Don’t tell James “Fly” Lindsay that potatoes are a humble vegetable.
For 21 years, the Atlanta-based founder of Rap Snacks potato chips has melded “the culture of hip hop with the snack food industry.”
His unique brand of potato chips features novel flavor combinations typifying the personalities of famous rap music artists, who are featured on the bags.
“Potatoes, I’ve been eating them for so long,” Lindsay said. “It’s one of the favorite vegetables in our country, and I think it truly helps the acceptance of the product because everybody loves potato chips.”
Though his brand has been around for several years, he said only recently have his sales taken off, due largely to the tendency of social media oddities to go “viral.” Lindsay said he’s updated his packaging and his slate of artists, and he’s emphasized internet marketing.
Lindsay said his brand has moved beyond the urban “mom and pop” stores into the suburbs, spanning from the East Coast to the Southwest.
“We’re probably doing 20 truckloads a week of product,” Lindsay said.
Soon, Lindsay plans to offer codes on bags to access unreleased music by his artists. Initially, a character Lindsay invented named MC Potato was featured on Rap Snacks bags. Nowadays, his bags show the likenesses of well-known rap musicians.
His most recent flavor, New York deli cheddar, features the rapper Fabolous. Lindsay explained cheddar is fitting because Fabolous “loves his money.” Honey jalapeno Rap Snacks recognize both the spicy and sweeter sides of rapper Fetty Wap. The most popular flavor — sour cream with a dab of ranch — celebrates a hip hop dance move known as dabbing and features the entertainer Migos.
Lindsay said he plans to soon expand into marketing cheese curls and mango-cheddar popcorn. But Idaho Potato Commission President and CEO Frank Muir is glad Lindsay started with potato chips.
“To me, trying to get potatoes, particularly Idaho potatoes, into the current with different lifestyles is good,” Muir said. “Anything that portrays potatoes in a cool light is a good thing.”
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