50 years later and the birth of hip-hop is being honoured through a joint campaign between Pepsi and none other than The Notorious B.I.G. Estate – celebrating one of hip-hop’s most iconic figures.
On August 11th, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of a momentous event: the day DJ Kool Herc laid the first bricks in the foundation of hip-hop. Kool Herc is credited for aiding in the creation of hip-hop in New York City during the ’70s.
Pepsi, in close collaboration with former NYC local, The Notorious B.I.G. (Biggie) Estate, has begun a campaign that pays homage to Biggie’s incredible musical influence and cultural impact. This partnership acknowledges how Hip-Hop has influenced modern genres like K-Pop and Afrobeats and also sparked new forms of rap around the world.
Pepsi’s association with Biggie isn’t new. When the rapper was posthumously inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, a vintage freestyle from the streets of Brooklyn emerged, showcasing Biggie’s affection for the beverage (seen below).
Biggie’s lyrical tribute to Pepsi demonstrated his gifted flow: “Nothing can beat the P-E-P-S-I, yes, I drink it constantly / Something ’bout the taste feels great, less filling / Tell ’em Biggie said drink it all, don’t test me / Nothing else beats a Pepsi / If it is, let’s see / I’m thirsty.”
Voletta Wallace, Biggie’s Mother and founder of the Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation, expressed her enthusiasm: “While his art remains timeless, Pepsi and I have worked together to commemorate my son’s creativity and link his music to contemporary sounds and artists. We hope fans will cherish it as much as we do.”
This collaboration is only the beginning. Pepsi is set to launch an immersive Biggie-focused campaign, fusing his distinctive persona, style, and lyrical talents with today’s soundscape.
The campaign will include virtual and physical experiences, captivating street art in major cities worldwide, and limited edition Pepsi cans – all celebrating Biggie’s immeasurable impact on popular culture.
This won’t be the first time we’ve seen a virtual Biggie experience, thanks to his 50th birthday VR concert hosted in the Metaverse last November.
In other hip-hop news: Travis Scott releases his full UTOPIA merchandise collection and it may be his best collection inspired by one of his studio albums yet!
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