“Stacks on deck / Patron on ice / And we can pop bottles all night / Baby you can have whatever you like.”
These lyrics, from the T.I. hit “Whatever You Like,” are the latest example of a trend sweeping popular music: artists promoting alcoholic drinks by name.
Bacardi, Hennessy, Hpnotiq, Seagram’s, Tanqueray and Armadale are just some of the brands that enjoy reference in popular songs.
Do these references actually affect what people drink?
In some cases, immediately and thoughtlessly.
“When T.I. came out with that song, some girl actually came in and ordered Patrón on ice like two days later,” said Geoff Bommer, a bartender at Eddie George’s Grille 27. “She didn’t really know what she was doing. She just ordered literally what the song lyrics were. She ordered it thinking it was going to be like a wine cooler.”
The trend is most active in hip-hop, where artists reference all types of name-brand products.
One of the most successful and high profile examples of promotion was the Busta Rhymes and Diddy hit “Pass the Courvoisier Part II.” The song features the name of the cognac in the chorus and the title.
According to the New York Times, sales of the brand jumped 10 percent in the year following the release of the song.
Another example is the Snoop Dogg classic “Gin and Juice,” which mentions Seagram’s.
Since the song was released in 1994, Seagram’s gin has created numerous lines and flavors bearing the “Gin and Juice” name on the label.
In many cases, the artists simply reference the drinks that they enjoy or that fit a particular song.
More recently, artists have been paid their endorsements.
Some of the more powerful artists in the industry have actually become partial owners of the brands they endorse, such as Jay-Z has done with Armadale vodka.
Bommer, who has worked at Eddie George’s Grille 27 for three years, said he has seen the popularity of certain drinks rise and fall as artists reference them.
After rap mogul Diddy began promoting Ciroc, Bommer said the restaurant began buying more of the upscale vodka.
“Ciroc is like what Grey Goose used to be,” he said. “It’s a status thing. The guy thinks, ‘If I drink this, people will think I’m a little more well off.'”
For some, the glamor of high-end liquors is trumped by their price. Many students simply want to get the most booze for their buck.
“I’m still a college student and I really can’t afford a lot of Patrón,” said Jim Hyman, a senior in history. “More people try Hennessy and stuff like that.”
AJ McCampbell, a junior in history, is also less likely to buy premium drinks.
He said he prefers country music, which is more likely to make references to cheaper alcohol.
“There aren’t too many Natty Light rap songs,” McCampbell said.
Jared Chaney can be reached at [email protected].
