Snob Diaries: A Super Bowl LIX Showcase with Hip-Hop OG Mannie Fresh & Crown Royal

Ahead of the Super Bowl LIX, chart-topping producer Mannie Fresh took Highsnobiety behind the scenes during his intimate performance with Crown Royal in his hometown of New Orleans.

Feb 21, 2025 - 16:21

Snob Diaries: A Super Bowl LIX Showcase with Hip-Hop OG Mannie Fresh & Crown Royal

Snob Diaries is a personal recap of seasonal events around the world, told through the lens of our staff and close friends. Just days before Super Bowl LIX down in New Orleans, hometown native and rap icon Mannie Fresh told Highsnobiety about his celebratory evening honoring his roots with Crown Royal and Starter.

Ahead of Super Bowl LIX weekend, New Orleans was buzzing. As athletes, musicians, and anyone who wanted to be involved in the mix touched down for sport’s biggest moment, the French Quarter was filled with unmatched energy. Although most of the hype was centered around the Big Game, for natives like hip-hop OG Mannie Fresh, it was more a celebration of the people and the vibrant culture NOLA is known for.

Highsnobiety and Crown Royal team up during superbowl weekend with Mannie Fresh for Snob Diaries

For someone like the chart-topping record producer, no matter how far his career takes him, the city has a way of keeping him grounded—one of the special features that sets New Orleans apart from everywhere else. So, when Crown Royal and Starter reached out to Mannie for this latest collab celebrating a custom Super Bowl LIX bomber jacket dedicated to NOLA, it felt like a homecoming…although admittedly, he hasn’t really gone anywhere.

Speaking with the artist, it was evident that this was more than just another “partnership.” Growing up, the renowned musician remembers friends, cousins, and uncles who would always bring Crown Royal to the house party or stash personal treasures away in the iconic purple bag. Passed down through generations, the award-winning whisky has always been woven into his community, serving as a testament to heritage.

Similarly, Mannie’s affinity with the heralded sports apparel brand Starter goes way back. Reminiscing on old times, he admits to hoarding Starter Jackets—one in every color, completing his hip-hop uniform. So, now, to be recognized by two classic brands that tie him to home is truly a full-circle moment. Even more, seeing both brands pledge the jacket’s proceeds*† to the Foundation For Louisiana meant something not only to the rap arbiter but to the city as a whole.

On the night of the party, Mannie arrived around 9:00 p.m., pulling in just off Decatur Street in the heart of the French Quarter. That famous Crescent City welcome rang throughout the streets as a live jazz band played a beautifully curated medley while bystanders danced along on the sidewalk, signaling that the night was going to be more than memorable.

After walking up the winding set of stairs inside, a hoard of guests began gathering around the purple bar illuminated by lettering that read Crown Royal and Starter. The shelves were lined with those unmistakable bottles and the iconic Crown Royal purple bags everyone has seen so many times. Just to the left of the bar in the main room hung old photos and memorabilia from the Starter archive. And smack dead in the middle, displayed for everyone to see, was that bespoke jacket Crown Royal and Starter cooked up ahead of the festivities.

DJ Skillz kicked off the night remixing classic 2000s hip-hop with some new-age rap, while at the bar, Mannie caught up with close friend and collaborator Juvenile, taking things back to their earlier days coming up together in NOLA. As the evening carried on, everybody slowly but surely started shifting from the bar to the dance floor. The room was packed, taking Mannie back to his days DJ’ing house parties around the city. Fitted in their custom Crown Royal x Starter bomber jackets, the two headliners took one last drink of their Purple Pilla (that’s Crown Royal and a little Cola mix for those uninitiated) before stepping up to the mic.

As Mannie tells it, performing never gets old. For more than 20 years, the New Orleans duo have been giving people a reason to get up and move. And that night was no exception. Every performance, Mannie and Juvie show up like it’s their first time—with that same passion…that same fire…that same intensity that has gotten them this far. With a 3-piece band backing them, the hip-hop legends opened the hour-long set with a few home-cooked classics like “Real Big,” “Bling Bling,” and “Rodeo” to get the crowd going.

As the floor began to shake and the speakers were booming, that beat started to play (“dun…dun…dun…duhhh…dun…dun…dun”), getting everyone turnt up for the grand finale. Closing out the night with “Back That A** Up,” the two New Orleans products paid homage to their city like only they could. After the set, Mannie noted that it's always fun to see people’s reactions when that track cuts on. Sometimes, he can’t even help but get caught up in the healing energy the song emits, as was evident when he jumped into the crowd to finish the last few bars of his verse.

As the night drew to a close, it was only right to recognize Crown Royal and Starter for paying it forward and letting a hometown kid showout for his city. Toasting to abundance and fellowship, everyone raised a glass to a longstanding legacy and the promise that this is only the beginning of something even more special to come.

CROWN ROYAL Blended Canadian Whisky. 40% Alc/Vol. The Crown Royal Company, New York, NY. Please don’t share with those under 21. Drink responsibly.

*Donation made by Diageo Americas, Inc. Amount of Donation calculated based on combination of Crown Royal x Starter Jacket sales, consumer participation in Purple Bag Project at Crown Royal Station and qualifying comments made on Crown Royal Instagram story. Maximum Donation: $50,000. The Foundation for Louisiana, 2022 St. Bernard Avenue, Suite 122B New Orleans, LA 70116; https://www.foundationforlouisiana.org.

†Net Proceeds (i.e., sales – expenses) of purchases of Crown Royal x Starter Jacket at Starter x NFL Shop Presented by Visa at 333 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA, 2/5 – 8/2025, for an SRP of $250 plus tax[SS1].