“Obey Your Verse”: Sprite Prints Tupac Lines on Cans

In June 2016, a line from “Keep Ya Head Up” suddenly appeared on soft drinks on supermarket shelves. The beverage brand Sprite brought back its “Obey Your Verse” campaign. Limited-edition cans and bottles featured the image and verses of Tupac, Missy Elliott, and J. Cole.

16 Verses to Choose From

A total of 16 verses were available to choose from. Alongside Tupac’s line, featured lyrics included a quote from “Love Yourz” by J. Cole. The verses appeared on 20-ounce bottles as well as on 12-, 20-, and 24-can packs.

Hip-Hop Culture Since Kurtis Blow

Bobby Oliver, responsible for the Sprite brand at Coca-Cola North America, explained according to AllHipHop that the brand first tapped into hip-hop culture 30 years ago with a commercial featuring Kurtis Blow.

The selection was intended to honor the genre’s best storytellers and encourage fans to stay true to themselves. According to Vibe, artists were chosen who embody this mindset-with a blend of longevity and contemporary appeal. How Tupac’s name functions as a brand is demonstrated by a look at merch and fashion.