Stewart’s Shops is a beloved gas station and convenience store with hundreds of locations across the Catskills and upstate New York.
For many residents in rural communities, it’s a staple and, and oftentimes, the only place open for those late-night ice cream cravings and lemonade.
A new rap song called “Take Me Down to Stewy’s,” by Jackson Simpson featuring azel and Grey Mizzy has captured the essence of what Stewart’s Shops mean for New Yorkers. Since its Oct. 13 release, the video has amassed more than 1.2 million views on Instagram and other social channels.
“[We] really just wanted to make an anthem for upstate New York, something for all of us to be proud of. Stewart’s has gotten me through a lot of times and it just plays a big part of the upstate New York culture,” said Simpson.
The idea to pay tribute to the popular chain came to Simpson one evening, and he said he couldn’t stop laughing. He brought in his trusted collaborators, azel and Grey Mizzy, to lay down tracks to the instrumentals of Cali Swag District’s “Teach Me How to Dougie,” and the rest is history.
Directed by 2 Fly Films, the music video includes some key Stewart’s cameos, like its red picnic tables often stationed outside the stores and its signature blue raspberry and lemonade refreshers.
“Shooting at the stores was nerve wracking at first. We weren’t sure what to expect,” said Grey Mizzy. The artists have not disclosed exactly which Stewart’s Shops it was filmed at, which adds to the mystery and fun of the song.
Since its release, the song has been featured on Times Union, Yahoo, and several radio and television stations, along with meeting the Stewart’s Shops CEO Gary Duke, says Simpson.
“We’re really thankful. I love upstate New York. I’ve lived here my entire life, and we didn’t really have much to hang our hat on and say, yeah, that’s us. That’s who we are. That’s what we do,” said Simpson. “I’m really thankful for all the love and everything everybody’s showing us, and it’s just fun.”
Image: Jackson Simpson, azel, Grey Mizzy, and others outside a Stewart’s Shops location during the “Take Me Down to Stewy’s” music video (Photo Credit: YouTube, Jackson Simpson)