Hip-hop artists have a history with premium, handmade cigars, whether they’re smoking them in music videos or creating their own lines. Superstars Jay-Z, P-Diddy and Usher have even been featured on the cover of Cigar Aficionado.
The next musician to get involved is none other than Nasir Jones, better known as “Nas.” He also goes by the nickname “Escobar,” which makes it no surprise he’s joined forces with Nicaraguan cigar maker Escobar Cigars by Puros Privados.
Nas, a Grammy Award winner from Queensborough, is officially becoming a co-owner of the cigar brand, which is quite new, having been rolling smokes since 2018. In his role, Nas plans to broaden the horizons of the boutique company by using his platform and advising on marketing tactics. He has also worked in numerous industries—with more than 100 companies—ranging from mattresses to financial technology.
The Escobar lineup consists of two all-Nicaraguan lines, Maduro and Natural. Each blend features the same vitolas, which include a 7 by 50 Churchill, 6 by 56 Double Toro Gordo and a 5 by 50 Robusto. The cigars range in price from $12 to $14.50, and come in boxes of 25.
“When the team at Escobar Cigars initially approached me, I was immediately drawn to the brand by the exceptional quality of their product,” said Nas. “This partnership with Escobar has been almost two years in the making and I am honored to be an equity partner with them. I am looking forward to growing this brand and to giving back to the local communities in Nicaragua where our tobacco is grown, aged, and hand-rolled into a premium cigar.”
The company plans on releasing cigars just for Nas in the future.
