Hennessy has recruited hip-hop legend, Nas, for the next chapter of its iconic Wild Rabbit campaign.
The spot, narrated by Nas, focuses on Maurice Ashley, the first black person to be named International Chess Grandmaster in the 1400+ year history of competitive chess.
Ashley originally failed to make his high school chess team but did not let that setback deter him from falling in with the Black Bear School, a group of street chess players who taught him all he needed to know to ascend to the top-tiers of the chess world.
“It’s impossible to speak to the deep sense of satisfaction that achieving the Grandmaster title gave me,” Ashley said. “To be recognized for that accomplishment as part of Hennessy’s Wild Rabbit campaign is both exciting and humbling,” he added.
“In line with a ‘Never stop. Never settle.’ ethos, Hennessy is committed to showcasing extraordinary individuals, like Maurice Ashley, who push the limits of potential and define history,” said Giles Woodyer, senior vice president, Hennessy US.
Since the campaign’s 2011 inception multiple iconic personalities have been featured including Martin Scorsese, Manny Pacquiao, and Erykah Badu, alongside many others.
