British rap icon, Kano, has launched his own line of rum. Seemingly following in the footsteps of Skepta’s successful Havana Club partnership, Kano has now partnered up with Duppy Share Caribbean Rums. Entitled Duppy White Rum, Kano’s beverage will be the company’s first 100% Jamaican rum.
Per the product listing, the drink is “a vibrant celebration of Jamaica and its influence on the world. 100% Jamaican white rum with flavours of mango, pimento and fresh thyme, for 100% Jamaican flavour.”
This listing explained the partnership with the Made In The Manor rapper. It told: “Produced & co-founded with musical pioneer Kano – this is a rum five years in the making; born from the memories, smells and flavours that reflect his Jamaican roots and the profound impact of Jamaican culture on London and the world.”
Kano has also made his mark on the drink’s branding and the design of the label. The back of the bottle features an illustrated version of the iconic Empire Windrush ship, with lyrics from Kano’s track ‘SYM’ from his sixth album, 2019’s Hoodies All Summer. The words contained are: “Every entrance to a door has a footprint left by the ones that came before/ Let’s talk about the day the wind was rushed up on the shore”.
Regarding the inclusion of the lyrics, a press release states it is “an acknowledgement of the countless untold stories and cultural influence of the Windrush generation on London and the UK.”
In a statement regarding the rum, Kano said, “for me, whatever I do has to be the real deal”. He went on to explain why he’s poured his soul into the product. He revealed: “This drink comes from me. This is my life, my family’s story inside this bottle, and wrapped around this bottle. This is something I believe in and genuinely love as a product.”
In a busy period for Kano, the acclaimed drama Top Boy that he stars in is returning to Netflix in the not so distant future.
Listen to ‘P’s and Q’s’ below.
