San Francisco Music Blog

Janine Kahn

Click here for a full rapper energy drink slideshow.

Even with all the vibrant energy contained in hip-hop, sometimes people need an extra little kick in order to take in the multitude of offerings the culture has to give. That's why rap-branded energy drinks are a good synergy of lifestyle and product. The San Francisco Bay Area is home to a disproportionate amount of these colorful alternatives to Red Bull, but rap energy drinks have sprouted up around the country, from the Midwest to the South to the East Coast.

There's even an anti-energy rap drink called Drank that was created in response to this growing niche market. This "extreme relaxation beverage" uses melatonin to mimic the sleepy effects of "drank," a slang term for the codeine cough syrup concoctions that are widely abused as a street drug. But you can drink that later, after you come down from hip-hop's heights achieved by these top eight rap-inspired energy drinks.