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Wiz Khalifa has become one of the game’s most trusted marijuana connoisseurs, having become synonymous with the very act of puffing a blunt. Much of this prestigious reputation was solidified nearly a decade ago, when Wiz slid onto the scene with his classic mixtape Kush & Orange Juice, thus sparking a movement in the process. With many fans still holding the album dear to heart, it only makes sense to see Wiz stepping up and giving it the treatment it deserves.

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On the day of its tenth birthday, Wiz Khalifa’s team has confirmed that a special vinyl edition of Kush & Orange Juice will be hitting stores, courtesy of Rostrum Records, marking the first time it’s ever been available in the physical form. If that wasn’t enough, a few of the project’s key contributors have taken a moment to reflect on the iconic tape, including “Glass House” collaborator Big K.R.I.T.

“‘Glass House,” is a crowd favorite,” muses K.R.I.T, press release. “We created a moment with that record, know what I’m saying? 2010, SXSW. It happened so organically and then wiz reached out like, ‘Yo I wanna put this on Kush & Orange Juice,’ and that was my first introduction to a lot of his fan base. Its been crazy since then — between going on tour and performing it every time we hit the stage together. That’s what timeless music is all about.” 

Have you any interest in copping the vinyl edition of Kush & Orange Juice? And if so, what’s your favorite track from the classic Wiz Khalifa project?

The Kush Up challenge began a few weeks ago but it seems like it’s still going strong to this day. Gillie Da King initially launched the challenge before calling out Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg, Lil Durk, G Herbo, and many others. Wiz and Snoop Dogg handled the challenge with ease with the former using this time of quarantine to challenge other smokers from taking 10 hits off of a spliff without letting any smoke out.

The smoking gene clearly runs deep in Wiz Khalifa’s family. He hit Instagram Live with his mother as they did they 10-puff challenge together. With a grin that went ear-to-ear, Wiz Khalifa proudly boasted that his mother was able to handle the challenge. “N***a, my momma did that shit,” he said. 

“To all y’all punk ass rappers with your punk ass lungs — bring ’em! ‘Cause my momma did it,” he declared. 

There have been a few rappers that weren’t able to keep up with Wiz or Gillie, for that matter. G Herbo proved that his lungs weren’t able to handle the challenge. Russ, too, admitted that he nearly died trying to keep up.

In related news, Wiz Khalifa recently teamed up with Tyga for their new single, “Contact” which they recently released a music video for. Make sure you check that out. 

The rap community has found interesting ways to pass time in the midst of what seems to be a global lockdown. Coronavirus has everyone in their homes in anticipation that this will all pass soon and people are launching all sorts of challenges on social media. Personally, I'm participating in the social distancing challenge which isn't all so challenging after all. Anyways, Gillie Da King launched the Kush Up Challenge and got Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, G Herbo, and more to participate and nominate fellow smokers. 

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@juicyj @tydollasign @xzibit @russ @gillie_da_king @snoopdogg

A post shared by Wiz Khalifa (@wizkhalifa) on Mar 22, 2020 at 4:10pm PDT

Xzibit has now stepped up to the plate after being nominated by Wiz Khalifa. As Xzibit played a role in advocating for its legalization in California, he's also jumped into the industry himself so he wasn't about to go out with the baby lungs like Russ or Herbo. Instead, he whipped out an eight-gram joint that's seven grams flower and one gram live resin rolled in a live resin-infused paper.

Per the rules, Xzibit had to take 10 tokes of his joint without letting out any smoke. Xzibit accomplished this not once but twice, though the second time was definitely more clear. "Yeah, there we go," he said before letting out a loud cough.

Xzibit took the moment to nominate a few other OG smokers such as B-Real and Sen Dog of Cypress Hill, Method Man, Redman, and Berner.

Peep Xzibit's #KushUpChallenge below.

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I challenge @breal @sendog @redmangilla @methodmanofficial @berner415 #whatsinyourgrenade @wonderbrett_ @greenwooddistro @napalmcannabisco @lift_ticket_laboratory

A post shared by XZIBIT (@xzibit) on Mar 23, 2020 at 1:26pm PDT

Instead of the push-up challenge -- which is still definitely a good thing to try out while in quarantine -- Gillie Da Kid decided to establish the "Kush Up" challenge. Effectively, it's the same exercise except, instead of working out your chest and arms, you're giving your lungs an uphill battle.

Unless you're an experienced smoker, we don't suggest trying out the Kush Up challenge. Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg accepted the competition without a second thought but, then again, they always have a joint placed between their fingers. Russ is an avid smoker, but he's not at the level that Wiz Khalifa holds himself at so when the latter invited the rapper to join the fun, he nearly ended up coughing his lungs out.

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@juicyj @tydollasign @xzibit @russ @gillie_da_king @snoopdogg

A post shared by Wiz Khalifa (@wizkhalifa) on Mar 22, 2020 at 4:10pm PDT

"Ay @wizkhalifa why tf did you nominate me for this," asked Russ in a video upload to Instagram. "I almost died."

In the clip, the stages of discomfort that Russ encounters are visible on his face. At first, he doesn't have an issue but as he nears his limit, a scowl grows on his lips before he's forced to exhale quickly and presumably have a cough attack.

"I nominate no one because I will not subject anyone else to this suffering," added the artist.

Despite failing the challenge, Wiz Khalifa is still impressed with Russ, voicing his approval in the comments.

As everyone stays inside their crib due to social distancing, people are getting really creative with how they're passing time these days. Social media challenges are getting more and more popular. Most recently, the #PushUpChallenge began to infiltrate IG stories as people nominated their friends to do 10 push-ups. In response to the Push-Up challenge, Gillie Da King launched something for the smokers: the Kush Up challenge. Everyone nominated must take 10 tokes off of the blunt without letting out any smoke.

Gillie nominated a slew of stoners such as Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, G Herbo, T.I., Jim Jones, Lil Durk and more to partake in the challenge. Though a few haven't responded, the game's top smokers did show out. Snoop Dogg and Wiz accepted the challenge with ease while the latter nominated Ty Dolla $ign, Juicy J, Russ, and Xzibit. Herbo also got in on the challenge but as Gillie would put it, he has "baby lungs."

Jim Jones, though, stepped into the game correcting everyone on the actual rules. Jim laid down a history lesson on the origins of the challenge that he was introduced to by B-Legit in 1997. Described as 10-for-20, Jim Jones challenged everyone to take 10 tokes and hold it in for 20 seconds, later challenging a slew of his friends including Dave East. 

Check out the Kush Up Challenge posts below. 

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?????? #KushUpChallenge

A post shared by KING GILLIE (@gillie_da_king) on Mar 22, 2020 at 5:40pm PDT

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Nigga Smokes Smokes ???? check his new music out 2 Nite #KushUpChallenge

A post shared by KING GILLIE (@gillie_da_king) on Mar 22, 2020 at 5:44pm PDT

Though many rappers have developed a reputation for having iron-lungs, Wiz Khalifa has set himself apart as a truly prodigious weed smoker. As such, his entire brand has become synonymous with bud, to the point where many of his hip-hop friends have grown wary of engaging in smoke-sessions with the Kush & OJ rapper. Even those who can generally hold their own have found themselves deeply outclassed, as Wiz himself revealed during a candid talk with Big Boy TV.

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When asked to point out rappers who simply can’t hang in the bud smoking department, Wiz wastes little time in calling out names. “Big Sean,” he says, before taking a moment to ponder further. “French Montana. I’m stoned so I can’t think of anyone.” Big Boy also asks who wouldn’t get the passed the blunt during the pandemic, to which Wiz replies “anybody who wasn’t in the house for at least an entire month. If you haven’t been quarantining for a month, you ain’t getting no weed. Matter of fact, nobody actually.”

Big Boy also asks Wiz if he would take coronavirus immunity in exchange for six-months without weed — for him, it’s the easier answer so far. “I’m already pretty confident in my chances,” says Wiz. “So nah, I ain’t giving away my pot for that.” Last but not least, Wiz ranks B-Real as the gold-tier weed-smoker, Snoop Dogg as the silver-tier, and himself as the bronze-tier. Be sure to check out Wiz’s speed-round of marijuana-related answers at approximately sixteen-minutes into the video.

There are some songs that will always remind you of a specific time in your life, perhaps even a place, a person, or a routine you once had. Music is eternally stamped with the era of your life in which you discovered it, it’s impossible to untangle the two. Wiz Khalifa’s “B.A.R.” is one such song for me, as it once acted as my daily soundtrack for my walk to and from university classes. Circa 2009, it was my first introduction to the then-budding artist, Wiz Khalifa. I remember thinking, that’s a strange name, not knowing the deeper meaning to it. I remember pressing play, after my brother had sent me a link for B.A.R., unaware of the project I was about to dive into, or even what “B.A.R.” stood for, yet. I pressed play, and was immediately immersed– the song of course, is the title track for the mixtape of the same name. It’s the title track in particular that remains one of Wiz’s most important songs in his come-up, determining a sound and direction he would explore to even further depths on his groundbreaking mixtape to follow, Kush & OJ.

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B.A.R. wasn’t Wiz’s first mixtape, by any stretch. Wiz’s catalog is heavily documented across the internet, from his debut mixtape to his debut album, each of these arriving prior to the release of B.A.R.B.A.R., however, was the project that allowed Wiz to reach a larger audience, outside of Pittsburgh, and gain traction across the blogosphere. This was a time when DJs were prevalent and having certain DJ names attached to your mixtape would allow it to spread further– DJ Rockstar and DJ Ill Will were two of the biggest names at the time, and no doubt their co-sign of B.A.R. helped usher in new fans.

B.A.R. wasn’t some sort of sudden revelation that Wiz loved smoking weed, either, he was already immersed in a marijuana lifestyle and all that entails. His joint effort with Curren$y, How Fly, cemented this fact prior to B.A.R., as well as his solo Flight School mixtape– both a subtle (or obvious) nod to his favorite hobby. Still, B.A.R. is the most important marker in Wiz’s catalog, as the pre-Kush & OJ release that essentially served as a warning that this weed-loving, laid-back artist was about to take over the game, all by his damn self, too. Flight School, Show & Prove– every project prior to B.A.R., really– Wiz was still figuring out his sound and how to be uniquely himself. Thus each proved a mixed bag, often borrowing or replicating other sounds, and not necessarily offering anything distinct in the grand scheme of things, that is, until B.A.R. This mixtape was clearly different, something we had never heard before. That’s why it’s such an important notch in Wiz’s discography, perhaps even more so than Kush & OJ, at least from the perspective of establishing a style. It’s one that seems to be under-appreciated too.

The opening track is the best song on the 18-track mixtape. It wouldn’t sound out of place on Kush & OJ either, indicating it’s hazy style. In fact, Kush & OJ’s opening record followed a similar path and concept, with “Waken & Baken” offering a light, airy musical intro as Wiz’s vocals glide along, guiding your smoking experience. “B.A.R.” solidified Wiz’s penchant for this type of atmospheric, closed hi-hat-riddled production. Wiz’s vocals are literally “floating on” too, dissipating into the musical ether while the sounds of a lush electric guitar echo in the background (a sample courtesy of Pink Floyd).

“B.A.R.” is, then, the trademark Wiz sound– if Wiz’s sound could be captured only in the span of one song, it would likely be this. It has all the attributes we’ve come to love from him: a nonchalant flow, an ambience that’s built around light percussion and hi-hats, and lyrics of a stoner who is simply loving life and all the good things coming his way. It’s an easy message and sound to get behind, and one that Wiz has remained loyal to until this day.

Instagram Live sessions, with a partner or solo dolo, are becoming more and more rampant these days. When you check your IG feed, it’s often a sea of purple-red circles indicating various IG Live sessions in the works. Smoke DZA has been doing his thing on Instagram Live too, apparently, with a new clip showing the Kushed God rapper speaking with fellow New York MC and OG Lil Cease. 

Cease was a member of the Biggie-helmed group Junior M.A.F.I.A, and not only the late rapper’s friend but cousin.

 Al Pereira/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

The clip from their conversation centers on Biggie and Jay-Z, with Cease revealing that Biggie had apparently admitted that Hov was a “nicer” MC than he was.

“Once Big met him at the Palladium, and they bonded on some g-shit. Cause they respected each other as men and they respected each other as artists,” Cease says in the IG Live chat, “Big wasn’t afraid to tell him…Big thought he was doper than him, that’s what he used to say, like, ‘yo that n*gga nicer than me.'”

“These are straight facts,” Cease continued, adamant that he was not lying. He even went on to point out a singular moment that Big felt Hov one-upped him, referencing his line on “Dead President.” 

“When Jay-Z said that line on ‘Dead Presidents’ — N*gga take a freeze off my kneecap/N*gga believe that— Big was like ‘Yo he got me.'”

Check out the clip below. If it’s a debate between Hov and Biggie, who do you have? Let us know in the comments.

Ronald Reagan entered the presidential office in 1981. In response to the economic, political and cultural difficulties that went on during Jimmy Carter’s presidency, Reagan, an actor-turned-politician, entered the Oval Office. A cultural shift was happening in America following the rise of the hippie movement in the 1970s and Ronald Reagan pushed back against it. Reagan brought hope to disaffected liberals across America, emphasizing a tough-on-crime stance– just as the crime rate was also beginning to rise. Conservatism was embraced, once again. As Reagan doubled down on Nixon’s War On Drugs, he also cut funding for Great Society programs meant to benefit disenfranchised groups, and more ambitiously, eradicate poverty and racial inequity. And this remains one of the most impactful moves in Reagan’s career. To this day, we’ve seen how his effort to combat drug use in general led to increased incarceration rates of Black and Brown people. Blacks and Latin communities were targets in the eyes of mainstream America who had already associated the “evils” of society with marginalized communities. The stigma from the War on Drugs still lingers today, and it’s not limited to crack, cocaine, or heroin — it’s reflected in day-to-day life for many such as NYC’s controversial stop-and-frisk practice. 

A portrait of President Ronald Reagan in 1985 – Hulton Archive/Getty Images

In 1973, the same year DJ Kool Herc hosted hip-hop’s first block party, President Nixon launched the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) replacing the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Mandatory sentencing and no-knock warrants became the norm as Nixon attempted to combat the rise of crime and heroin. But even something like cannabis possession was being harshly penalized. A simple possession charge, under Nixon’s newly devised plan, could land someone in jail for 2-10 years. During this time, cannabis was categorized as a Schedule I drug, thus rubbing shoulders with cocaine, heroin, and other hard drugs. Even with several states, most recently Virginia, legalizing cannabis, it is still considered a drug with no medical benefit to it, per the federal government’s classification.

A Schedule I drug is classified as a substance with little-to-no medicinal value– despite the fact that cannabis has proven to have medical value and aids in treatment of many conditions from physical body pains to mental health problems such as PTSD, depression and anxiety. 

America soon declared the use of illicit substances as public enemy number one, although the undertones would suggest otherwise.

“The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news,” revealed John Ehrlichman, Nixon’s top aide on domestic affairs.

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A  2018 report from American Progress discovered that by 2015, drug possession arrests went up three times as much than the rate in 1980, averaging 1.3M arrests per year. This is six times as high as the average rate of drug trafficking arrests. When you focus on the numbers, the racial disparity in the war on drugs policy becomes clear. Roughly 80 percent of those incarcerated on federal drug convictions are Black or Latino. This study also points out the inequity when it comes to sentencing. The average sentencing for a non-violent drug offense among Black Americans is nearly the same amount as a white defendant would get for a violent crime. On an economic standpoint, the same study reveals that an estimated $1 trillion was spent on the war on drugs. 

Snoop Dogg arrested on charges of suspicion of marijuana possession, circa 1995 – Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Drugs that were defined as Schedule I with no medicinal value were, at one point, used for medicinal purposes in other countries and introduced to the U.S. by American doctors. Cannabis had already been introduced to America by the time the 20th Century rolled around, while opiates were being frequently prescribed throughout the 1800s. Cocaine was introduced to the States by American doctors who learned from the European explorers, who saw how Indiginous communities in South America used it. It was considered a quick pick-me-up for workers, but it’s association with the Black community in the South marked a shift in narrative. The New York Times published an article headlined “Negro Cocaine ‘Fiends’ Are A New Southern Menace” on Feb. 8th. 1914, which helped sparked this myth surrounding cocaine and Black Americans in the South. This particular article written by Edward Huntington Williams, M.D. described the “effects” that cocaine had on Black Americans. “[The Negro fiend] imagines that he hears people taunting and abusing him, and this often incites homicidal attacks upon innocent and unsuspecting victims,” the article reads. It sounds absurd, but these headlines weren’t uncommon. Williams added that cocaine essentially gave Black men Superman-like abilities such as “a resistance to the ‘knock down’ effects of fatal wounds. Bullets fired into vital parts that would drop a sane man in his tracks, fail to check the ‘fiend.’” Spurred by these types of reports, in 1914 a new law emerged, the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act, that regulated and taxed all coca products.

The prohibition of cannabis followed a similar path as cocaine and heroin and it’s mostly due to Harry J. Anslinger, the man who vehemently campaigned to criminalize cannabis. Anslinger is to blame for the high levels of incarceration surrounding cannabis-related offenses, even today. He helped create the narrative that cannabis was a drug used by Black musicians to lure White women. Just as cocaine was used to paint Black men as a threat to white women in the South, the perception of weed was that it made people of color violent and sexually aggressive towards white women after consumption. 

There’s a history of Black musicians becoming public targets in the eyes of the government. In the last 30 years since the War On Drugs began, hip-hop artists have become the newest target. This unjust tradition has been passed down through generations, dating back to jazz music. In fact, if you look at some of the earliest references of cannabis in music, they come from jazz artists. Jazz music was bringing the world together ahead of Anslinger’s induction as the head of the Bureau Of Narcotics. As more reports emerged of Black and Latin communities consuming cannabis in areas like El Paso, TX and New Orleans, as well as the migrations of African-Americans into Northern states, xenophobia became stronger and stronger. African-Americans, Mexicans and jazz culture as a whole became the main targets, because, while segregation was still the norm in the South, jazz music was beginning to break down these racial barriers. Men and women, both Black and White, occupied jazz clubs in harmony, where they would enjoy music, dance, and partake in the consumption of cannabis. Much like cocaine, the use of cannabis in these jazz clubs struck a chord among middle Americans and politicians alike. A growing fear that Black men would use this “mysterious” plant to seduce and “prey” on white teenagers ran rampant due to propaganda, such as Reefer Madness. The 1936 film meant to warn people about the effects of cannabis spewed nonsensical dangers of the plant.

A “Reefer Madness” poster, 1936 – Hulton Archive/Getty Images

“Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind. Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their satanic music, jazz and swing, results from marijuana usage,” Anslinger said.

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Jazz musicians became the cultural targets of this xenophobia on a wider scale as many of them also became vocal advocates for cannabis. Louis Armstrong, for instance, can be regarded as one of the pioneers of cannabis culture in music. Outside of Culver City, CA’s Cotton Club in 1930, Louis Armstrong was arrested after police spotted him smoking a joint during breaks before a set, making him the first celebrity to ever get arrested for the use of cannabis. Armstrong was sentenced to six months in prison and forced to pay a $1000 fine, but even after his release, he demanded that he have a permit to smoke cannabis anywhere he went. Armstrong was far from the last to get arrested, though. Anslinger directed authorities to keep a close eye on acts like Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway — credited for being the first to reference cannabis in music on “Reefer Man” — Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, and more based on the belief they were converting young White kids into budsmokers. 

The Cotton Club in Harlem, 1925 – Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The rebellious nature of the youth prevailed, with cannabis becoming far more popular in the decades to come, largely due to jazz. One major player in the scene was Mezz Mezzrow, a Jewish Harlem jazz musician hailing from Chicago who became the number one cannabis supplier to jazz musicians–  he was known to have that jive– better known in 2020 as the “loud pack.”The Mighty Mezz was the name of the strain that all the jazz musicians were smoking at the time, named after the man himself. 

He immersed himself in Black culture, inspired by the likes of Louis Armstrong and Sidney Bechet, even considering himself black. “In his belief that through his immersion in African American musical culture and his participation in the life of the black community in Harlem, he had definitively ‘crossed the line’ that divided white and black identities,” according to Gayle Ward, author of Crossing the Line: Racial Passing in Twentieth- Century U.S. Literature and Culture. Eventually, he ended up in jail for selling cannabis. Apparently, he was so convinced that he was Black, he demanded that the warden place him in the section for Black inmates because he feared being attacked by White inmates. Mezz Mezzrow’s arrest and stature in cannabis and jazz culture planted a bigger cultural seed than anyone could imagine, inspiring the generations to come.

Cannabis culture would not have been able to thrive without the help of great musicians like Mezz. Hip-hop, similar to Jazz, found certain artists leading the charge in normalizing marijuana use and advocating for it, perhaps beginning with Cypress Hill in the ‘90s. In the past decade, Wiz Khalifa has emerged as the new-age poster child for legalization. 

“I think for every generation you have your trailblazers and your people who kinda set the standard for what pot is for people that age,” Wiz Khalifa told us. Wiz set a standard for the generation of smokers that followed. Kush & Orange Juice marked a shift in hip-hop and cannabis culture as a whole, as well as fusing the two tighter together than ever before.

“For me, it was like Snoop, Cypress Hill, Method Man and Redman. Even seeing people like Cam’ron smoke weed and rap about it, it just inspired me to be my own,” Wiz said. Along with Curren$y, the two intertwined their love for music and cannabis to become one of the most notable stoner duos in the last decade. “Me and Curren$y linked up just by being homies and being into the same things,” he added. “I think our genuine love for art and music as well as pot, it kinda just tied everything together and made it kinda clear that that was the norm. I mean it still is, it’s just creative people love to smoke, get together, and dress well.” 

A portrait of Jazz musician Mezz Mezrow, circa 1940 – William Gottlieb/Redferns/Getty Images

The idea of having a personal strain, pioneered by Mezz’s The Mighty Mezz, set the precedent for artists like Wiz Khalifa to follow. And again, in the same way Jazz musicians came up with slang words to refer to cannabis, so too has the hip-hop community. In the mid-aughts, it was damn-near impossible to hear a rapper who doesn’t talk about smoking “Kush” or “Purpp.” Groups like Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Cypress Hill as well as artists like Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Devin The Dude, and countless others had popularized terms like Indo and Hydro, referencing the method used to grow the plants. Strains and nicknames that came from the streets would eventually make their way into every smoker’s vernacular. Dr. Dre’s The Chronic introduced the world to a common term for cannabis sativa in the West Coast. Nearly a decade and a half later, Cam’ron would title his magnum opus, Purple Haze, because, admittedly that’s what was fueling those studio sessions. 

Mario Guzman, better known as Mr. Sherbinski is the man behind a few popular strains that are heavily referenced throughout rap music. His proprietary genetics have created sought-after strains like Sunset Sherbet and Gelato.

“I got into the game by growing really good flowers and being known by developing Sunset Sherbert and the Gelato strains in San Francisco in the early days of legalization,” he told us over the phone. Guzman was working as a real estate broker until the market was beginning to “take a turn for the worst in California.” A friend told him to start growing cannabis as a way to supplement the loss of income, and that marked the beginning of his journey into the cannabis industry. “Starting a little hobby, I quickly realized that I had a greenthumb. And I developed this connection with the cannabis plant,” he added.

Just as he forayed into the cannabis industry, the Bay Area was witnessing the birth of the Hyphy movement and the demand for quality cannabis was high.

“By putting them into the right influencers’ hands– local rappers in San Francisco and people that we knew that just wanted the flower, to help when they’re in the studio or for them to ‘catch a vibe.’ That was sort of the beginning and how I transitioned from, getting that flower to the rapper’s hands, but also into the guys that would sell on the streets, which would make it popular,” he said. 

“When there’s good flower, we say it takes them to a place where we believe all creative energy comes from. If it’s not good flower, you don’t get to that point. You’re not able to tap into that energy so that’s what we’ve become known for. That’s why artists fuck with us, that’s why they want our flower because if they have it, they’re able to reach this place where you can tap in creatively,” Guzman explained of the SHERBINSKIS brand. 

But it’s the streets, ultimately, that dictate what’s cool and what isn’t. Maybe that’s why rappers– despite spearheading legalization through normalization– are often being used by Big Weed companies to target the urban community and beyond. “That’s the unique connection– with making [any strain] popular with the people that are rapping about it, and [then] how that affects the young people that are listening to this music, and also affects the product that they buy. I think that also speaks to a lot of these corporate companies that look to the hip hop culture, [to] the urban communities, [to] Black and Latino culture that [really] influences what people are going to buy.”

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Drug culture of the 80s was defined by cocaine, while the inner-cities were riddled with the effects of the crack epidemic. Reagan took away social programs, like Medicaid, food stamps, social security and federal education programs, that would’ve helped vulnerable communities deal with the epidemic while the Wolf Of Wall Street could rail lines of cocaine all day. Crack was harshly penalized in comparison to powdered cocaine. Given the crack epidemic disproportionately affected Black communities, the late 80s found many rappers, such as Ice-T on “You Played Yourself” (1989), pushing an anti-drug message, to prevent the youth from getting trapped as either a user or a dealer.  Only a few years before dropping The Chronic, Dr. Dre famously said he doesn’t “smoke weed or sess ‘cause it’s known to give a brother brain damage” on N.W.A’s. “Express Yourself.” Hell, even in Jay-Z’s “22 Twos” off of his 1996 debut Reasonable Doubt, there’s a part in the outro where Maria Davis condemns the use of cannabis. Yet, in 2019, Jay-Z was announced as the chief brand strategist for cannabis company Caliva.

The emergence of Cypress Hill shook up the world in the early 90s. A Latino “pot-smoking” group coming out of Los Angeles, embodying gangsta rap with an emphasis on spreading the benefits of cannabis. In 1991, five years before Prop 215,  the group dropped their self-titled debut album. Their cannabis references weren’t exactly slick, either. They were letting you know exactly what they were doing on songs like “Light Another” and “Stoned Is The Way Of The Walk.” On a song like “How To Kill A Man,” despite what its title may suggest, B-Real and Sen Dog were simply explaining how things were in their community, ravaged by the crack epidemic and gang warfare.

“For them, it was easy to point the finger and to say, ‘Hey, this is the wrong example. This is not what our kids should be listening to,’ and you know trying to create these obstacles for artists like us,” B-Real said. “We were speaking our mind about what was going on in our communities and what was going on in society and in our neighborhood, you know, and we were taking big chances with some of the titles of the songs and some of the content and how we were making it. But we felt that, you know, artistically, what we had was so different and out of the box that, you know, we had to stick by what we were talking about and how we were doing it no matter what.”

“We didn’t expect that people would connect to it on the cannabis level that it did, because like you said, there was a lot of anti-drug messages in hip hop right at that point, because a lot of the labels didn’t want to take chances,” B-Real added. “Fortunately, in spite of some of the blowback of some of the songs, you know, it resonated more with people than any of us expected.” 

Cypress Hill’s 1998 single “Dr. Greenthumb” planted a seed both metaphorically and literally for the artist. “Dr. Greenthumb” served as an exploration into B-Real’s alter ego as a grower and eventually, it would serve as the name of his cannabis company. B-Real and Sen Dog’s entry into growing and cultivating cannabis began long before their days as luminary smokers, when they would be smoking out in Sen Dog’s backyard. Seeds that were found in the buds were tossed to the side, but a few of them grew into 13-feet plants. B-Real explains it was this that sparked his interest in growing. Researching constantly, some disposable income, and trial-and-error over the years finally led to the launch of Dr. Green Thumb Farms and B-Real’s foray into the world of legal cannabis. Meanwhile, lessons learned from the music industry became applicable on the business side of the cannabis industry.

“When you go into music, when you start a group and get signed by a label, you gotta trademark your name. Copyright, all of that. And you learn all these things,” he said. “I came with some knowledge on how you market in brand products and how you own it, and then how you push it out. So I took that and applied that to this, so when I decided to come into the cannabis industry, I trademarked my name under Dr. Green Thumb [in] various ways.” Cypress Hill, already an established “brand” at the time, played in his favor. “I started my trademark with Dr. Green Thumb, the music and the events and then transitioned that trademark into cannabis and people were already familiar with it so that gave me steps ahead.”

Wiz Khalifa blows out smoke – Rick Kern/WireImage/Getty Images

It can be argued that Wiz Khalifa has benefited from the Cypress Hill template, as both an artist and a brand. Wiz’s name has been synonymous with cannabis for over a decade. Though known solely as a smoker in his early career, he’s now established as a cannabis entrepreneur, working the Khalifa Kush strain into the market and even teaming up with Supreme (not the streetwear brand) to launch a line of oils, along with ventures in the cannabis tech world such as the Weed Farms app. His entrance into the legal market was, like B-Real, a natural process. 

Wiz’s KK strain is fine-tuned specifically for Wiz himself, he tells us. “I just wanted to create something that I was into. As far as taste and smell. You know what I mean? Just something I was personally into,” he explained. Described as a phenotype of OG Kush, Wiz Khalifa’s exploration into genetics and cultivation began with his relationship with Taylor Gang signee and fellow hip-hop cannabis king, Berner.

“I got into the genetics of it just by being down with Berner. Traveling and meeting up with him on the road, he just really put me onto some different strains and some different types. He was in the middle of cultivating and coming up with some new strains himself, so he kind of just sent me through the same process that he was doing. Looking at different strains and really being picky, tryna get it right. In that process, he was able to find a few strains that he held onto like Cookies, Brunch, and stuff like that while I was able to walk away with KK.”

Cookies is one of today’s most-referenced strains of cannabis in hip-hop, just like The Mighty Mezz was in jazz’s hey-day. Though the scope of the cannabis industry has vastly expanded and new methods of consumption have grown in popularity, Berner’s beginnings in the cannabis industry started when he was a budtender, just as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 was passed. Prop 215, as it’s frequently referred to, marked a milestone in cannabis culture, especially in California where the effects of the War On Drugs and the crack epidemic were still lingering. The stepping stones of his success with Cookies lie in his early adult years when he went from budtender to running a cannabis store, from the age 18 to 25. The industry was different back then. 

“It was heaven. It was the best process in the world. I wish we could bring it back to that process. It was a lot more pure and genuine. You know people just come in with their turkey bags full of good herbs and you would smell it. If you liked it, you’d buy it and negotiate the price right there,” Berner explained. He shared how, these days, it takes nearly three months to actually get products on the shelf after they go through testing. Nonetheless, these are changes he expected with the cannabis industry shifting. Berner dedicated his entire adult life to the cannabis industry, before there was a legal weed industry. Though it started off on a grassroots level, he’ll even admit that his position as hip-hop’s de-facto weed guy certainly didn’t hurt his cause.

“Having that cannabis club I was running back in the days, [helped] build my name up. When I got the brand, being able to push it on the internet and show it off, and being aware of how important branding is to what you’re doing…The music helped a lot though, I mean, I’m in the studio this week. I ran into a lot of artists, not gonna say who, but really, really, really big artists and I’ve been able to put stuff that’s not even out yet, in their hands,” Berner revealed.

One of those artists was fellow connoisseur B-Real. The two just dropped off their second joint project, Los Meros on April 17th. There’s a mutual love between the two, as both growers and MCs, but just because Berner has access to some of hip-hop’s elite doesn’t mean he uses his flowers as leverage. He’s worked on projects with Styles P and Cam’ron in the past, and the week we spoke, he had run into Dave East, A$AP Rocky, and Dr. Dre. However, it’s the organic relationships that he’s built and continues to build that have cemented his lofty position in the cannabis industry. “I almost get a kick out of not doing music with people I run into and trying to leverage the weed,” he explains, in part due to his shyness. “I just like people to acknowledge what I get done and whatever happens naturally or organically, it happens. That’s what’s dope.”

These organic relationships extend into his work as an entrepreneur in San Francisco, including a recent partnership with Shawn Richards. Under San Francisco’s Social Equity Program, Berner and Shawn Richards partnered with Cole Ashbury Group to launch Berner’s On Haight. Richards is now the first equity partner under the program that’s been approved by the city and county of San Francisco. The program is meant to create fair opportunities for Black and Brown entrepreneurs that have been affected by the War on Drugs. Berner’s On Haight marks San Francisco’s first black-owned dispensary but the rapper did face a bit of backlash upon opening it. A Vice article read, “White Weed Entrepreneurs Gaming Programs Meant To Help People Of Color” emerged just as Berner celebrated his launch. The article also happened to come out just a few days before he spoke to me.

“They put a ridiculous article out claiming that’s not the case and the headline of the article stated that rich white businessmen are taking advantage of minorities’ equity program deals. Published one of the worst articles I’ve ever seen and it really f*ckin’ upset me because the amount of energy I put into partnering with Shawn outside of the partnership itself on teaching him what I’ve learned the past 20 years, it’s crazy,” Berner, who’s Mexican, said in response to the article. “We’re so happy with what we’re doing, and it is the first black-owned dispensary in San Francisco, and it’s the first equity applicant store opened in San Francisco, the second in the nation and it’s majority is owned by him. And he’s the CEO. He’s on salary and he’s learning the business from me which I don’t give this kind of game to anyone.”

San Francisco isn’t the only place that’s taking steps to create a more inclusive industry. These equity programs are popping up a lot more across the nation. Nearly all states, with the exception of three, allow medical marijuana. Though only 13 of those states have fully legalized cannabis, certain states like California, Illinois, and Michigan have launched equity initiatives to support ownership and employment in the industry. Los Angeles, specifically, offers “individuals who are low income, have past cannabis arrests and or convictions and those that live in Disproportionately Impacted Areas may qualify to participate in the City’s Social Equity Program. This Program aims to support people impacted by the War on Drugs and seeks to reduce barriers to entering the legal cannabis industry by providing a number of programs to support business ownership and employment opportunities.” 

Berner holds up a big bag of weed – Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images

The complications surrounding the cannabis business involve money and the lingering socio-economic impacts of the war on drugs. The economics of the legalization of cannabis presents issues to, not only disenfranchised communities targeted by cannabis prohibition, but independent growers who lack the reach of major corporations. Like Big Pharma and Big Tobacco, cannabis, too, now has Big Weed companies infiltrating the market. Launching a cannabis business requires big bucks for licenses, permits, and cultivation, among the various other expenses. Though fees vary state-to-state, according to Cova Software’s website, a company that produces POS systems for dispensaries and the cannabis industry at large, the initial costs for opening a dispensary start anywhere from $150K to $2M, including staffing and rent. They state that the licensing application alone, on average, is $5K, while the annual license itself, if accepted, is anywhere from $1K to $10K. An applicant’s net worth, however, makes all the difference in certain states. Pensylvannia, for example, expects owners to have enough capital leftover to maintain their company expenses which typically means assets amounting to $2M and $500K in liquid cash.

Government initiatives aside, there are people on the inside of these Big Weed corporations looking to bring inclusivity and equality to the game. Take Jason White, for example. He’s one of the leading African-American executives in the cannabis industry serving Curaleaf as its Chief Marketing Officer and overseeing the Select oil brand, which Curaleaf acquired earlier in the year. Previously working as the former global head of marketing for Beats By Dre and and Global Account Director of Nike while at Widen + Kennedy, his foray into cannabis quickly transformed him into a leading figure in bringing social equity to the cannabis industry. He’s also behind The Possible Plan that aims to bring equitable access and reparatory justice to those affected by the War On Drugs such as expunging records for those convicted of cannabis charges before legalization began. The Possible Plan recently expunged more than 400 records in Baltimore. Bringing social equity is not solely about ownership but about diversifying the industry as a whole whether it’s in sourcing the products, marketing or even the tech side of things. 

“I still think that the industry is very, very young and you still have a small handful of financial and business leaders that have the greatest amount of benefit,” he explained when asked who is benefiting the most from the cannabis industry right now. “Those that are contributing the capital are the ones that are, right now, poised to benefit.”

Though it’s white-collar businessmen reaping the benefits of the cannabis industry, White’s work could be the template for bringing inclusivity and social equity to the game. He explains that right now there’s a large amount of growth to do, both socially and fiscally, while important decisions are made behind the scenes that can ultimately dictate all of this.

“I think Big Cannabis can mean big good,” he explained. “If the right people make the decision to build this industry the way it should be built, I think you can see in Big Cannabis something very different from what we’ve seen in the past and that is an industry that thinks about its heritage, that contributes toward the livelihood of those that have been that have been damaged in the past by prohibition and thinks about how to grow as an industry in a way that is inclusive and in a way that is equitable. I think where we are at a crossroads right now, where we can still make those decisions and we can still build an industry that’s more inclusive.”

To that effect, White is keeping a close eye on the MORE Act. Standing for Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement act, the MORE Act of 2019 is meant to decriminalize cannabis on a federal level, thus removing it as a Schedule I drug. But it also includes a social equity provision in the act that would help minorities, specifically those impacted by the War On Drugs, to face less barriers in entering the legal weed game.

“What we’re seeing in social equity laws — in the upcoming legislation for states that are going legal — are there very specifically-focused on how they’re giving access to the cannabis industry, to those that have either personally been affected by prohibition or those communities that have been disproportionately affected by prohibition. They’re getting a favor in license applications. They’re getting access to training in other areas through privately funded organizations. You’re starting to finally see a movement that is thinking about those people that have been not just ignored, but really disproportionately affected by the war on drugs,” White explained to us. 

Though the fight to create more diverse spaces and opportunities in the cannabis industry continues, it’s not limited to owning a dispensary or cultivating the plant. The cannabis industry, as Leafly put it in their 2019 Job Count, is “America’s hidden job boom.” 

211,000 Americans found employment in the ever-expanding field, and the number grows to 296,000 when you consider those who are working tangentially, such as marketing firms and legal aid. The stigma surrounding cannabis hasn’t been eradicated entirely but it’s putting food on many tables across the country.

Yet, even with these promising advances, it’s going to be extremely difficult for the small guys to succeed in the Big Weed industry. The fact of the matter is, anyone who wasn’t fully invested in the industry before the legal market was established will find it difficult to compete. It’s expensive– from getting started to maintaining cultivation, as well as the taxes that come along with it. Starting on January 1st, 2020,California raised taxes on vertically integrated cannabis companies from 30% to 80%. These large corporations feeding dollars to launch cannabis brands are able to afford it, certainly, but local growers and mom-and-pop shops might have to eventually close because of the margins and competition.

“I believe that they’ve pumped these taxes up to wash out small businesses and make room for big business, and those of us that have a big enough brand to survive will be like the craft brewers and, you know, independent like that. Those of us with a big enough brand to withstand what’s coming,” B-Real explained. “I know it sounds crazy, but you know, we saw this coming the minute they say they passed Prop 64. My group of people, some of us were saying it like, ‘you know, this is great. Legalization is great but some of this shit is off because it’s going to affect the small businesses.’ It’s not going to affect someone like me, you know, because I did building my brand before I got into the cannabis industry through music, being an advocate and activist. It’s going to affect the people that maybe, they don’t have a brand that is well-known. They don’t have the financial backing to compete with the marketing of some of the giants that are going to come in, because that’s the part of it. You can have the best cannabis in the world in your shop, but if you don’t have the money to promote, publicize and market that particular place, you’re going to fall victim to the one with the bigger name.”

Cypress Hill attend the first-ever Budtender Awards, October, 2019 – Denise Truscello/WireImage/Getty Images

The advocacy and work people like B-Real, Berner, Jason White and Mario Guzman put in before legalization happened is why they’ve been able to succeed. They perfected their craft and established trusted brands with quality products over the years. B-Real and Berner, for example, have lived this life, both on and off wax, for the world to see. Guzman might not be a rapper but there’s a reason that artists like Travis Scott and Migos have given him shout outs. Not many rappers can successfully get into the industry on their own unless they’ve been putting in the work for years. At this point, we will see more musicians get into the industry but through partnerships and sponsorships because they have the leverage of their brand. 

“Groups like The Black Crowes in the 90s that were advocates and that were totally out there, up front about it. But it’s because rock, that genre, it’s about the music first, cannabis later, if cannabis at all. Some of those fans just ain’t into it but some of them are. That’s the commonality that we have.” B-Real explained. “Cannabis activists loved them. But like, let’s just say, music fans, not all of them embraced their politics. Whereas in hip hop, that’s just a given. It comes with every fuckin’ rapper. It’s like if you had a Star Wars vinyl toy with Luke Skywalker, what does he come with every time? A fucking lightsaber. If you were to put out a fucking rapper vinyl, you know, collectible, they should be having a bag of weed [come with it], because that’s what it is these days.”

Wiz Khalifa is not letting the coronavirus pandemic stop him from safely celebrating his favourite holiday. The certified stoner extraordinaire has a ton of plans lined up for 4/20 this year, which appears to include releasing a new album. Although, technically, "4/20" makes up the whole month this year (fourth month of the year, in the year 2020, you get it), April has been less than satisfactory due to the global health crisis currently impacting the world and preventing weed enthusiasts from carrying out any kush-tastic activities outside their living rooms.

Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Warner Music

However, if there's anyone that can pull off the 4/20 festivities from home, it's Mr. Khalifa. Wiz will be headlining the Weedmaps' "Higher Together: Sessions from Home" virtual festival on Monday, which will include performances from Ari Lennox, Dave East, Cam'ron, and more. Along with a DJ set, Wiz will be conducting a smoke session during the event, which will stream live on Weedmaps' website from 3:00pm-8:00pm EST/12:00pm-5:00pm PST.

"Super excited to hang with the Weedmaps smokers all over the world," Wiz said in a press release for the event. But that's not all. He also said that he's "even more pumped to be able to share a new project on a holiday everyone loves," implying that we may be getting a new Wiz album next week. Wiz also teased this potential upcoming offering on Twitter, asking if he really should drop a full project's worth of the music that he's got in the vault right now.

It looks like Joe Exotic has found an ally that is incredibly close to the President of the United States and it isn’t Jared Kushner. Donald Trump Jr. is a big fan of Netflix’s Tiger King and recently sat down with for an interview with Roberts and Norton where he discussed the possibilities of getting his father to give Exotic a presidential pardon.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Don Jr. admitted before acknowledging Exotic’s request for a presidential pardon. “You guys really want it to be true, don’t you?” Roberts then said that Don Jr. might be the only person who can organize a meeting between the incarcerated zoo owner and the president.

“Maybe not right now, but I can generally be for this just for the meme,” Trump Jr. said. “And just for frankly watching the media reaction to this thing. It would be pretty amazing to ultimately see that.”

Trump did address Exotic’s situation with a more serious tone shortly after while also saying that the Tiger King star’s sentencing seemed a bit too harsh.

“Now, I don’t even know exactly what he was charged with,” he said. “I watched the show, but it was like, I don’t know exactly what he was guilty of or wasn’t. It doesn’t seem like he was totally innocent of anything. But when they’re saying, ‘We’re putting this guy away for 30 years,’ I’m saying that seems sort of aggressive.”

Guapdad 4000 has been filling a void in this post-quarantine world of ours, picking up where Funkmaster Flex and the LA Leakers left off as a key purveyor of BARS. For three weeks now, the Valentino Viper has been hosting the "Rona Raps" series, which finds he and his friends kicking bars Instagram. The first week featured he and Buddy ripping a J. Dilla banger. The second brought Chris Brown into the mix for a take on Q-Tip's "Vivrant Thing." Now, Guap has linked with Wiz Khalifa and Denzel Curry for his biggest installment yet.

Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images/Andreas Rentz/Getty Images 

Over Luniz classic "I Got 5 On It," Guap sets it off with yet another fire verse, proving that even in a casual state he's deadly with the words. "Walls famous like the Chinese one that hold the greatest / came up from running with cons, we all gangest," he spits, keeping the bars coming. "I might call up Chance The Rapper ask him what the Lord do, cause my raps is getting acidy they hydrochlorical."

"With all this Rona shit I got the ski mask on," spits Denzel Curry, growing out a quarantine beard for the occasion. "I ain't rapping fast, this ain't a ski mask song." As his verse progresses, the commentary emerges. "Fuck, I tell em it's no love," he declares, a changed man. "I don't want to dap, clap you up, and there's no hugs / stay your ass home, dance around in your bitch Uggs."

Sliding in from Denzel's makeshift hook, Wiz closes things out with a veteran's swagger. "Roll the weed pass it, n***as taking pieces of styles I already mastered," he spits. "Kush tastes fresh I just busted it out the plastic / social detachment being practiced, just me and a bad bitch plus I'm still stackin'." Check out the full episode below, and sound off - has "Rona Raps" made you pledge your loyalty to Guapdad's cause? 

View this post on Instagram

@guapdad4000 @denzelcurryph & myself #taylorgang

A post shared by Wiz Khalifa (@wizkhalifa) on Apr 1, 2020 at 7:38pm PDT

While it’s probably the last thing you’re concerned about right now, Kanye West is getting a few things off chest when it comes to his MAGA hat. The rapper sat down for an interview with WSJ Magazine, where he spoke about the sentiment behind the MAGA hat: “I’m a black guy with a red [MAGA] hat, can you imagine?”

In the interview, Kanye West explains how the backlash surrounding his penchant to wear a MAGA hat recalls his pre-fame, regular “black guy” days. As he told the magazine, “It reminded me of how I felt as a black guy before I was famous, when I would walk in a restaurant and people would look at you like you were going to steal something.” He continued, “‘This is your place, Ye, don’t talk about apparel. This is your place, Ye, you’re black, so you’re a Democrat.'”

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

He added, “Everything is about putting people in their place. Classism, protectionism—not just racism. Classism is like living on a bookshelf. The more money you have, the higher you go. And you get to the top and look over and what do you see? Fear.”

The 42-year old still is adamant that he does not follow politics, despite his endorsement of Donald Trump. What’s more, their mutual relationship has proved beneficial for us, as it was reportedly West who called on Donald Trump to help out A$AP Rocky when the rapper got locked in Sweden. Apparently, he called Trump’s advisor Jared Kushner and was able to speak directly to the President about the situation within an hour. 

We’ll have to wait and see if anything changes Kanye’s stance on Trump once he’s done battling the Coronavirus pandemic.

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It's another White House visit in the books for Kim Kardashian West. The criminal justice reform advocate visited President Donald Trump at the White House the day after Super Tuesday. Kim has previously worked with Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner who also acts as the president's senior adviser.

John W. Ferguson / Stringer / Getty Images

According to multiple reports, Kim didn't make her way to the White House alone. She was joined by Alice Johnson, a non-violent offender who she helped get released from prison last year, along with Crystal Munoz, Tynice Hall, and Judith Negron. The latter three women were reportedly released from custody last month after Trump had their sentences commuted.

Ivanka Trump shared a photo of the visit on social media. "Meet Judith Negron, Crystal Munoz and Tynice Nichole Hall," she penned in the caption. "At the recommendation of @AliceMarieFree, @KimKardashian and the @cut_50 team, these 3 mothers were granted clemency by @realDonaldTrump last month and are already using their second chance to pay it forward!"

Kim has previously stated that she would work with any sitting president regardless of their political affiliation as long as she could help those who she believes have been wronged by the justice system. Still, the reality star's White House visit was criticized heavily in the media, much like those of the past. 

A former UCF football player has been killed in a reported shooting outside of a popular restaurant in Wynwood, Miami and one man has been arrested in connection to the murder. XXXTentacion associate Tankhead, also known as Tankhead666, was detained in relation to a shooting outside of KUSH in a heavy foot-traffic area of the city. Local rapper Jose Trimaine Jose, 28-years-old, has been identified as the victim with one other man being taken to the hospital. The shooting took place on Friday at approximately 2 PM. Tankhead was arrested in another state before being transported back to Miami, where he is currently in police custody. A motive is currently unknown.

Tankhead recently appeared as part of a video interview series on VladTV, representing the Members Only collective and explaining his role as XXXTentacion’s enforcer according to Complex. Tank was not paid to be security for the late rapper but he considered himself a guardian of the star, explaining that he found himself in an “enforcer” role. The rapper, whose real name is Lynwood Walker III, was also featured on several songs with XXXTentacion, frequently appearing on the Members Only collaborative projects.

As more information is revealed, we will continue to keep you updated. 

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For many casual fans of anime, Dragon Ball was their introduction into the Japanese animated art realm. And with this particular show being an entry point for these fans, the first-ever voice they heard while watching the English-version of the coveted series belonged to none other than Brice Armstrong, the show's narrator and sometimes voice actor. Sadly, Armstrong passed away at the tender age of 84-years-old on Jan. 10 according to his talent agency and British publication, UNILAD.