Soda pitchman Biz Markie sours on sugary drinks

Rapper, actor and former Sprite pitchman Biz Markie is changing his tone on sugary drinks by endorsing zero-calorie soda maker Zevia, an all-natural drink maker, which he claims helped him lose a significant amount of weight.

"I used to be a big boy and I lost 141 pounds. This is one of the things that helped me lose the weight," Biz Markie told CNBC on Tuesday. He also explained that drinking fewer artificial sugars helped him combat his weight-related diabetes.

Laura Cavanaugh | FilmMagic | Getty Images

Biz Markie

Zevia CEO Paddy Spence added that the company is "one of the fastest-growing brands in beverage" and its stevia-based product sold 7 million cans in August 2013.

From the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Markie also gave a freestyle rap about CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" and his involvement with stevia-based drinks.

— By CNBC's Paul Toscano and Sally Shin.