St. Ides cemented itself as hip-hop's favorite malt liquor after it enlisted influential rappers like Notorious B.I.G., 2Pac, Ice Cube, and Wu-Tang Clan to endorse the drink in the early '90s.

He even recorded a mixtape of songs promoting St. Ides: “Rollin’ through the hood like a wicked mack/ What you got on a six-pack?” he rapped on “St. I.D.E.” Cube later explained in the ...