Slim Thug sippin Drank
DRANK In March 2008 OZONE Magazine released their 2nd Annual drug issue that featured an in-depth article chronicling the negative effects that “lean” (also known as “drank”) has had on the Houston Hip Hop community and the threat it has on the rest of the country and society. The piece, that included commentary from many prominent Houston Hip Hop artists, at times revealed that many could possibly have an underlying dependence on the concoction. This dependence, according to many media outlets, was a key factor in the deaths of DJ Screw and Big Moe, among others. Having seen this with his own eyes, Peter Bianchi, founder and CEO of Innovative Beverage Company, felt that he had to put his resources to use and do something about it. “I’ve seen artists in the studio, working on music, but couldn’t function or go in the booth because they didn’t have any drank around,” says the former financial consultant who also spent a part of his life as a musician touring with the likes of George Clinton. “Someone looked at me and told me I need to find a way to make this stuff legal. From there my mind went off.” From there Bianchi created Drank, Extreme Relaxation Lifestyle Beverage. Also billed as an “anti-energy” drink, Bianchi had already been sipping the concoction he created himself for a while. It wasn’t until his revelation in the studio that night that he decided to share it with the public. After six months of fine tuning the drink, it’s finally ready to be unleashed on the world. So far the response has been overwhelming, even by Bianchi’s standards. “A lot of the studios I go to now, I look in the corner and see piles of crunched up cans,” gloats Bianchi. “I’ve even seen some of my favorite recording artists walk out on stage with it in their hand. That’s the best feeling ever.” As far as the feeling that the Drank drinker will receive, Bianchi likens it to taking a warm shower or plopping on the couch and watching a good game. Providing the antithesis of what an energy drink such as CRUNK! does, Drank is designed to be relaxing. “At the end of the day when you grab beer or wine, it’s to relax or unwind,” he says. “They relax you, but it alters your state and it’s not good for your body. I’ve created a drink that relaxes you but doesn’t alter your state.”
Tum Tum sippin Drank
Also unlike many other energy drinks, Bianchi insists that Drank only contains natural ingredients. He also notes that Drank doesn’t contain a cocktail of exotic, nearly unpronounceable vitamins that many energy drink makers use to cover the fact that their product is simply full of sugar and caffeine. Because of this, Drank boasts an enjoyable taste similar to grape soda. Though Drank was inspired by an adult activity, Bianchi hopes that his creation can not only impact them, but impressionable youngsters as well. “A lot of people out there are feeling pain behind the effects of sipping drank, so we want to put a positive vibe on it,” he says plainly. “So now when kids hear their favorite rapper talking about drank, they can go to the store and buy something that’s healthy for them.” // Words by Maurice G. Garland Photos by Julia Beverly
OZONE MAG // 71