If there’s one thing A$AP Ferg knows how to do, it’s throw a good party. After years of dominating the charts with certified club bangers like “Plain Jane,” “Shabba,” and “WAM,” the 35-year-old rapper certainly knows his way around his crowd. And this year, just in time for New York Fashion Week, Ferg set his sights on the dancefloor once again. To help celebrate the launch of VFILES’ collaboration with leading gaming platform Artie, the beloved rapper hosted a party at The Public Hotel in New York City. 

The signature drinks were flowing, the lights were pulsating, and the vibes were set. Clearly in high spirits himself, Ferg emerged onto the stage around midnight and immediately got to work. After kicking off the performance with “Work REMIX,” Ferg made an important announcement–it was time to open up the pit. And unlike other rappers who simply instruct, Ferg jumped in the middle, bouncing around with partygoers and soon leaving chaos in his wake. And just as divergent as the collaboration, which brings together the worlds of fashion and tech, so too was the crowd, featuring a captivating mix of influencers, gamers, actors, and straight-off-the-runway models.

And despite outside’s cooler temperatures as winter draws near, the club was as hot and sweaty as hell, thanks mostly to the legendary line-up curated to get behind the decks. Ferg’s party toasts to Artie’s upcoming collection of dynamic NFT collectibles–fittingly called “Arties.” These collectibles are created in collaboration with some of the world’s top artists and can be inserted into mobile apps like Instagram, Discord, Twitter, and TikTok. Not to mention, before the year wraps, Artie is set to debut their first game and release their first batch of NFTs.

“We are thrilled to unveil our first collection this week at VFILES. It’s the ideal place for us to onboard and educate people who are interested in NFTs and Web3 — the internet of the future,” says Artie co-founder Armando Kirwin.

The new partnership will also extend into further collaborations, which include an extension of VFILES’ renowned Runway and Lab program. As the program supported emerging creators then, they aim to extend that opportunity to make gaming and NFTs inclusive to all audiences now. 

“Since the beginning, VFILES mission has been to empower and level the playing field for a whole new generation of creatives and interrupt the status quo,” explains VFILES founder Julie Anne Quay. “The emerging Web3 universe opens up a whole new world of economic opportunity and mobility for creatives and entrepreneurs. Artie+VFILES means that our diverse, passionate, and world-class community of creative leaders can step right into the Web3 conversation, physically and digitally.”

And to toast to the new partnership, the two held an electric party, where we also spotted Beabadoobee, Dylan Ali, and the Black Star Kids. For an exclusive look into that night, check out the photos below.