2 Chainz Is the Latest Celebrity To Get Into Franchising

2 Chainz, also known as Tauheed Epp, partnered with Mychel “Snoop” Dillard, CEO of Dillard Hospitality, to create Escobar Restaurant & Tapas in 2016. The restaurant’s name was changed to Esco after a 2020 lawsuit brought by the family of Pablo Escobar.

According to Franchise Times, Esco is now joining the franchise space.

The restaurant’s first franchisee, Jessica Shinholster, signed to open a location in Columbus, Ohio. Dillard also said deals are being finalized in Dallas and Memphis, Tennessee.

2 Chainz describes Esco as a lounge with “great food and great atmosphere,” while Dillard added that the menu includes “lots of things you may not see in restaurants late at night,” including lobster tail, lamb chops and blackened catfish topped with crab meat.

Dillard’s ventures also include a party bus rental company and a Los Angeles cannabis dispensary. She is also franchising her salon suite business called Remedy. “I like to keep a diverse portfolio,” she said.

Meanwhile, it was revealed earlier this year that 2 Chainz was partnering with Atlanta-based fast-food franchise Krystal, becoming the company’s new head of creative marketing, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. The artist will lead the creation of new platforms, partnerships, menus and merchandise in Atlanta. He is also working to create a custom co-branded restaurant in his hometown neighborhood of College Park.

2 Chainz is among a growing list of celebrities getting involved in the franchise industry. For example, Big Chicken, the Shaquille O-Neal-owned chicken franchise, recently opened its first franchised location in Dayton, Ohio. 

Shaq, and a handful of other celebrities, have also gotten involved on the franchisee side of the business. Over the years, the NBA star has invested in brands such as Five Guys, Papa John’s, Krispy Kreme, Auntie Anne’s and more. Other celebrity franchisees include professional tennis player Venus Williams with Jamba and NFL quarterback Drew Brees with Jimmy John’s – to name a few. 

So, what makes celebrities so interested in the space? Investing in a franchise allows a celebrity to be a part of a product that is already tested and successful, Joe Bailey wrote in a LinkedIn blog on the topic. “They also know that there are systems on the backend of the franchise to support any skills that they may be lacking,” he wrote. 

Additionally, buying a franchise provides a celebrity with a proven business model with added knowledge and support, according to Franchising.eu. The fast-food industry, in particular, has been popular with celebrities because it allows them to diversify their business portfolios and build an empire of sorts.