Left: Kiss Café coffee. Top Right (L-R) Jason ‘Jadakiss’ Phillips, Bob Phillips, Jaewon Phillips. Bottom right: Jadakiss drinks a cup of Kiss Café coffee. (Photos: Courtesy of Kiss Café)
Veteran hip-hop MC Jadakiss is breaking a different kind of ground as he ventures into the coffee business with his father and son.
The trio announced the official launch of “Kiss Café” – which bills itself as “a trigenerational company producing premium coffee.”
Born Jason Phillips, Jadakiss runs the company with his father, Bob Phillips, and son Jaewon. According to the company’s website, Bob has been working in the coffee industry since 1977.
The eldest Phillips is also president and CEO of Caturra Corp., a boutique importing and trading firm specializing in international green coffees, a position he’s held since 1998.
“This is one of my proudest professional and personal achievements,” Bob told Vibe. “There is no greater honor than taking what you’ve learned in this life and inspiring your family to join you and bring that pursuit to the next level.”
Jadakiss says his role is only to bring awareness to the product because its quality will do the rest.
“I’m just the face. I’m the person that’s going to get you to notice it and try it. But the coffee itself is going to get you to love it,” Jadakiss said in a statement.
The youngest Phillips, who beag working with his grandad in 2018, agrees with his father.
“Kiss Café is authentic,” 24-year-old Jaewon said. “It’s real. No gimmicks. It’s been in our family for well over 40 years and everything we do here is from the core.”
The company offers its signature medium-dark Beijo roast sourced from Central America exclusively through its website. Beijo means “kiss” in Portuguese. Prices start at $14.99 and the coffee is available in both ground and whole bean.
“Although rap has always been at the forefront, family is always the foundation. Coffee played a major role in the Phillips family as early as 1977. Being a man of routine, from music to fitness and health, coffee was always part of @jadakiss life,” another Instagram post states.
Kiss Café also offers a wholesale program to coffee vendors and an option to subscribe and save for individuals. Merch with the phrase “Coffee Is Always A Good Idea” emblazoned on it is also said to be coming soon.
“This coffee is for all coffee lovers,” the “Ignatius” MC said. “No specific age or background or knowledge. Coffee is a universal and a personal thing. Everyone enjoys it differently. And we’re here to help them do that.”
PHOTOS: Left: Kiss Café coffee. Top Right (L-R) Jason ‘Jadakiss’ Phillips, Bob Phillips, Jaewon Phillips. Bottom right: Jadakiss drinks a cup of Kiss Café coffee. (Photos: Courtesy of Kiss Café)
