Atlanta Ga, March 8th 2023
I Died For This Coffee!? Announcement
Fresh off the More Black Superheroes Tour and a major record deal with Shady Records, GRIP the burgeoning wordsmith out of East Atlanta recently announced a major retail collaboration with Atlanta’s hip-hop-infused coffee roaster also known as Dope Coffee. The partnership entails combining GRIP’s back catalog classic, I Died For This!?, with a tantalizing blend of East African coffees that are to die for, pun intended. This hip-hop infusion is an entirely new work of art on its own know as, I Died For This Coffee, which is a three-part merchandise bundle consisting of the I Died For This!? official vinyl album, I Died For This Coffee!? East African Blend and an official GRIP x Dope Coffee stainless steel tumbler.
The project came to fruition after a chance meeting at SXSW in 2022 where both teams were part of an FX activation for the hit show ATLANTA produced by Donald Glover, AKA Childish Gambino. Dope Coffee’s founders and GRIP’s team met in the cafe where Dope Coffee presented a coffee pop up and GRIP performed live tracks from his discography. After the show was over, the team kicked it for a moment and realized that GRIP, an avid craft beer enthusiast would also love to step into the world of specialty coffee. The collab heated up this winter when GRIP’s team headed to Dope Coffee’s new 6000sqft roastery and production facility down the block from where GRIP grew up one thing led to another before the rap phenom was learning about the origin of coffee and stepping behind the roaster to make history.
From there, it was up to Dope Coffee’s Chief Product Officer Michelle Loyd to work with GRIP on his signature blend. After several tastings and refinements to the product, I Died For This Coffee!? was official and the teams all agreed that the time was right to introduce this coffee and hip-hop project to the world. The unique blend combines two single-origin arabica coffees, a fruity and creamy Ethiopian Sidamo, an anaerobically fermented Grade 1 Burundi Kibingo that is tart but mellow and balances out the earthy aroma of the Ethiopian. The real secret to the smoothness of the blend lies in the air-roasting technique used by Dope Coffee which doesn’t produce the bitterness often associated with drum-roasted coffee.
As a part of the collab, GRIP and his label Stray Society/Shady Records have dropped a 25-set limited edition I Died For This Coffee!? merch bundles before the coffee make its way into retail stores throughout Metro Atlanta. GRIP has always been a lifelong innovator and this collaboration shows why he belongs not only at the top of the charts but at this pace, GRIP will go down as one of Atlanta’s greatest rappers. The merchandise bundle can be found on Dope Coffee’s website for preorder and will ship on April 15th, 2023. The crew has plans for an I Died For This Coffee!? day at Dope Coffee’s headquarters which is a massive listening session, album listening session and live performance event by Dope Coffee and Stray Society recording artist. Stay tuned for details on when you can find this unique product in retail stores throughout Atlanta.
