Watch Alex Parker Brilliantly Meme WallStreetBets With 'I Want The Money' Video

Jun 8, 2021

3 min read

When Romanian producer Alex Parker traveled to Los Angeles in 2019 he completed work on “I Want The Money” with LA-based vocalist HERA. He told her that he didn’t want to release it unless they could get a cool video for it. The message of the lively bass house single was inspired by what he says is a belief, “That people are too concentrated on getting power through money and trying to be willful, but not happy.”

He found inspiration for a somewhat dystopian party video early this year when the Wallstreetbets subreddit helped boost the prices of floundering stocks AMC and Gamestop. It seemed as though the tables had turned. The power of those who have seen their chances at wealth slowly evaporate have positioned themselves as leaders in a new economic movement. As the price of the crypto coin Doge skyrocketed, he knew it was time to create something meme-worthy with a purpose.

However, Alex says his true motives went beyond a subversive video that exposes the irony of betting on memes and nostalgia. Entrepreneur Elon Musk has been at the center of the discussion around the new age of investment. And Parker wanted his attention. And what better way to get it than with a viral video full of crypto memes? And Parker starring as the physical embodiment of the Wallstreetbets mascot.

Parker has had tinnitus since he was 17. He believes that Musk may hold the key to a cure. 

“I actually wanted to get Elon’s attention. Because I believe that if I can reach him, I can propose an experiment. Because, you know, he has this Neuralink company that aims to connect a computer to your brain. So, I was thinking that there's the link between this technology he’s developing and [curing tinnitus].”

The song and video have been released in partnership with Romanian-based top 50 cryptocurrency Elrond Network. To promote their new wallet Maiar, the song is being sold as the first NFT on the platform.

Parker says he wanted to collaborate with Elrond because they are Romanian, and he believes in the team. “The fact that they are releasing their own NFT platform and exchange made me want to be a part of it. It feels great to be part of something this big, because the technology is very green, and very fast. They could be the next big cryptocurrency. So, I think it's a cool place to be.”

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The sustainability of cryptocurrencies is questionable at best. Blockchains like Bitcoin require massive amounts of computational power. The electricity demand for Bitcoin hovers around 143 terawatt-hours. That's more than the total energy consumption of many nations. Elrond uses a secure proof-of-stake protocol that guarantees a secure decentralized network without a negative impact on the environment.

In 2019 Parker performed a DJ set on top of wind turbine at CEZ Wind Farm in Romania. He sees his work with Elrond as an extension of that project. “Every time you do something, you have an inner purpose. I'm representing a pretty green cryptocurrency and I think that's a good thing.”

He thinks it’s fascinating that NFTs can also be a way to create a legacy. “100 years from now I can leave my mark on the blockchain and people from the future can actually find it.”

Listen to “I Want The Money