Rapper Ja Rule is raising capital to expand his growing whiskey brand.

Amber & Opal Whiskey

The “Always On Time” artist co-founded Amber & Opal, a brand that aims to “redefine the traditional whiskey experience” through its offerings and by “bringing diverse individuals together.” He launched the rye whiskey brand with longtime friends Herb Rice, Sandy Sandiford, and Kelvin Barton, Food & Wine reports.

Initially, they were investors in the whiskey space and weren’t pursuing ownership. In a conversation with Forbes, Rice said they bought barrels of whiskey, held them, and planned to sell them years later for a profit. That changed after they gained “a deeper understanding of the whiskey business.”

“We saw an opportunity to do something different—to bring culture and new energy into the whiskey space. That’s how Amber and Opal Whiskey was born. We wanted to make whiskey more inclusive by engaging communities that are often underrepresented—people of color, women, and what we like to call the ‘whiskey curious.’ It’s about making whiskey more approachable for everyone,” Rice told the outlet.

Ja Rule added:

“Our venture is entirely bootstrapped, founded by a team of four—myself, Herb Rice, Kelvin Barton, and Sandy Sandiford.”

The group decided not to use the barrels it had previously purchased to make its first whiskey, since their new focus would be on a distinct “honey botanical whiskey.” Instead, they plan to use those barrels to produce a “premium bourbon” in the future, per Food & Wine.

Amber & Opal Whiskey, currently available online for $69.99, is made with rye, orange blossom honey, lapsang souchong tea, black tea, and herbal tea, Ja Rule told Forbes.

Rule said confidently the whiskey could be sold in 238 stores “right now, today,” Inc. reports. However, that is not their current wish.

“We’re kind of growing the scarcity market for our brand,” Ja Rule told the outlet. “Weird for a liquor brand because it should be everywhere, but it’s not.”

A 50-state launch was initially on the table, but Rice doubled down on the idea that it wouldn’t be sustainable. The whiskey is instead available in seven markets, including Maryland and Florida, so the founders can stay close and be hands on.

However, expansion is still on the radar, and Ja Rule believes there will be “a good uptick in sales because people are curious about the product.”

The friends-turned-founders are currently raising $5 million to $7 million to hire “extraordinary people,” and they expect to expand within the next year.

“Legacy building is about creating a product that 50 years from now is still here,” Rice told Inc.