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Nearly six decades ago, the Jackson brothers entered a small Chicago studio called One-derful to lay down their first tracks. It was there in 1967 that the gifted young talents began carving out their legacy, with Michael Jackson providing lead vocals on an upbeat number titled “Big Boy”. This marked the emerging group’s first time in a professional recording setting.
Though initially just one of many promising soul bands on the scene, the Jackson 5 would go on to achieve international stardom. Lost to time, their inaugural session sat forgotten for years. Then in 2009, journalist Jake Austen rediscovered the studio tapes from One-derful studio.
Now, that long-lost recording is being resurrected through a cutting-edge platform designed to preserve cultural artifacts. Stockholm-based startup Anotherblock is spearheading a limited digital release of “Big Boy” through their blockchain-backed marketplace. Fans can obtain high quality downloads along with imagery and insights into the song’s origins straight from the source.
For a deeper dive, a “limited edition” package grants access to nine additional songs laid down during the Jackson 5’s early development. Profits will support the Legacy Foundation in Gary, Indiana – the boys’ humble birthplace. Most crucially, this effort ensures their musical starting point endures when it otherwise may have vanished.
As Anotherblock continues experimenting with web3’s potential, this release provides a case study on commemorating pivotal cultural moments. By synthesizing scholarship with a collectible format, they breathe new life into a piece of African American history. Though innovative, the approach stays faithful to the art by sharing profits and story with the family whose talents lifted five brothers to stardom. After half a century, their beginnings see light once more.
