Global Crypto Awareness Continues to Rise With TV and Music Mentions

If cryptocurrency is truly to become a new global standard, awareness and adoption must permeate all levels of our society. For years now, awareness has been limited to “techies” and young internet denizens. But more recently, crypto awareness has been penetrating into some unexpected corners of the cultural landscape.

British TV soap “Coronation Street” and Eminem’s new record, “Kamikaze”, both hosted noteworthy mentions of cryptocurrency. The former’s audience is not generally thought of as “technologically savvy”, and though hip-hop has long flirted with cryptocurrency, Marshall Mathers is perhaps the genre’s biggest celebrity to shout out Bitcoin.

Is your mother about to learn how to buy Bitcoin? Will this increase the Bitcoin price?

Coronation Street Cryptocurrency

“Coronation Street” didn’t mention Bitcoin (BTC) specifically, perhaps because the name is so controversial for some. Instead, they created a plot closely based upon the Bitcoin phenomenon, educating its public in the process.

The Street’s Ryan Connor – former junkie, gambling addict, and sometime DJ – discovers on the show that £50 of “Whipcoin” purchased years prior is now worth £250 million. This “get rich quick” narrative was central to the cryptocurrency bull run of last year. And while some think that this sentiment is toxic for rational crypto markets, others think it’s a necessary evil if crypto prices are to become a global phenomenon once more.

In any case, Coronation Street’s audience is on the older side of British television viewer demography. To think that your grandparents might now be conversant about Bitcoin at the next family gathering is an exciting prospect indeed.

Eminem’s Bitcoin Reference

Eminem himself did not rap about Bitcoin on “Kamikaze” (his surprise album from September 2018). Instead, it was guest rapper Royce Da 5’9″ who dropped the verse in question:

“Remember everybody used to bite Nickel, now everybody doing bitcoin.”

The line is a play on Royce’s own history (the rapper was formerly known as Nickel Nine). Here “bite” indicates that other rappers would imitate his style, but that today, greater attention is going to Bitcoin. Furthermore, “Bit” is the past tense of “Bite”, “Nickel” is a kind of “coin”, and “bite” is a homophone of “byte” – referring to the computer code foundation of Bitcoin.

While this reference on a highly publicized album may do something to increase music fans’ awareness of Bitcoin, it’s perhaps more significant that this statement is expected to be understood by this audience. The above wordplay is fairly complex, and that it’s a passing line in a mainstream release proves that listeners are already fairly sophisticated in their understanding of cryptocurrency. At least compared to a couple of years ago.

Bitcoin and Popular Culture

Mentions of cryptocurrency in popular media are on the rise. And while some crypto enthusiasts might think that this news isn’t very important, it’s actually indicative of a sea change in global crypto sentiment. Popular music and TV reflects the awareness of the culture to which it is sold. Cryptocurrency is a revolutionary and unfamiliar technology for most. In order for it to become widely accepted and adopted, or for the BTC price to rise, it must be mentioned in popular art, just as the early internet was.

So the next time you’re watching a new TV show or listening to the next hot record, pay attention for references to cryptocurrency. Each reference recommends an introduction of these ideas to the entire audience of the piece of art you’re considering. This is how crypto awareness spreads. And as we know, from awareness comes adoption – any crypto enthusiast’s ultimate goal.

Featured image source: Flickr