Jesse Pollak, the creator behind Ethereum Layer 2 blockchain Base, found himself at the center of controversy after resharing a piece of digital art that drew sharp criticism from the crypto community. The artwork played off Base’s tagline, “Base is for everyone,” but included inappropriate and offensive terms.
🎭 Digital Art Sparks Outrage
The artwork featured a looping GIF where “Base is for…” was followed by rotating words like “minting,” “ideas,” but also more explicit terms such as “pimping” and “squirting.”
Many users on X (formerly Twitter) called out the post as distasteful and harmful. One user remarked, “We’re just casually platforming pimping now?” while another called it “a PR nightmare.”
🗣 Pollak Responds and Apologizes
Pollak responded on April 18 via X, taking full responsibility for resharing the image.
While noting that he didn’t create the artwork, he acknowledged the need for more discretion when promoting content that may appear to represent Base directly.
Pollak added that he appreciates provocative art, but admitted this particular instance went too far.
🧵 Mixed Reactions From the Crypto Community
Reactions were mixed. Some praised Pollak’s transparency and willingness to apologize.
Crypto influencer Zuri commented, “Love the honesty. We all make mistakes, but it’s about how we grow from them.”
Bankless co-founder David Hoffman echoed the sentiment, saying, “I respect the leadership here.”
Others weren’t as forgiving. Crypto commentator David Z. Morris criticized the post harshly, saying:
He further warned that references to “pimping” may contribute to harmful stereotypes and damage the broader DeFi movement’s credibility.
💸 A Related Token Controversy
The situation escalated after Base’s official X account recently shared a link to a memecoin titled “Base is for everyone” on Zora, a social platform that turns posts into tradable tokens.
The token briefly hit a $17.1 million market cap, only to crash by 90% within 20 minutes, according to DEX Screener.
Coinbase, which supports Base, quickly distanced itself from the token. A spokesperson announced :
“This is not an official Base token… Base did not launch or sell it.”
🧩 Final Thoughts
The Base backlash highlights the delicate balance between embracing edgy, Web3-native content and maintaining credibility in a rapidly growing space.
While Pollak’s apology helped ease tensions, the incident underscores the importance of clear messaging—especially when building in public.
