Banky W, Tiwa Savage, Eldee 'Toast to the Good Life' as Hennessy Artistry 2011 Music Video Debuts

Banky W, eLDee and Tiwa Savage

The excitement was at fever pitch on Thursday November 17, 2011 as Hennessy Artistry unveiled the music video for “Toast to the Good Life” to a select number of VIP guests at De Marquee in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Produced by Chocolate City’s Jesse Jagz (with support from Master Kraft and Banky W), “Toast to the Good Life” is an original composition that blends the talents of Nigerian rapper and producer, eLDee, fast-rising sensation Tiwa Savage and R&B powerhouse Banky W. The track was commissioned by Hennessy Cognac to showcase “the art of blending” – the basis on which its annual Hennessy Artistry project

Hennessy bottle

is founded. Hennessy Artistry seeks to blend people, music, artistic talent and cognac in a variety of ways. The collaboration track, “Toast to the Good Life”, which was released in September 2011, is a call to fun lovers to forget their sorrows, and celebrate the good life.

The music video for this year’s track, further drives home the message, as director Gini captures scenes with
Tiwa Savage, Banky W and eLDee that urge viewers to raise their glasses in a toast to the enjoyment of good living.

The exclusive party to premiere the music video on November 17, included a meet and greet with the Hennessy Ambassador, Cyrille Gautier-Auriol, who flew in recently from France.

“I’m excited to be here, Nigerians are very lively people and they know how to have fun. The great thing is that they find many innovative ways to include our Hennessy Cognac in their fun times” Gautier-Auriol says.

Guests at the video premiere party mingled over canapés and unending Hennessy cocktails. The delicious cocktails were themed after the 2011 Artistry headliners, and had names such as ‘The W’, ‘The Don’ and ‘The Vixen’.

The music video was premiered on a giant screen installed by Hennessy at De Marquee just for the occasion, and was met by a standing ovation and congratulatory cheers from guests when it was unveiled an hour into the event.

Cyrillle Gautier Auriol(Hennessy Ambassador) and David Hourdry,(marketing manager for Moet Hennessy in West Africa

The party was hosted by Toolz of the Beat 99.9FM and was graced by numerous notable guests including EME, Trace TV, Nigezie and FAB Magazine bosses – Segun Demuren, Sam Onyemelukwe, Kwame Aderigbigbe and Familusi Akin-Babajide. Storm 360 executives, Tola Odunsi and Olisa Adibua were also present, alongside musicians Jesse Jagz, Darey and Davido. Fashion designers, Mai Atafo, Maki Oh and Rukky Ladoja, and red-carpet favorites, Adebayo Oke-Lawal and Eku Edewor, also graced the event, among many others.

Currently in its 5th edition, Hennessy Artistry is Nigeria's most innovative musical platform. The series was first unveiled in Nigeria in 2007. Through the years, it has evolved from a cocktail-mixing contest between renowned bartenders to a battle of DJs and is now a platform for experimental collaborations among multi-talented artistes.

KJV and Kwame

The 2011 edition of Hennessy Artistry kicked off with a club tour of 20 venues on August 20, 2011, which then led to 4 highly entertaining VIP Nights at premium venues in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. The VIP Nights featured performances from the project headliners alongside artists like M.I, Naeto C, Wizkid, Jesse Jagz, Waconzy and Davido to name a few. “Toast to the Good Life”, the theme song for this year’s edition, was released early in the campaign to critical acclaim, and the recently launched music video is the final chapter in the campaign.

To watch the music video for “Toast to the Good Life” or find out more about Hennessy Artistry, visit www.facebook.com/hennessynigeria.

PHOTO BUZZ:

Adebayo Oke Lawal

Lamide Akintobi, Nike Fagbule

Tiwa Savage and Tokini Peterside

Tolu Toolz