Trollface Creator Criticizes Crypto Commodification Amid $1,050% Meme Coin Surge

Carlos Ramirez, the creator of the iconic "Trollface" internet meme and known online as Whynne, has expressed strong disapproval of the crypto community’s treatment of his creation, calling the integration of his art into meme coins a commodification that “diminishes” the artistic value [1]. In his first in-depth interview in a decade, Ramirez stated he is “constantly” being approached with offers to receive token supply from various Trollface-related meme coins on platforms like Bags and Pump.fun [1]. However, he dismissed such offers as “cursed propositions,” citing the paradox of being unable to sell the tokens without crashing the market [1].

The meme coin in question, known as Troll, has surged in value by over 1,050% in the past two weeks, rising from a market cap of $16.12 million to over $184 million [1]. It is now ranked as the 32nd largest meme coin globally on CoinGecko, surpassing tokens like Moo Deng and Melania Trump’s official token [1]. The rapid rise of the coin has led to the proliferation of copycat tokens, many of which also capitalize on the Trollface branding.

Ramirez explained that while he appreciates crypto as a technology promoting financial freedom, the artistic integrity of his work is compromised when it is used as a speculative asset. “I just want to create art,” he said, stressing that the overwhelming profit motive in crypto “diminishes the art aspect” [1]. Despite having the legal right to take action against unlicensed use of his image due to a U.S. copyright registration from 2010, Ramirez has ruled out legal intervention [1].

His stance is not without precedent. In April, Ramirez briefly promoted a rival Troll token on X (formerly Twitter), claiming it to be the “official” artist-backed project. That token briefly reached a $14 million market cap before fading into obscurity [1]. When asked if the promotion was the result of a hack, Ramirez responded cryptically, suggesting it was “a hack,” but also stating that he had no interest in clarifying the situation [1].

The ambiguity surrounding his involvement deepened when he later promoted another rival token on Bags, which saw its market cap spike to $900,000 before plummeting 97% to $27,833 within an hour [1]. Intellectual property attorney Eliana Torres noted that Ramirez’s copyright gives him legal grounds to claim infringement and pursue damages or injunctions [1]. However, Ramirez has made it clear that he will not take such action, saying he “endorses nothing and will interfere with nothing.”

Ramirez emphasized that his disinterest stems from a desire to remain focused on original creative projects. He revealed that he has been working on a video game for some time, which he described as belonging to an entirely new genre. “When it comes out, you won’t know I had anything to do with it,” he said, highlighting his preference for anonymity in creative endeavors [1]. He expressed concern that revealing details prematurely would lead to the commodification of his ideas in the crypto space, just as happened with Trollface.

Despite his disengagement from the crypto world, Ramirez acknowledged that he has received some financial benefit from the royalty-sharing features on certain platforms. For instance, the Troll token deployer has earned more than $64,000 in Solana tokens via the creator revenue-sharing feature on Pump.fun [1]. Yet, he remains uninterested in engaging further with the community, stating, “I’d prefer to never interact with such people.”

His comments reflect a broader tension between digital artists and the crypto space, where artistic expression often intersects with speculative markets. While Ramirez’s legal rights are clear, his personal stance underscores a philosophical rejection of the commodification of art through blockchain-based assets. He has no intention of capitalizing on the current crypto craze, despite being offered substantial financial incentives to do so.

Source:

[1] title: Trollface Creator Says Crypto ‘Diminishes’ Art, Rules Out Legal Action on $200M Meme Coin

url: https://decrypt.co/333881/trollface-creator-crypto-diminishes-art-legal-action-meme-coin