A Portion of the Proceeds to Benefit the Los Angeles Urban League
Los Angeles, December 9, 2021 — Crypto.com NFT today announced an agreement with Baron Davis Enterprises, founded by two-time NBA All-Star and entrepreneur Baron Davis, for an exclusive NFT drop centered on Black Santa — Davis’ intellectual property and the lead character from his multimedia content company, UWish.
The collection will be released at Crypto.com/NFT on Friday, December 17. Davis will donate a portion of the proceeds from primary NFT sales to the Los Angeles Urban League, an organization that promotes economic empowerment for African Americans and others in underserved communities.
“My vision for Black Santa was to give children a magical world of untold possibilities filled with enchantment, adventure and positive characters of color while imparting the importance of giving year-round,” said Davis. “NFTs offer a modern technology-driven platform for expanded Black Santa experiences for collectors and fans. With Crypto.com NFT, the Black Santa collectibles are not just possible — they truly capture the integrity and soul of the character.”
Black Santa was created by Davis, who was inspired by the reaction he received after dressing up as Santa one Halloween, to celebrate diversity in storytelling through engaging content. Building a world of characters and telling contemporary stories that reflect cultural change, Black Santa also provides ongoing philanthropic support for various causes and organizations.
A former point guard for the Hornets, the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks, Davis and the Black Santa team have hosted numerous charity events — such as celebrity basketball tournaments with past guests including Matt Barnes, Metta World Peace, B.Dot, Famous Los, Tyga, Ice Cube and Omarion — since the company’s formation in 2016.
This year, Black Santa is producing a month-long Winter Wonderland activation in December with plans for a charitable basketball game featuring influencers, celebrities and athletes as well as a tree lighting ceremony, a block party, a karaoke night with Jordin Sparks and a launch party for the Crypto.com NFT drop.
The Black Santa Company also offers high quality products — from clothing and Christmas ornaments to media including books and even an original album, “The Black Santa Winter Wonderland Mixtape.” Most recently, the company published a storybook titled “Black Santa & CeCe Save Christmas” by Davis and acclaimed children’s author Jesse Byrd, with illustrations by Shelley Johnson and Lau Moraiti. There are many developed characters in the Black Santa universe, including Mrs. C — an entrepreneur and “STEM whiz” to whom Black Santa is married, who will also be featured in the Crypto.com NFT collection.
“What Baron is doing with this project is important and we are very excited to help usher Black Santa into the NFT space,” said Crypto.com Executive Vice President and Global Head of NFT Joe Conyers III. “Not only have they created a dynamic multimedia universe with so many great characters, they’ve done so thoughtfully and with the greatest of care — in support of such an empowering organization.”
The Crypto.com NFT marketplace is owned and operated by cryptocurrency platform Crypto.com, which recently purchased the naming rights for the famed Los Angeles arena that the Lakers, Clippers, Kings and Sparks call home; the Crypto.com Arena’s new logo will debut on Christmas Day. The company has already cemented itself as a leader in digital sports collectibles, having released NFTs with top athletes, teams and leagues — including an ongoing series of drops with NBA team the Philadelphia 76ers and a collection with legendary streetballer The Professor.
About Crypto.com NFT
Crypto.com NFT is a carefully curated platform for collecting and trading non-fungible tokens by creators, celebrities and brands from the worlds of art, design, entertainment, sports and fashion — including the Aston Martin Formula One Team, BossLogic, Boy George, Heavy Metal Magazine, Lega Serie A, Lionel Richie, Mr. Brainwash, Snoop Dogg and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), among many other high-profile artists and clients.
Crypto.com NFT was founded on a principle of sustainability, with artworks minted using a proof-of-stake model, and is powered by Crypto.com — which has committed to becoming carbon negative. More information is available at Crypto.com/NFT. Follow Crypto.com NFT on Twitter and Instagram: @cryptocomnft.
About Baron Davis Enterprises
Baron Davis Enterprises (BDE) was founded by two-time NBA All-Star, serial-entrepreneur, investor and creator of thought-provoking content and platforms Baron Davis. The corporation includes several companies: Sports and Lifestyle in Culture (SLiC), Business Inside the Game (B.I.G.), UWish and No Label — each combining creative talent with original publication and production to develop and provide educational and empowering stories that appeal to global audiences of all ages.
SLiC creates original content that showcases the lifestyle of athletes, entertainers and artists. B.I.G. is a management services operator that focuses on Black and minority founders, whose mission and impact investments are to close the wealth gap while creating next-gen leaders.
UWish is a multimedia content company that promotes and celebrates diversity by creating content, products and experiences for a modern multicultural landscape. Black Santa, a character from the UWish world, is driven by vivid imaginations, positivity and year-round giving through its diverse characters and contemporary stories that reflect today’s culture.
Davis was one of the original investors in Vitaminwater and helped launch Thrive Market. Earlier this year, he invested in Kitu Super Coffee — an organic ready-to-drink coffee company. Davis’ most recent venture is an investment in a college savings app called UNest, where he is the brand ambassador. Davis has also invested in Hims, Bungalow, Sleeper and Vidy.
