The Evolution of a Rap Great
In 2013, Hennessy floored us by dropping The Man Who Couldn’t Slow Down—a short film, at once thrilling and musing, that dramatizes Sir Malcolm Campbell’s willful drive to break the 300mph land speed record. (And the Englishman did just that nine times over, throughout the ’20s and ’30s.)
This year, Hennessy continues to explore cultural game changers who embody the “Never stop. Never settle.” ethic by fast-forwarding almost a century for inspiration. The cognac giant’s new commercial features Nas and chronicles his own Wild Rabbit chase—the experiences and inspiration that have vaulted him to greatness. The Brooklyn-born Queens-raised artist helped jump-start the New York City rap scene in 1994 with his debut album, Illmatic. Rich in heady rhymes and trenchant narratives, it almost immediately became a classic.
Hennessy is celebrating Nas’ bold, pioneering spirit with this new spot, framed around the subway system and unfolding over three decades. Here, with an assist from the poet laureate of hip-hop himself, Hennessy gives us an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at how they captured the genesis of one of rap’s most essential talents.