Born from Chaos.
Built for Culture.
A DMCA takedown. A community that didn't quit. A full rebuild from scratch. 10,000 original apes minted natively on ApeChain — now a decentralized creative collective for musicians, artists, builders, and game devs.
“The DMCA didn't kill Apes on Ape.
It created it.
It started with ambition: be the first NFT project to launch natively on ApeChain the moment it went live in October 2024. The timing was right. The vision was clear. Holders minted in with placeholder art, trusting the team to deliver. Then, in December 2024, Yuga Labs issued a DMCA takedown — the original art was too close to BAYC's DNA.
Platforms delisted. The project went dark. Most wrote it off. But within the Ape community, something different happened — a rallying call. BAYC holders and Ape ecosystem supporters showed up and said: "We don't abandon builders. We help them rebuild."
The team scrapped every pixel of the original art and started fresh. New traits. New palette. New soul. The same rebellious, loud, creative ape energy — now entirely original, entirely theirs. On January 8–9, 2025, Apes on Ape minted out as a 10,000-piece generative collection — the OG ape project on ApeChain.
In December 2025, the metadata was updated on-chain and every holder received their fully original generative Ape — replacing the placeholder from launch day. The DMCA story isn't a cautionary tale. It's the founding myth. Apes Together Strong wasn't just a slogan. It was what actually happened.
Before & After
Same token ID. Different eras. The left is where it started — taken down. The right is where AOA lives now.
The Full Journey
BAYC Goes Live
Bored Ape Yacht Club launches on Ethereum. 10,000 apes, commercial IP rights, a culture built on "Apes Together Strong." The blueprint is set.
ApeCoin Launches
$APE drops via a major airdrop to BAYC, MAYC, and Kennel Club holders. Governance. Utility. A token tied to culture — not just speculation.
ApeChain Launches
Arbitrum Orbit Layer-3. Native $APE gas. Near-zero fees. Built for NFTs, gaming, and creators. The stage is set for a chain-native ape project.
Apes on Ape Launches
The moment ApeChain goes live, Apes on Ape is there. One of the very first NFT projects to deploy natively on the new chain. Early believers mint in — with placeholder art for now — trusting the team and the vision. The OG collection on ApeChain.
The DMCA
Yuga Labs issues a DMCA takedown against the original collection. Art too close to BAYC. Platforms delist. The project goes dark. Many wrote it off. But within the Ape community, something different started — a rallying call.
The Rebirth
The community didn't scatter. BAYC holders, Ape ecosystem veterans, and true believers showed up. "Apes Together Strong" wasn't a slogan — it was a plan. The team scrapped every pixel of the original art and built a completely fresh 10,000-piece generative collection from scratch. Original traits. Original soul. Same rebellious energy.
All-Time High
Floor hits ~$67.35 / 111 APE. The "only Apes on ApeChain" narrative peaks. Music plays climb into the millions. Arcade testing kicks off. The community that held through the DMCA and the rebuild reaps the moment.
New Art Team
The original art team is out. SmokeThatDank and ApeProfessore step up and take over — two artists already deep in the AOA community who believe in the project. They commit to building the definitive generative collection from scratch: 10,000 fully original pieces, new traits, new soul. The art is no longer outsourced — it's made by the community, for the community.
New Art Delivered
The moment holders had been waiting for. Metadata is updated on-chain and every holder receives their fully original, generative Ape — replacing the placeholder that launched with the mint. apesonape.io goes live as a creator-first playground: SoundCloud integration, AI studio, AOA Arcade, 3D avatars for the Otherside. The real AOA era begins.
Creative Powerhouse
AOA doubles down on culture. NoTime, 2Real2x, SmokeThatDank, ApeProfessore — real artists releasing real music. 2M+ SoundCloud plays. Arcade games. Wardrobe drops. A community that ships daily and measures success in plays, not price. The DMCA story isn't baggage — it's the badge.
Built on ApeChain
ApeChain is the official blockchain of the Bored Ape Yacht Club ecosystem — built on Arbitrum Orbit as a Layer-3 with native $APE as gas. Launched October 2024, it was purpose-built for gaming, NFTs, and creator tools.
Every transaction burns its gas in $APE, and ApeCoin matches every burn — creating an economically self-reinforcing loop. With a total supply of 1 billion APE, it's the currency of Ape culture.
What Holding Unlocks
Your Ape is your key. Holder benefits built for creators, not collectors.
AOA Records
Release music under the AOA label. SoundCloud integration for every holder. Drop singles, EPs, and albums with your Ape as the face.
Creative Studio
AI-powered art generation, PFP borders, custom banners, QR codes. Holder-only creative tools that actually ship product.
AOA Arcade
Browser-based games built by holder-devs on ApeChain. NFT incentives. New titles dropping as the community builds.
3D Avatars
Export your Ape as a 3D avatar for use in Otherside and metaverse experiences. Your NFT, your presence.
Rarity & Trading
Track your portfolio rarity, find rare trait combinations, and trade on OpenSea and Mintify — all on ApeChain.
FAQ
What is the DMCA story?
The original collection was hit with a DMCA from Yuga Labs for art too similar to BAYC. Rather than fold, the community rallied, scrapped the old art entirely, and launched a brand-new original collection. That rebirth is now foundational lore — a badge of resilience worn with pride.
What is ApeChain?
ApeChain is a Layer-3 blockchain built on Arbitrum Orbit, with native $APE as gas. Launched October 2024, it's built for NFTs, gaming, and creator tools. Transactions cost fractions of a cent. It's the official chain of the BAYC ecosystem. Every gas fee burns $APE and is matched by ApeCoin.
What is ApeCoin ($APE)?
The official token of BAYC, Otherside, and ApeChain. Total supply: 1 billion APE (98.5% circulating). Governance token, cultural currency, and gas on ApeChain. apecoin.com for live tokenomics.
When did AOA mint?
AOA originally launched in October 2024 — the same month ApeChain went live — with placeholder art. After a DMCA in December 2024 and a full art rebuild, the collection minted out as 10,000 generative apes on January 8–9, 2025. In December 2025, the metadata was updated on-chain and every holder received their fully original, final artwork.
What is the contract address?
0xa6babe18f2318d2880dd7da3126c19536048f8b0 on ApeChain (Chain ID: 33139). Verify on ApeScan.
Can I use my Ape commercially?
Yes. AOA holders have full commercial rights to their token's artwork for personal and commercial projects.
How do I get started?
Get $APE → bridge via the Ape Portal → pick up an Ape on OpenSea → sign in to apesonape.io → instant access to music tools, creative studio, and arcade.
Apes on ApeChain.
From DMCA to mint-out. From setback to 2M+ plays. The story isn't over — it's just warming up.