Keeping things fresh is what Lato is all about, so on a recent trip to La Romana, Dominican Republic, to visit the Backwoods Cigar Factory, she found herself in familiar territory. The Atlanta rapper, style icon and “Queen of Souf” has seen firsthand the effort that goes into maintaining the quality and freshness of every pack of Backwoods.
Hip-hop’s love for “Woods” (the name many rappers use to refer to Backwoods) is evident throughout the industry, both in and out of the public eye. The brand dates back to 1973, but has been synonymous with hip-hop since its golden age in the mid-1990s. From The Notorious BIG and Migos to GloRilla, Drake and more, many hip-hop artists have mentioned the brand in their lyrics.
“Why does the rap world love the Backwoods so much?” Rato shares. “We’ll rap about it, we’ll see it in videos, you’ll see it in the studio. It’s backwoods everywhere.”
During a tour of the factory, the 25-year-old presenter gained insight into the company’s planning and packaging operations. Third-generation tobacconist and backcountry aficionado Anu Amen-Ra, also known as the “Tailor Tobacconist,” is a cigar expert who demonstrates the leaf selection and quality control process. Lato is taken through the different steps of backwoods cigar making.
“The connection to music is the beauty in the process of creating greatness,” she said.
Backwoods is synonymous with hip-hop. After visiting the place where the magic happens, Dalato understands why.
“It’s amazing to see the process,” she said of entering the Backwoods Cigar Factory. “It’s so pure and fresh, like filtering out the bad stuff and making the product as fresh as possible, just like my process of making music. You can only feel me by putting out the best product.”
Watch Latto experience the quality and freshness of each Backwoods cigar below.
Watch Latto travel to the Dominican Republic for an exclusive backcountry factory tour
This editorial ad was produced by Backwoods.
