“Nas was just here a few days ago…in the room next to yours!”
Cyrille Gautier-Auriol, the Global Ambassador of Hennessy, a man in his fifties, flossed as I stared at his Blackberry picture of him and rapper Nas “chilling.”
I had just been welcomed into the magnificent Château de Bagnolet, built in 1810 on the banks of the Charente, the former Hennessy family home in France – where an invitation to stay is literally, priceless.
When quizzed about other musicians, particularly those in an emerging African market for Hennessy, Gautier-Auriol calmly showcased his surprisingly well-versed musical knowledge.
“Ah, D’Banj and I are good friends. He’s a great artist!”
The Global Ambassador of Hennessy, has traveled the world the last decade to share his knowledge and traditions of the exclusive spirit to ensure that the heritage of Hennessy is passed on to the next generation in a vibrant multicultural way.
And this “art of mixing” is exactly the backbone behind an innovative global musical platform, Hennessy Artistry.
Since 2006, talented artistes such as Kanye West, Pharell Williams, Ne-Yo and Leona Lewis have worked in collaboration with Hennessy Artistry.
Closer to home, in 2010 Hennessy Artistry created “Like a Bottle,” blending a diverse group of artistes including Nneka, Ice Prince, M.I, Bez and Sir Shina Peters into one track.
For Hennessy Artistry 2013, Nigerian powerhouse G.O.O.D Music recording artist D’Banj will be the headlining act.
As reported by Vanguard, according to Lere Awokoya, Brand Manager Hennessy Nigeria, “Any music lover who has been following the urban trend for the past two decades will confirm that Hennessy is a major part of the entertainment industry. This is even more apparent when you narrow it down to the Nigerian urban music industry in the past five years. With Hennessy Artistry 2013, we are blending the music and the lifestyle in a way that we have never imagined before. The end product as been designed to make you inspired.”
Hennessy Artistry 2013 Club Tour details are yet to be released.