Here's what's wrong with bitcoin, according to 25-year-old Canadian rap artist Lil Windex
- Last week, Canadian rap artist Lil Windex released a video called "Bitcoin Ca$h," which criticized the bitcoin core and praised bitcoin cash.
- In an interview with Business Insider, Lil Windex explained his commitment to bitcoin cash over bitcoin, his favorite cryptocurrency trading platforms, and why he thinks the bitcoin core are "a buncha lames."
Lil Windex, the mysterious Canadian cleaning-product themed rapper best known for his 2017 single "Cleanin Up," released another music video last week - and this time, his lyrical focus was centered on one of the most heated debates within the cryptocurrency community.
The rapper's single, called "Bitcoin Ca$h" focuses on bitcoin cash, the cryptocurrency that was created as the result of a "hard fork" within the bitcoin blockchain in August 2017 that allows for increased scalability for bitcoin transactions. Whereas bitcoin, or the "bitcoin core" (a nickname derived from the "bitcoin core developers"), conceives of the cryptocurrency as digital gold, bitcoin cash envisions the cryptocurrency in terms of digital cash, a currency that accelerates the transactional verification process.
Lil Windex, who has never before ventured into the burgeoning arena of cryptocurrency-themed music, expressed his allegiance to bitcoin cash, and harshly denigrated the bitcoin core at the song's close:
"Hey, f--- bitcoin core," Lil Windex raps.
The song tells the rags-to-riches story entailing the life of Lil Windex before he was the flaxen-haired, gold-tooth-plated lyrical genius that he is today.
As Slate pointed out, it's unclear whether or not the song is sponsored - after all, it wouldn't be the first time a cryptocurrency was the subject of a bizarro marketing scheme in recent months.
In an effort to learn more, Business Insider reached out to Lil Windex in an email interview. Here's what Lil Windex had to say:
ZOË BERNARD: Do you think that bitcoin cash is better than all other forms of currency?
LIL WINDEX: Yo, I think it has potential to be better. I like the principles it stands for, would be nice to be able to have money without giving it all to the bank to control, just so they can tax me with fees anytime I want to do something with my own loot. It's also nice to send cash to people without buying the boys at Western Union a steak dinner.
BERNARD: In the video, you throw around cash - do you think this is confusing to viewers who don't know that bitcoin cash is a decentralized digital currency that exists devoid of physical form, and therefore cannot be represented by traditional fiat currencies, such as the Canadian dollar?
LIL WINDEX: I'm pretty sure half the people watchin' this ish don't even know what decentralized means, so I'm not trippin' about it. It's a rap video, so it's got money in it. What's confusing about that? Nothing. Are people confused when Bitcoin millionaires cash-in for fiat so they can buy Lambo's? I don't think so. It's called flexing.
BERNARD: Do you have that bitcoin cash?
LIL WINDEX: B----, you know I go that bitcoin cash. What kind of question is that? I say it like 20 times in the song.
BERNARD: How much of that bitcoin cash do you have?
LIL WINDEX: Trying to get personal with me? Here, let me explain how much I got in the language of my people: Rikiki!*
[*Editor's note: "Rikiki" is a sound that Lil Windex frequently makes within his music.]
BERNARD: What is your bitcoin cash investment strategy?
LIL WINDEX: It's simple. Get as much bitcoin cash as possible, and then just ball out everyday. I'll use it to improve my image as your grandma's favorite rapper.
BERNARD: What cryptocurrency exchanges do you prefer?
LIL WINDEX: I'm from Vancouver, so I mess with Quadrigacx. The good people over there always get my racks to me on time for fair fees.
BERNARD: Are there any alt-coins that you're particularly inspired to write songs about?
LIL WINDEX: No, I just did this for fun because I think it's cool s--t, and got my feet wet with bitcoin cash, it's my ride or die. Lil Windex is loyal, I don't f--k with the ops. Don't pin me as some kind of crypto rapper, that's not even a thing, I'm not out here trying to invent genres.
BERNARD: Are you bullish or bearish?
LIL WINDEX: Depends what day it is. When it's tanking, I'm a bear. Rawr. When it's peaking, I'm tweaking. Then I get on my bulls--t.
BERNARD: Bitcoin cash has recently plummeted in value. How do you feel about this?
LIL WINDEX: Lil Windex never stresses about nothing. I got money to blow all over the place. Maybe I feel a bit sad sometimes, but then I just go ball out and I feel a lot better.
BERNARD: What inspired you to write this song?
LIL WINDEX: I was checking my app on an "up day," and got excited thinking about the future. I started daydreaming about Lambo's, and how many bedrooms would be in my mansion if this stuff went to the moon. Then I thought, why not write a song about it? The rest is history.
BERNARD: Do you believe that bitcoin cash is more closely aligned to Satoshi Nakamoto's original vision for bitcoin rather than bitcoin core?
LIL WINDEX: I guess I believe that, because that's what people told me, and that's what I've read, but I mean, Donald Trump tells people a lot of things... so who knows what's real anymore. Could all be fake news.
BERNARD: At the end of your song, you say, "F--- bitcoin core/ You're just a buncha names." Why do you feel that the bitcoin core are just a "buncha names?" [Translation per Gizmodo]
LIL WINDEX: Lames, I said they were a bunch of lames. How do people be a buncha names? It doesn't make any sense. Again, sounds like they're being all weird about Bitcoin and censoring people for having opinions. There's a lotta peeps pissed off about things like LN and F--kwit. Sounds lame, so if they're doing that, then yeah, they're a bunch of lames. Satoshi is a G. Respect your elders. RIKIKI!