The auction winner who bid almost $100,000 on the microphone that Cardi B hurled during a Las Vegas concert last month has not yet held up their end of the deal.
The wireless flying mic earned a closing bid of $99,900 on Ebay this week but has not actually sold, seller Scott Fisher told The Times, revealing that the bidder has been unresponsive since the auction ended Monday.
The device — a "Shure Axient digital Mic Cardi B threw at a person" — was listed by the Wave Inc. owner last week to raise money for two Nevada charities. This was after the incident made headlines and prompted a battery investigation by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Fisher's Nevada-based audio production company provided sound equipment to Drai's Beachclub for Cardi B's performance there on July 29. The "WAP" rapper's appearance — and the projectile — went viral after footage showed her launching the mic at an attendee who threw the contents of their drink at her. The police investigation culminated in the emcee being cleared of charges due to "insufficient evidence," but the incident remains part of the debate over respectful boundaries between performers and their fans.
Meanwhile, the microphone's mythos has splintered off into its own narrative.
"The winner of the auction has failed to pay or even respond to any messages," Fisher said after reports went rampant this week declaring that the device had neared a six-figure closing bid.
Fisher said Ebay reps told him that he needed to wait 48 hours before he could cancel the bidder and "start making offers to other bidders to actually buy the item." At least 55 bidders vied for the piece during the week-long auction.
"I do not know who the high bidder is... just that I am disappointed that the winner does not seem to be legit," he said, noting that the final bidder has a score of only 1 on Ebay's feedback ratings.
"There are other bidders that at least appear to be much more legit, and I do think I will be able to sell the mic for a good amount and therefore [make] good donations to the charities," he added.
Fisher was shocked by how fast and how high the bidding went. He told several media outlets that the microphone retails for about $1,000. He listed it on Ebay with an opening bid of $500, hoping to collect money for the Wounded Warrior Project and Friendship Circle of Las Vegas. The price immediately jumped to $11,700 upon the first bid.
Fisher said that the amount of media interest in his sound equipment "has been a bit taxing" but that he has persevered, "realizing that this is all for a good cause."
CBS News reported Tuesday that Fisher expected the mic to garner some interest but that he didn't think the "piece of hip-hop infamy" would sell for as much as it did.
"I was hoping it would hit $5,000, but again I had no idea," he said. "I figured it would gain some attention nationally but the amount of news coverage has been staggering."