Base co-founder Jesse Pollak is facing mounting criticism after publicly engaging with and backing activity linked to a meme token associated with rapper Soulja Boy.
The case revives long-running concerns about celebrity-driven crypto promotions and the responsibility of senior ecosystem figures.
The controversy unfolded over a sequence of posts on X in mid-December.
On December 13, Soulja Boy shared a comparison of creator payout schedules across major platforms, arguing that newer applications offered faster access to earnings than traditional social networks.
On-Chain Research Rekindles Concerns Over Celebrity Crypto Promotions
Pollak amplified the discussion while framing Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer-2 network, as an alternative monetization layer for creators.
In a direct reply to Soulja Boy, Pollak said he had just backed the rapper on Base and had “instantly earned,” describing the interaction as an example of “new internet” behavior enabled by on-chain tools.
Although Pollak did not name or explicitly promote a specific token, many users interpreted the exchange as an endorsement of a Soulja Boy-linked meme token that had just launched on Base.
Developers, traders, and researchers questioned why a senior figure at a Coinbase-backed network would publicly engage with a celebrity whose crypto history has drawn repeated scrutiny.
The criticism quickly shifted from the token itself to broader concerns about trust, reputation, and showing within the Base ecosystem, which has positioned itself as a compliant, mainstream-friendly Layer-2 network.
The debate intensified after on-chain investigator ZachXBT publicly challenged Pollak’s decision to interact with Soulja Boy.
He pointed to research he published in April 2023 documenting what he described as a long pattern of exploitative crypto promotions tied to the rapper.
ZachXBT Details Pattern of Abandoned Crypto Projects Linked to Soulja Boy
According to that research, Soulja Boy was involved in at least 73 token promotions and 16 NFT launches, many of which later collapsed or were abandoned.
ZachXBT outlined several examples from past market cycles, including meme tokens such as RapDoge, which was promoted in July 2021 before quickly rug-pulling, and projects like Orion and The Life Token, which used charitable narratives before collapsing.
Beyond tokens, the investigator said Soulja Boy launched multiple NFT collections, some of which advertised future utility that never materialized.
He also referenced prior regulatory and legal issues, including SEC charges related to Tron promotions and a lawsuit connected to SafeMoon.
Growing Scrutiny Follows Base’s Rapid Rise in the Layer-2 Market
Against that backdrop, critics argued that visibility from prominent builders functions as implicit validation, particularly for new users who may not be familiar with a promoter’s history.
Supporters of open, permissionless networks countered that public blockchains do not restrict who can deploy tokens or participate, and that engagement does not necessarily equate to endorsement.
The episode arrives at a sensitive moment for Base.
According to L2beat data, Base is currently the second-largest Layer-2 network by total value locked, with approximately $12.66 billion, trailing only Arbitrum.
Source: L2BeatIts rapid growth has positioned it as one of the most visible scaling layers in the Ethereum ecosystem, increasing scrutiny around how senior figures communicate publicly.
The backlash also reflects a broader pattern in crypto discourse.
In recent months, ZachXBT has repeatedly surfaced in high-profile cases involving alleged misconduct, including claims tied to celebrity NFT launches, suspected large-scale hacks, and the exposure of organized fraud networks.
These episodes have fueled recurring debates about due diligence, accountability, and the role of influence in shaping on-chain behavior.
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