Snoop Dogg is now a wine merchant. Yes, you read that right
Snoop Dogg—the man responsible for popularizing gin and juice—has diversified with wine.
It may sound strange at first, but he did actually tell us to expect anything when he was introducing himself to the world in 1993. One of the first lines in “Gin and Juice” is “It’s kinda hard being Snoop D-O-double-G but I, somehow, some way, keep comin’ up with funky ass s**t like every single day.”
Back then, most people probably thought it was just about the music, but today those lines could also apply to Snoop’s business.
The rapper’s business ventures range from the expected, such as Leafs by Snoop with Canopy Growth, to the unexpected, such as a cooking show with Martha Stewart, and his most recent jaunt, a partnership with 19 Crimes for the brand’s first Cali red.
“I’ve always been a man with many different interests and always wanted to show future generations that you can do anything you put your mind to,” Snoop writes in an email to Fast Company. “Music was my first love and will always be that, but I’ve always tapped into other new things that were important to me. Whenever I get into any project—whether it’s music, TV, film, football, or business, I want to make sure the energy is right. I do everything from DJing, painting, acting, and cooking, so the sky’s really the limit for me. I’m never confined to a box, and 19 Crimes stands for just that.”
19 Crimes was founded in 2012 under Australia’s Treasury Wine Estates. The brand concept is a nod to a time in history, back in the 1800s, when England would banish people convicted of crimes to Australia, which was used as a prison colony. It takes its name from the list of crimes for which people could be sentenced to exile. Many of the people featured on 19 Crimes’ previous wine bottles were connected to what’s known as the Catalpa rescue, an incident where six Irish revolutionaries broke out of the colony. One of its leaders managed to escape to Boston, where he became a successful journalist, poet, and anti-slavery activist. He wasn’t the only one of the six to escape or be pardoned, and ultimately to shift their narratives from criminality to being successful in life.
Since its inception, 19 Crimes’ brand story has been about doing the unexpected, so it’s not so odd that it would tap Snoop to be the face of its first Cali red.
“Snoop is quintessentially Californian, so it was only fitting for him to be the face of our first ever California wine,” says a 19 Crimes brand rep. “Snoop Dogg is the perfect partner as he embodies the spirit of 19 Crimes and what those original rebels stood for. Snoop Dogg is an iconic figure throughout the world. He’s rule breaking, culture creating, and he overcame adversity to become very successful.”
The actual wine is sourced from Northern California’s Lodi region, and it’s a blend of Petite Syrah 65%, Zinfandel 30%, and Merlot 5%, offering a smoky taste with vanilla and chocolate notes. In other words, if you’ve ever wondered what Snoop would drink aside from the obvious, then this is it.
“I’ve always enjoyed a glass of wine, and 19 Crimes allowed me to come up with the perfect blend for me. It’s strong, bold, and incredible—just like the D-O-Double-G,” says Snoop.
Anyone who purchases a bottle is in for a treat when they download the augmented reality app. The app creates an illusion where the bottles actually talk. Hold your phone up to Snoop’s image and watch him talk back to you. He has a few phrases lined up, including a “toast to success and nothing less.”
Finally, 19 Crimes will donate $100,000 in proceeds to the NAACP Legal Fund, also on brand for Snoop, who is no stranger to drama and redemption.
“19 Crimes represents and celebrates second chances. We all have a past, which is part of the journey and builds character. I wouldn’t be who I am without my past, and I appreciate celebrating folks who have reinvented themselves along the way,” says Snoop. “I’ve been able to impact others not just through my music, but through other important projects like getting our youth off the streets, and using my voice to create change, which is most important.”
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