Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary Is Here: Raise a Toast to the Music Genre With These 8 Rapper-Affiliated Spirits Brands

Aug. 11 is the official birthday of hip-hop music, and this year is going to be a special one because it coincides with the music genre’s 50th anniversary.

According to the History Channel, hip-hop was born in 1973 at a birthday party in the rec room of an apartment building in the West Bronx, New York. The address was 1520 Sedgwick Avenue, and the man who created the genre was DJ Kool Herc.

Since then, hip-hop has experienced a meteoric rise and is one of the most popular types of music in the U.S. Its influence can be felt in multiple genres, ranging from pop to electronica.

8 Spirits Brands for Celebrating 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

Many liquor brands are often name-dropped by rappers in hip-hop, and while Hennessy may very well be hip-hop’s unofficial drink, rappers everywhere seem to be partnering with spirits brands in all categories, and some are even starting their own.

Here are some brands with hip-hop affiliations to consider if you want to raise a glass in celebration of hip-hop 50th anniversary.

Virginia Black Whiskey, Drake

Virginia Black is a collaboration between Brent Hocking, the founder and creator of Deléon Tequila, and the extraordinarily famous Canadian rapper and music producer, Drake.

Drake started his career as an actor in the teen soap “Degrassi: The Next Generation” and left to become a rapper and eventually one of the most popular musical artists in the world after signing a deal with Lil Wayne’s record label, Young Money Entertainment. According to UPROXX, Jay-Z gave the rapper high praise and referred to Drake as “the Kobe Bryant of rap.”

The “Hold On We’re Going Home” singer debuted his whiskey brand, Virginia Black, in June 2016. The brand sold 30,000 cases internationally during its inaugural year, according to Business Insider.

Virginia Black is a collection of two, three and four-year-old bourbons bottled at 80 proof and hosts a price range of anywhere between $30-$35. The whiskey hosts a higher rye content and is described as rich and smooth with a finish that the brand refers to as a “decadent profile.”

NYAK VSOP Cognac, Young M.A.

Cognac producer NYAK and the New York rapper Young M.A. teamed up to release a limited edition VSOP cognac in January 2022. VSOP stands for “Very Special Old Pale,” and in order for a Cognac to achieve the VSOP designation, it must be aged for a minimum of four years, according to Flaviar.

Young M.A. was the NYAK brand’s first official artist partner, and the multi-platinum rap artist made the creative decisions involving the brand’s label design. She mentioned her partnership with NYAK wasn’t something she just wanted to be “the face of,” according to Food Beast.

The rapper is known for her hit “OOOUUU,” which peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She made several creative decisions regarding the label design, according to the brand, and familiarized herself with the cognac-making process. Young M.A. chose the color red for her limited-edition VSOP Cognac brand as an homage to her “Red Lyfe” motto. Nyak Cognac falls within the $30 price range.

Branson Cognac, 50 Cent

50 Cent launched Branson Cognac in 2018 as a part of the portfolio for his company, Sire Spirits. The release followed the launch of his champagne company, Le Chemin Du Roi, according to XXL Magazine.

In an interview with The Spirits Business, 50 Cent told the publication he created Sire Spirits, as a part of a legacy he wanted to leave his son, Sire. 50 Cent is the sole owner of the company, and “carefully curated” both the Branson Cognac and Chemin du Roi Champagne brands. There are four expressions in Branson’s portfolio, and prices range from $40 to $220 for the premium expressions.

The brand prides itself in harvesting Ugni Blanc from what it considers to be the highest quality vines. After the wine is made in vats at the facility, it is distilled in traditional pot stills, some of which the brand refers to as being “many decades old.” The finished spirit is subsequently aged in oak barrels sourced from the French forests of Alliers, Limousin and Tronçais for several years.

Branson Cognac describes its house style as hosting both a mixture of elegance and power, with floral aromas and spice.

Bumbu Rum, Lil Wayne

This Barbados-based craft rum brand launched a collaboration with Lil Wayne in 2017, and the rapper who has over 5 number one albums according to the New York Times has been working with the brand ever since.

Bumbu Rum distills its spirits out of a production facility that dates back to 1893, and the flagship expression is a mixture of blended rums that clocks in at 35% ABV. Bumbu Rum is priced within the mid-$30 range.

The brand states the recipe was based on an original rum created by 16th- and 17th-century sailors who blended ingredients native to the Caribbean into their rums and called it “Bumbu.” It turns out Weezy was a fan of Bumbu’s Barbadian rum long before partnering with the brand, and during a remix of Gucci Mayne’s song “Both,” the rapper gave a shout-out to the rum brand, laying down the line: “Right now I’m high as shit / I’m on the Bumbu straight.”

It seemed only natural a partnership would ensue after that. Bumbu Rum has three expressions that comprise its flagship collection: Bumbu Original, Bumbu XO — an expression aged in bourbon barrels and finished in white oak sherry casks — and Bumbu Créme.

Ballantine’s, RZA

In early July, the scotch whisky brand and Wu-Tang Clan frontman joined forces to launch a collaboration consisting of a series of product-related drops. The first launch featured a limited-release Crosley record player and Bluetooth speaker, which sold out fairly quickly after it debuted in June.

The single malt scotch whisky producer chose to join forces with the iconic rapper because “RZA is known for doing things his own way, a mindset that reflects the spirit of Ballantine’s,” the brand said, according to The Spirits Business.

In service of the partnership, Ballantine’s has created a selection of RZA-inspired cocktails that can be found here.

The collaboration is also slated to release a capsule clothing collection within the coming months. Entry-level expressions of Ballantine’s fall within the $20 range, with some specialty expressions fetching prices as high as $500.

Hennessy, Nas

In late June, Hennessy announced the launch of a collaboration with the Grammy-award-winning rap artist, Nas in honor of hip-hop’s 50th Anniversary.

It seemed like the quintessential collaboration, as Hennessy is one of the most frequently referenced brands in hip-hop, mentioned in more than 2,500 songs according to Rolling Stone. The publication also cites Hennessy as one of the first liquor companies to sponsor rap events and work with hip-hop artists.

Part of the launch includes a limited-edition Hennessy V.S. bottle, with a bespoke label that includes a handwritten message Nas wrote to Hip-Hop, which was turned into a collage. Nas referred to the music genre as “the vibration of the people,” according to the brand. Entry-level bottles of Hennessy cost about $40, and some higher-tier expressions can sell for thousands of dollars.

The brand launched cocktail recipes in honor of hip-hop’s 50th Anniversary, which can be accessed here.

Conjure Cognac, Ludacris

In 2009, the rapper Ludacris launched Conjure Cognac as part of a partnership with the Norwegan-owned Cognac company Birkdal Hartmann. Ludacris had sold over 20 million albums and appeared in two Academy Award-winning films before venturing into the spirits business.

Ludacris told Decanter that he went to the Cognac region of France and created the blend himself from 14 samples.

The Cognac is distilled using traditional copper stills with two different distillation periods before being aged in Limousin oak casks. The property is located within the Borderies AOC and has been owned by one of the largest family-owned independent Cognac producers in the area.

A variety of Cognacs are blended from different regions such as Grande Champagne, Petite Champagne and Borderie. Conjure Cognac is priced within the mid-$30 range.

Mercer + Prince, A$AP Rocky

Born and raised in Harlem, A$AP Rocky rose to prominence when he released his debut mixtape “Live. Love. A$AP,” which went double platinum. The artist collaborated with the electronica producer Mura Masa and released the mega-hit “Lovesick,” which climbed to the top of the charts in 2019.

A$AP Rocky entered the spirits business with Mercer + Prince, a blended Canadian whisky. The spirit launched in March 2022 and was developed in partnership with Global Brand Equities and E.&J. Gallo, according to the brand.

Mercer + Prince Whisky is twice-distilled and aged in ex-bourbon barrels. The brand claims the spirit is also “influenced” by Japanese Mizunara Oak to add a different flavor profile. Mercer + Prince Whisky clocks in at 80 proof. The whisky is described as having “fruit aromas,” with “smooth dark caramel and vanilla notes,” according to the brand, and has a suggested retail price of $30.

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