The creator of Base, Jesse Pollak, is facing increasing criticism after he publicly promoted a meme coin apparently linked to rapper Soulja Boy.
The case again raises long-standing concerns about celebrity involvement in speculative crypto projects.
Base leader Jesse Pollak faces backlash for promoting a meme coin linked to Soulja Boy
The controversy arose from posts published on X (Twitter) in mid-December. On December 13, Soulja Boy shared a comparison of content creators' monetization schedules across different platforms, stating that newer applications allow for faster monetization.
“Twitch pays once a month. TikTok pays once a week. Favorited pays once a day. Choose your poison wisely,” the rapper wrote.
The next day, Pollak reinforced the message by highlighting the Base platform, Coinbase's Ethereum Layer-2 network, as a new revenue layer aimed at content creators.
With this comment, Jesse Pollak proposed blockchain-based tools as better alternatives to traditional social media platforms.
The situation escalated when Pollak directly responded to Soulja Boy. The crypto influencer stated he had supported Soulja Boy at Base and 'earned immediately', describing the event as 'new internet' behavior.
Specifically, Pollak did not promote any specific token by name. Nevertheless, many users interpreted the discussion as a statement in favor of the Soulja Boy meme coin as well as broader support for the rapper's crypto activities.
ZachXBT highlights Soulja Boy's crypto history
This perception led to a swift reaction from blockchain researcher ZachXBT. He publicly questioned Pollak's decision to associate with Soulja Boy at all.
“Why give SouljaBoy the chance to scam new people?” ZachXBT asked, referencing his previous investigations into the rapper's crypto activities.
ZachXBT referred to a study he published in April 2023, in which he described the rapper's involvement in exploitation.
According to the study, Soulja Boy participated in 73 crypto ad campaigns and 16 NFT releases. Several of these ended in crashes, abandonments, or rug pulls.
The study described recurring instances where promoted coins quickly lost value after strong marketing, after which the promotional messages were removed.
The researcher also highlighted alleged regulatory and legal issues from the rapper's previous actions. These include SEC charges related to Tron marketing and a lawsuit concerning SafeMoon.
The study also mentioned several NFT releases that were marketed with future benefits but were later abandoned. Some collections were removed from marketplaces due to copyright concerns.
Critics argue that the problem extends beyond a single token. They emphasize that when visible developers like Pollak, who significantly affect Base's public image, collaborate with controversial figures, it can jeopardize the trust of the broader ecosystem.
Based on a profile targeted at mainstream user-friendly regulations compliant Layer-2 networks supported by Coinbase, where the risk of reputational damage is particularly sensitive.
This case has once again sparked a discussion about where responsibility lies when influential developers bring forth celebrity-linked projects with problematic histories.
“Although the intentions may have been playful, the credibility risk escalates rapidly when serious developers engage with serial promoters. Markets evaluate alignment, not tone. The signal weakens if attention shifts from innovation to spectacle – and liquidity follows sentiment,” a user commented.
Proponents of open networks emphasize that unauthorized systems should not dictate who has the right to build or promote in the blockchain.
Critics, on the other hand, remind that the visibility of ecosystem leaders acts as indirect endorsement, especially to new users.
The backlash against Pollak highlights how major platforms are under increasingly strict scrutiny in balancing transparency and diligence. The case also shows how previous controversies quickly resurface when trust is put to the test. The crypto world is again testing various content creator monetization models and meme-based distribution.