The collaboration between Havana Club and Skepta began in 2019, when Skepta first visited Havana, Cuba. Struck by deep and entwined links between Cuban traditions and those of his own West African Yoruba heritage through paths of migration, the first two chapters of the collaboration – a pair of redesigned Havana Club 7 Rum bottles – captured this cultural infusion in their labels, which featured traditional Nigerian symbols. The maturation of the collaboration – and an accumulation of the previous chapters of the project – Rum of Skepta was made to encapsulate a feeling of refined elegance, a symbolic emblem of growth, achievement and luxury.

For each city of the tour, the two brands have selected one ambassador that represents organic growth in the local creative scene, thereby underlining their constant search for craftsmanship in today’s artistic culture. These ambassadors will team up with the Retrosuperfuture and Havana Club for a series of online talks with their fanbase to discuss their work and their process of creation: from inspiration to conception. After all, the inspiration from tobacco leaves gave the name “havana” to the acetate, and havana acetate, in turn, inspired the RSF / Havana Club collection.

Havana Club, Skepta and friends all connect over shared values and attitudes. At a time of global uncertainty and unrest this stands firm now more than ever, with communities – both local and global – coming together to share collective ideas, visions, and discoveries from afar.

Skepta drew upon this sense of discovery and community when he visited Cuba in 2019. In Havana, the international grime icon and Nigerian Yoruba chief found deep links between Yoruba culture and Afro-Cuban spirit. Yoruba heritage is infused throughout Cuban traditions with its links to the West African people and is experienced in the joyful energy and DIY spirit of Cuba which brings people together. It is a creative essence that Skepta also sees reflected in his own London community.

Together, this brought Skepta to the Cuban concept of ACHÉ; interpreted as the creative, universal spirit that binds all of us. It is aché which Skepta has channeled into his Havana Club 7 collaboration, with a bottle design symbolizing his vision of global community, brought to life through creativity, love, and cultural connections.

The new design features traditional Nigerian cultural symbols, including Ewe Oshun leaves used in Yoruba rituals, cowrie shells found in sacred statues of Elegua, as well as Guiro textiles and Conga drums. The bottle is dedicated to a global community of creative thinkers and doers – the people we raise toasts to the world over.

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