Mad Lads, a well-known Solana NFT project, released an announcement today flatly stating: “There is no and never will be a Backpack token airdrop.” However, when the first letters of each sentence in the announcement are lined up, they spell out the opening line of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”—a classic rickroll. The market reacted swiftly: Mad Lads floor price dropped 5% to around 22 SOL.
Two Interpretations of the Message
The post emphasized Mad Lads’ core values of ownership and culture, urging the community to focus on the art and story. While such rhetoric is common in NFTs, the hidden acrostic opens up two opposing readings. One: the team is shutting the door on holders hoping for a quick airdrop payoff, telling them to stop pricing the asset based on potential giveaways. Two: the project may still launch alternative incentives (like its own token), but simply denies any direct link to Backpack.
Snapshot Rumors Persist
Rumors circulated that the team had already taken a snapshot of holders during the airdrop speculation period, though its purpose remains undisclosed. This has kept some traders betting on a future Mad Lads-specific token or other benefits, explaining why trading volume persists even after the price drop. Bullish holders view the “Never Gonna Give You Up” acrostic as a hint for long-term commitment rather than a mere troll—arguing that if it were truly a mean joke, it would be “too savage.”