October 2, 2024
Fawn Weaver Gives Sound Advice To Beyoncé And LeBron James On Entering The Whiskey Game
The Black woman behind the best-selling African American-founded spirit brand of all time is advising Beyoncé and LeBron James on entering the spirits industry.
The Black woman behind the best-selling African American-founded spirits brand of all time had just five words in response to Beyoncé and LeBron James entering the spirits industry: “Take all of their money.” Fawn Weaver, the CEO of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey and Grant Sidney, Inc. (GSI), gladly welcomed Beyoncé and LeBron James into the Black-owned spirits sector.
On Tuesday, the serial entrepreneur and investor took to Instagram to post a video filmed at her Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tennessee, advising the “King” and “Queen” on their spirits endeavors.
“So many of you have been asking me, how do I feel about Beyoncé’s new whiskey partnership with Moet Hennessy? And how do I feel about LeBron’s new Moet Hennessy partnership on Cognac? We all around these parts in Tennessee, we have nothing but love for the king and for our queen,” Weaver said while picking up two crowns.
“But since y ‘all are entering the industry, I do have one piece of advice if you would like to take it. Take all their money.”
Weaver and her diverse cohorts then hopped on their horses and rode off into the sunset while Warren G’s “Regulate” played in the background. In her caption, she explained her mindset further as “big spirit conglomerates” partner with big-name celebrities to push new whiskey and cognac brands that might not necessarily be completely Black-owned.
“All love and respect. 🙏🏽 Welcome to two of the greatest industries in the world—American Whiskey and Cognac.” Weaver wrote.
“To my #Village who have expressed concern over the past few weeks about what you perceive as some of the big spirit conglomerates trying to slow the growth of @unclenearest: Fear not, as I certainly am not. 🙏🏽 They haven’t been able to, and they will never be able to because of YOU.”
Weaver continued. “And they will soon learn what you already know: We are not playing checkers. We are not playing chess. We are playing Go. Expanding territory for every future generation.”
The bold and fierce video message received praise from viewers who loved how Weaver supported Beyoncé and LeBron James on their new spirits brands instead of sending shade.
“Collaboration over Competition. There is enough $$$$ for everyone. No scarcity mindset here,” one supporter wrote.
“Take it all,” added someone else.
The “Love and Whiskey” author founded Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey in 2016 after learning about the previously unknown master whiskey distiller, Uncle Nearest, a formerly enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel how to make Tennessee whiskey. Since its inception, Uncle Nearest has raked in accolades, including becoming the fastest-growing American whiskey brand in U.S. history, the best-selling African American-founded spirits brand of all time, and the Most Awarded American Whiskey of 2021.
But now Weaver will be sharing her territory as Beyoncé continues to promote her newly launched SirDavis American Whiskey. The whiskey is named after her great-grandfather, Davis Hogue, a Prohibition-era moonshiner and farmer in the American South. The “Cuff It” singer recently hosted a star-studded launch party in Paris that she shared on Instagram.
The launch party came on the heels of Hennessy announcing its limited-edition collection of V.S. & V.S.O.P, titled “Hennessy Limited Editions by LeBron James.” The limited-edition bottles celebrate LeBron’s influence on and off the court through an artistic portrait of the basketball legend in purple and orange. The iconic Hennessy Bras Armé is also reimagined through a sleeve showcasing LeBron with his signature crown.
“As an admirer of Hennessy and its iconic brand, I’ve always appreciated its commitment to basketball and how it celebrates the sport’s influence on and off the court,” LeBron said in a statement.
“I was fortunate enough to visit the Maison in Cognac a while back, and seeing the care and craftsmanship that go into creating each bottle was pretty incredible. This collaboration represents a shared sense of dedication and discovery coming to life for everyone to enjoy.”
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