Jay-Z goes for Beer - 10.20.2006.3

With it being Friday it seems timely to mention something about beer. In this case it’s rap and beer combined. I’m speaking of Mr. Shawn Carter, known commonly as Jay-Z, and Budweiser. It seems that Budweiser feels that Jay-z can be instrumental in marketing their new beer, Budweiser Select. Considering what was done for Cristal, they may be correct. Of course Cristal may have the price and popularity but I don’t think it’s a superior champagne. Based on that you can get a mixed message on how good this new beer may be. Still a celebrity that is followed so closely should boost sales.

The thing that I don’t like is that this will be promoting more alcohol to the Black community. As if that was needed. From malt liquor to gin-n-juice, the Black community is swamped with liquor ads. Its so common to see ads for liquor in a Black neighborhood that I don’t notice it when I go back to the Bronx. There are ads posted on billboards and on the trains and buses. Of course I barely see any when I’m in Manhattan, at least below 96th on the east side.

So hearing that a popular African American rapper, is promoting another drink, I’m not enthused. Rappers promote more alcohols than any other entertainer promoting anything else, I believe. And that promotion is directly targeted, disproportionately, to African Americans. The last thing young African American men need is another distraction, especially one of such a low cost and easy consumption, from gaining an education and taking control of their lives. It may not be the fault of Mr. Carter, nor Budweiser, that alcohol is so tightly interwoven with social activities in Black culture but they are not helping either. I’d enjoy seeing this man do more like his clean drinking water project than his promotion of potentially damaging items that already flood the Black community and culture.

This is what I think, what do you think?