community. And this is why people experience loneliness and separation from society.
“The amount of time we spend on our phones and laptops will be replaced by Metaverse. It is going to be a part of our lives because it is an evolution of the internet, social platforms, and economies. Like any breakthrough technology, it will affect the way people live their lives on a daily basis. It will empower our experiences but it will also streamline some experiences thus increasing the overall productivity and efficiency of our society. When higher levels of efficiency are reached, even more room for innovation and creativity will be created.
Metaverse is the next evolution of your digital life and a sense of community and shared experiences is what makes it truly special. Some people will be fully fulfilled by the Metaverse and naturally, they will spend more time in it. Some people will only be partially fulfilled by it and they will go to the real world for the remaining needs. That is what we actually do already.
Free will, freedom of choice, and creative collaboration are what make humans the most evolved species. All technology and companies will evolve to serve us better. And those that do not, will not last. Within all of us, we have a sense of what is right and wrong. Every person should strive to do what is right. ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’”
Mike Ermolaev, the Head of Public Relations at ChangeNOW.io, conducts exclusive interviews with prominent crypto experts for Benzinga to provide beginners and seasoned crypto investors alike with valuable insight into the world of crypto.
