Yasiin Bey and J Dilla's Sprite Commercial from 2000 Has Resurfaced

Source: Youtube

A rare Dilla beat appears scores an early-aughts Sprite commercial starring the Brooklyn rapper.

2000s ad campaigns were both strange and kinda awesome. But Sprite was one of the first to pull the tab on hip-hop's potential as a marketing force unto itself. The soda company famously featured Curtis Blow and Heavy D in TV spots during the 80s and 90s.

READ: How J Dilla's Relationship with the Strip Club Chocolate City Inspired His Creative Process

And at the turn of the century, Yasiin Bey, quickly approaching a ubiquitous status in music and film (then, as Mos Def,) found himself leading a suspected heist in a recently resurfaced commercial from 2000. It also happens to feature the Brooklyn MC rapping over a rare J Dilla beat that should be familiar to vets of our boards or any of the other back-alley beat tape hubs that circulated the late producer's monthly "batch."

PLAYLIST: Dig Deep into J Dilla's Sample Archive with This 28-Hour-Long Playlist

Other rappers featured in the early aughts campaign included Pharoah Monch and Beanie Siegel. Here's hoping the internet works its magic on unearthing those as well.

Watch Yasiin Bey star in a Sprite commercial scored by J Dilla below.