2XO Whiskey and the Sugarhill Gang Drop "Rapper's Delight" — The Hip-Hop Blend That Was Decades in the Making
Some product collaborations feel forced — a celebrity face slapped on a label, a licensing deal engineered purely for press. Then there are the ones that make a kind of instinctive sense, where two creative worlds collide and you can almost hear the click. The partnership between 2XO Whiskey's Dixon Dedman and the legendary Sugarhill Gang lands squarely in that second category. 2XO Whiskey and renowned American whiskey blender Dixon Dedman, in conjunction with iconic hip-hop group The Sugarhill Gang, have announced "Rapper's Delight" — The Hip-Hop Blend, the seventh release in the award-winning Collectibles Series, inspired by Dixon's love of rap music and the enduring legacy of the 1979 hit "Rapper's Delight," widely credited with introducing rap music to a mainstream audience. The bottle carries a suggested retail price of $79.99 for a 750ml and is hitting shelves nationwide this September.
Image credit: 2XO Whiskey
On paper, a Kentucky bourbon blender and a group of pioneering New Jersey rap legends don't share an obvious Venn diagram overlap. But dig a little deeper into Dedman's artistic philosophy — the way he builds each Collectibles release around a specific passion, a cultural touchstone, a piece of lived experience — and the connection reveals itself. This is a man who has already paid tribute to vinyl records, sneaker culture, and the game of golf through his whiskey. Hip-hop was never going to stay off the list for long.
The Man Behind the Blend: Dixon Dedman's Unlikely Path to Bourbon
To understand what makes the Hip-Hop Blend significant, you first have to understand the blender who conceived it. Dixon Dedman was born and raised in the hospitality industry, working as a fifth-generation innkeeper and restaurateur at his family's James Beard Award-winning inn in central Kentucky. Taking a leap of faith, he resurrected his great-great-grandfather's pre-Prohibition era whiskey brand, Kentucky Owl, and grew it nationally and internationally before leaving to create his own brand and stand-alone legacy with 2XO.
The family's whiskey roots run deeper than most. Dedman's great-great-grandfather, Charles Mortimer Dedman, founded Kentucky Owl in 1879 and made bourbon until 1916, when Prohibition went into effect and shut down the operation. The brand would remain dormant for nearly 100 years, until Dedman himself picked up the blender's mantle and revived the family label in 2014. What he did with it in those few years was nothing short of remarkable — building Kentucky Owl into a nationally recognized, critically lauded bourbon brand almost entirely on the strength of his blending instincts and his family's story.
But the trajectory shifted. Dedman sold Kentucky Owl to Stoli Group in 2017, and left the business in 2021, citing a difference in vision. He grew up on the whiskey trail, infusing the learnings from industry legends with his culinary expertise from running his family's business, the famed and James Beard Award-winning Beaumont Inn. When he walked away from Kentucky Owl, he wasn't walking away from whiskey — he was walking toward something more personal.
The Birth of 2XO: A Philosophy Built in Oak
Prestige Beverage Group — an importer and brand owner — met with Dedman for advice on what to do with their considerable stockpile; within an hour of that first meeting, the company had a new master blender, and its first American whiskey brand. That brand became 2XO, and its central idea was both simple and technically audacious.
2XO, meaning Two Times Oak, refers to Dixon's pioneering blending process in which every 2XO expression undergoes additional oak exposure. The additional oak interaction builds the sweetness to balance out the spice from the rye in the mash bills, creating a unique combination of intense flavors, character, and complexity with each expression. In a market flooded with brands leaning on age statements, heritage narratives, and distillery tourism, Dedman was staking his claim on process — on what happens to whiskey after the initial maturation is already done.
Dixon's vision is to revolutionize the category — a shift away from the overplayed nostalgic American whiskey storyline — and create an innovative brand backed by the incredible liquid in the bottle. That anti-nostalgia stance is worth dwelling on. For a man who literally rebuilt a pre-Prohibition family brand from scratch, deliberately choosing not to lean on heritage as a marketing crutch says something real about his priorities. The whiskey has to carry the weight itself.
The 2XO brand consists of an everyday blend offering — the Oak Series — a series of limited-time, small batch blend offerings called the Collectibles Series, and a series of single barrel releases known as the Gem of Kentucky. That architecture gives Dedman room to experiment at the Collectibles level without compromising the accessibility of the core lineup. And experiment he has.
The Collectibles Series: Where Whiskey Meets Culture
The Collectibles Series — formerly referred to as the Icon Series in earlier brand communications — has become the creative engine of 2XO. Each release is themed around something personal and cultural, and each has been met with serious critical recognition. Previous award-winning Collectibles releases include The Vinyl Blend (91 score from both Wine Enthusiast and Whisky Advocate), The Sneakerhead Blend (91 score from Whisky Advocate), The Kiawah Blend (93 score and the #14 Most Exciting Whiskies of 2024 from Whisky Advocate), The Tribute Blend (92 points from Wine Enthusiast), The Innkeeper's Blend (2023 ASCOT Double Platinum), and The Phoenix Blend (2023 ASCOT Double Platinum).
That is a formidable track record for a brand that has only been on shelves for a handful of years. Dixon's blends have garnered awards and recognition, earning their place among the finest American whiskeys in recent memory. The Collectibles are not novelty releases chasing hype — they are carefully constructed expressions that happen to carry cultural themes, not the other way around.
The throughline of each Collectibles release is Dedman himself. Each blend is different and bears its own name and symbol, inspired by something in Master Blender Dixon Dedman's life. The Vinyl Blend, for instance, is an ode to Dedman's love for music played on a classic vinyl while enjoying a glass of 2XO neat. The Innkeeper's Blend, meanwhile, pays homage to the Dedman family's century-plus history in the hospitality industry as previous owners of the famed Beaumont Inn on Kentucky's Bourbon Trail. These aren't marketing conceits. They are autobiographical.
The Hip-Hop Blend is the natural next chapter. Dedman's affinity for rap music — and for the culture that spawned it — is the kind of personal detail that rarely makes it into a press release without a reason. When a craftsman with his precision and restraint chooses to partner with the Sugarhill Gang, it's not a stunt. It's a statement about who he is.
Rapper's Delight: Why This Song, Why Now
The choice of "Rapper's Delight" as the inspiration for this release is not arbitrary. The 1979 single is not simply a famous song — it is arguably one of the most culturally consequential recordings in the history of American popular music. The Sugarhill Gang's debut single holds several notable distinctions: it reached the Top 40 in the U.S., was named one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, ranked No. 2 on VH1's list of 100 Greatest Rap Songs, was included on NPR's list of the 100 Most Important American Musical Works of the 20th Century, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014.
Understanding who the Sugarhill Gang were — and what they represented — matters for understanding the weight this collaboration carries. In 1979, the Sugarhill Gang crashed through the walls of the urban cities and into the mainstream of society with the first worldwide rap hit, "Rapper's Delight." Two of the original members of this historic group, Wonder Mike (Michael Wright) and Master Gee (Guy O'Brien) had teamed up with Henry Jackson (known as Big Bank Hank) to become the now-famous Sugarhill Gang. The Sugarhill Gang is believed by many to be the first professional hip-hop group, because they introduced to the masses this unprecedented genre of music.
Nearly half a century has passed since that recording. The culture it helped ignite now touches virtually every corner of American commerce, language, fashion, and yes — spirits. The craft bourbon world and hip-hop have been circling each other for years. Luxury brands in both spaces share a consumer who prizes authenticity, craftsmanship, and a compelling story of origin. The Hip-Hop Blend isn't jumping on a trend — it's making an argument that these two American art forms have always had something in common.
What the Sugarhill Gang Says About the Collaboration
The group's own words on the partnership carry a genuine sense of historical reflection, not the boilerplate enthusiasm that usually accompanies celebrity product launches. "When we made 'Rapper's Delight' in 1979, we could never have imagined the song's impact," says The Sugarhill Gang. "Collaborating with Dixon Dedman and 2XO to bring the spirit of 'Rapper's Delight' into the world of whiskey has been an exciting opportunity for us. It's an amazing way to honor where hip-hop came from while creating something entirely new to share with our fans."
That phrase — "honor where hip-hop came from" — is doing meaningful work. The Sugarhill Gang has spent decades watching the culture they helped ignite grow into a global industry. Participating in a collaboration that acknowledges that origin, rather than simply commercializing the name, reflects a careful selectivity about how their legacy gets deployed. The 2XO team, for their part, treated the source material with the seriousness it deserved.
Inside the Bottle: Breaking Down the Hip-Hop Blend
Beyond the cultural narrative, whiskey drinkers are going to want to know what's actually in the glass. Dedman has never let a compelling concept outrun the liquid, and the Hip-Hop Blend is no exception.
The Mash Bills and Double-Barreling Process
The Hip-Hop Blend consists of two proprietary mash bills — a high-rye (35%) bourbon mash bill and a moderate-rye (18%) bourbon mash bill. Dedman double-barrels the high-rye mash bill into new #3 and #4 charred oak barrels for nine to twelve months. That double-barreling is, of course, the entire foundation of what makes 2XO distinctive as a brand. The process isn't window dressing — it materially changes the flavor architecture of the final whiskey.
2XO, meaning Two Times Oak, refers to Dedman's blending process in which every expression undergoes additional oak exposure. The extra oak interaction builds sweetness and balances the spice derived from the rye-forward mash bills. The marriage of two rye percentages — one aggressive, one measured — gives Dedman the building blocks to construct a blend with real tension and resolution on the palate. The high-rye component brings the energy; the moderate-rye brings the depth.
Bottled at 104 proof (52% ABV), the Hip-Hop Blend delivers a rich and layered profile with warm oak spice, caramel sweetness, and smooth vanilla undertones. Each blend is carefully curated from some of Dedman's finest barrels, then finished through the Two Times Oak process to amplify flavor and character. At 104 proof, this is a whiskey with backbone — enough heat to remind you you're drinking something serious, but structured enough not to blow past the sweeter notes before you can register them.
Tasting Notes: What to Expect in the Glass
Dedman himself offered a characteristically direct assessment of what he built. "I couldn't be more excited to partner with the legendary Sugarhill Gang and their historic single, 'Rapper's Delight,'" says Dixon. "It's surreal to collaborate with such a generational and iconic team. The Hip-Hop Blend is a brown sugar bomb with loads of weight and viscosity on the front of the palate. It's unique and classic, like this collaboration."
That description — "brown sugar bomb with loads of weight and viscosity" — is Dedman at his most precise. He is not one for florid tasting notes that promise seventeen distinct flavors. When he says weight and viscosity up front, he means a whiskey that coats the palate and demands attention before it goes anywhere. The brown sugar character likely emerges from the interplay of the double-oak process and the caramel-forward nature of the higher-rye bourbon, where the grain's natural spice is tempered by extended contact with fresh charred oak. Its 104 proof strength and layered flavor profile make it ideal for sipping neat or with a small splash of water.
The Award Pedigree and What It Means for Collectibles Buyers
One of the more interesting aspects of the Collectibles Series is that it has developed genuine collector appeal, driven entirely by the quality of the whiskey rather than by artificial scarcity. The scores tell the story plainly. The Kiawah Blend's 93-point rating and its placement as the #14 Most Exciting Whisky of 2024 by Whisky Advocate is the kind of recognition that generates secondary market attention, and Dedman has delivered at that level consistently across multiple releases.
For buyers approaching the Hip-Hop Blend as an investment piece, the track record of previous Collectibles releases offers a reasonable basis for optimism. But the more compelling argument is simpler: at $79.99, a 104-proof, double-barreled Kentucky straight bourbon with Dedman's name on it and scores from previous editions hovering in the low-to-mid 90s is priced fairly for the quality on offer. The Hip-Hop Blend will be available nationwide and online at ReserveBar. Given the limited nature of the Collectibles Series, interested buyers shouldn't expect this one to linger on shelves.
The Larger Story: Hip-Hop and American Whiskey Find Common Ground
There's a broader cultural conversation that the 2XO and Sugarhill Gang collaboration plugs into directly. American whiskey — bourbon especially — spent decades cultivating an identity that was rural, white, and Southern. That identity was real and historically grounded, but it was also a narrowing of something that was always more complicated and more inclusive than the marketing suggested.
Hip-hop, meanwhile, developed its own sophisticated relationship with spirits. From malt liquor in the early years to Cognac and Hennessy in the 1990s to a more recent embrace of premium bourbon and whiskey, the culture's evolving taste preferences have long tracked alongside its economic ascent. The premium bourbon boom of the last fifteen years has been powered in no small part by a broadening consumer base that includes Black Americans who were never really the target demographic for most of Kentucky's traditional marketing.
The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" represents ground zero of hip-hop reaching a mainstream audience — 1979, Englewood, New Jersey, a song that changed what American popular music could be and who it could speak to. Connecting that moment to a meticulously crafted Kentucky straight bourbon in 2026 is a culturally resonant act, not a cynical one. It suggests that both art forms — American whiskey and hip-hop — are still in conversation with each other, still finding new ways to articulate what this country actually sounds and tastes like.
How the Collectibles Series Fits into the Broader Market
The whiskey market has been sorting itself out over the past few years, with consumers growing more selective as supply has normalized and the frenzy of allocated-bottle hunting has cooled somewhat. In that environment, brands with genuine creative identity and consistent quality have a meaningful advantage over those riding purely on hype or distillery mythology.
While Dedman says he tastes the spirit runs to make sure they are on profile, he sees no need in fixing what isn't broken, preferring to make his mark once the whiskey is fully matured. His name carries real weight within the industry and played a significant role in propelling 2XO early on. That name-recognition capital is increasingly backed by a body of work that can stand on its own. "I'm not some bourbon savant — there are people with a lot better palates — but I think I did the Kentucky Owl thing long enough for people to understand, stylistically, the kind of bourbons that I make. I look for complexity, I look for depth," Dedman has said.
That self-assessment is revealing. Dedman isn't positioning himself as a palate deity or a distilling genius. He's a blender who knows his aesthetic, executes it consistently, and lets the whiskey speak. It's the same discipline that made Kentucky Owl a success, and it's the same discipline that has made 2XO's Collectibles Series one of the more interesting release schedules in American whiskey.
What Comes Next for 2XO
The Hip-Hop Blend is the seventh Collectibles installment, and the momentum of the series shows no signs of plateauing. The release follows previous Collectibles editions including The Vinyl Blend, The Sneakerhead Blend, and The Kiawah Blend. Each has been rooted in a different corner of American culture, and the thematic range — from golf to sneakers to vinyl records to hip-hop — speaks to the breadth of Dedman's interests and the flexibility of the 2XO concept.
All 2XO whiskeys are crafted in partnership with Prestige Beverage Group. That partnership has given Dedman access to the inventory and distribution infrastructure to operate at scale without sacrificing the small-batch character that defines the Collectibles Series. It's a combination that not every independent blender has been able to pull off, and the consistent critical reception suggests the model is working.
The question for enthusiasts is where Dedman takes the Collectibles Series next. If the Hip-Hop Blend follows the trajectory of its predecessors, it will likely earn strong critical scores and sell through quickly — which means the window to grab a bottle at retail price is narrow. For those who follow the brand, the pre-order option through ReserveBar is the cleanest path to securing one. For everyone else, this is the kind of release that rewards checking in early rather than scrambling later.
Final Pour: Why This Collaboration Matters
The "Rapper's Delight" Hip-Hop Blend is many things at once. It's a well-constructed, double-barreled Kentucky straight bourbon that fits comfortably within one of the most consistent limited-release programs in American whiskey today. It's a tribute to a song and a group that fundamentally changed what American music looked and sounded like. And it's proof that Dixon Dedman continues to approach his Collectibles Series with the same seriousness and specificity that has made 2XO one of the more intellectually interesting brands operating in the bourbon space right now.
The cultural conversation between hip-hop and premium American spirits has been building for years. This release doesn't exploit that conversation — it contributes to it. At $79.99, at 104 proof, with Dedman's double-oak process behind it and nearly fifty years of hip-hop history in front of it, the Hip-Hop Blend earns its place in the 2XO lineage and then some. Whether you came for the whiskey or the Sugarhill Gang, you're unlikely to be disappointed by either.
