Add Pepsi to the list of brands, festivals, and artists making plans to celebrate Hip-Hop’s 50-year anniversary this year. On Thursday (August 3), the soda brand put out a press release confirming a new campaign they will be launching alongside the estate of The Notorious B.I.G.
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Along with expected limited edited Notorious B.I.G. Pepsi cans that will be put into circulation, Pepsi is visiting several major cities across the globe to put up murals of the iconic New York rapper, as well as releasing unspecified “disruptive virtual and physical experiences,” according to Complex. Attached to this announcement, Pepsi unveiled a skillful freestyle Biggie performed in 1997 for the brand, which had never been released commercially until now.
Nothing can beat the P-e-p-s-i
Yes I drink it constantly; cop it by the case, tastes great, less filling
Non-alcoholic I can feed it to my children
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
Accompanying Pepsi’s press release was a statement from Biggie’s mother Voletta Wallace, who gave her appreciation to Pepsi for putting this campaign together.
“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and its cultural impact on our world, we’re excited to honour Christopher’s legacy and continue bringing his music to a new generation of fans,” she said. “While his art is timeless, we’ve been working with Pepsi to commemorate my son’s artistry and connect his music with the sounds and artists of today. We hope fans will enjoy it as much as we do.”
[RELATED: Notorious B.I.G. Documentary In the Works]
Additionally, Biggie’s son CJ offered a quote as well. “In this pivotal year of music, hip-hop cannot be discussed without my dad,” he said. “My dad is synonymous with rap, and his influence is unmatched. Taking one of his most well-kept secret flows out of the vault and working directly with Pepsi, the brand he cites, is pretty dope.”
A month ago, TIME Studios announced a new documentary in the works titled Understanding Christopher Wallace, which follows CJ around as he explores and discusses his father’s legacy. So, now with commemorative projects from both Pepsi and TIME, it’s easy to see how important Biggie was not only to hip-hop but to pop culture as a whole.
Check out Biggie’s 1997 freestyle below.
Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage
