Jay Z launches new drink venture
Hip-hop mogul Jay Z is expanding his beverage business with the launch of a new non-alcoholic drink.
The Empire State of Mind hitmaker has teamed up with former Def Jam Recordings executive Kevin Liles and his new firm Go N'Syde for the release of 40/40 - the name of the superstar's chain of sports lounges.
The iced tea and lemonade concoction has been described as an
"Arnold Palmer-esque drink", referring to the thirst-quencher
dedicated to the legendary golfer, and it is being marketed at
"sports-loving males".
The 40/40 drink is the second big-name collaboration for Go N'Syde
bosses following the recent release of Mariah Carey's Butterfly
beverage.
The bottles for both drinks feature barcodes which, when scanned
using a special smartphone app, unlocks exclusive content from the
musician.
Explaining the new venture, Liles tells Forbes.com, "We have great
tasting beverages, but the second part of it is providing a new
network for the brands or icons to communicate with their fans. I
call it disrupting the consumer packaged goods industry by having
your products actually talk to you."
Jay Z has also previously invested in Armadale Vodka and high end
Champagne brand Armand de Brignac, aka Ace of Spades. He is also a
spokesperson for D'Usse Cognac.