Rap’s always had a minor obsession with brands and brand names, which at the best of times gives it a deeper connection with pop culture. On the other hand, by tapping into cultural touchstones, rap has occasionally run afoul of the civil side of the law. From rappers being forced to change their names (Remy Ma, who once went by the more recognizable Remy Martin, which also sued 50 Cent over his competing cognac) to copyright infringement suits (Tyga and Lil Nas X were both recently sued over sneaker collaborations), rap’s propensity for name-checking has gotten more than one artist into trouble.
Now, the brands that associate with rappers are feeling those effects too. According to Reuters, the Rap Snacks potato chip brand is being sued by toy manufacturer Mattel over its new Nicki Minaj-themed flavor. Spinning the flavor’s name off from Nicki’s self-derived Barbie nickname, Barbie-Que” Honey Truffle — and its logo, which borrows the original logo of Mattel’s long-running, beloved doll line — Rap Snacks has drawn the ire of Mattel’s legal department, which filed suit last week, alleging unfair competition and false designation of origin, trademark dilution, and unfair competition violation.
Mattel argues that the logo’s use creates customer confusion and false association with the actual Barbie brand. The logo’s use wasn’t authorized and Rap Snacks “purposely” misled customers, allegedly refusing to “correct the misimpression it foisted on the public.” Nicki Minaj, who has long used the Barbie terminology and aesthetic, even calling her fans “Barbz” and herself “Harajuku Barbie” (oof), is said to have deferred to Mattel, obtaining at least tacit permission to continue using the moniker, even having her own doll made in 2011.
Mattel not only wants Rap Snacks to discontinue its “Barbie-Que” flavor but also wants it to cancel its trademarks for Barbie-Que and hand over all of the profits made from its sales. Rap Snacks, which also has flavors based on Cardi B, Lil Durk, Migos, and Moneybagg Yo, has not made a public statement as of press time.
A few days ago, Snoop Loopz, a new cereal from Snoop Dogg’s Broadus Foods brand, was unveiled. Now, the Froot Loops-like cereal (or more specifically, its packaging) has left Jack White with some major questions.
Yesterday, White took to Instagram to share an image of the Snoop Loopz box and reveal that he’s put a lot of thought into it. His post begins, “I would like to personally congratulate Snoop Dogg on his new cereal release and a pat on the back for its charitable benefits that it will be producing, nice one. But i do have a couple of important questions about the box that the cereal is delivered to customers in.”
Then, he gets into the nitty-gritty, continuing:
“In the press release from Broadus foods, the photo of the cereal box contains the words ‘MORE MARSHMALLOWS’. More than what? if this is in fact a brand new cereal, it can’t be more marshmallows than ‘before’. Is it a statement that this cereal has more marshmallows than say…a bag of sand, or a typical caesar salad? Or, is it a DEMAND from Snoop Dogg himself that we just have more marshmallows in this world in general? That last theory is my hope. Lastly, the photograph on Master P’s instagram shows a DIFFERENT phrase, an un-plural ‘MORE MARSHMALLOW’ without the ‘S’. Photo attached, answers demanded.”
Snoop has yet to publicly provide the demanded answers.
Cannabis and music festivals should exist in a blissful state of symbiosis. But in reality, festivals are late to the weed party. Even at fests in legal states, cannabis is not available for purchase, nor do they designate official cannabis consumption gardens in the way they present and sell alcohol. Security can confiscate weed if they find it on you, or worse, make you throw it away in front of them — a crime committed against thousands of hallucinating young scholars each summer. (RIP our fallen nugs.)
The industry behind festivals, as well as the cities these fests take place in, have been wildly averse to the concept of merging the legal cannabis market and the festival experience by allowing weed to be sold or consumed openly at these events. While this is probably due to the fact that most fests are backed by billionaires and occur in conservative places like Indio, it’s still a missed revenue opportunity. And beyond that, it’s downright silly. Festivals and weed have gone hand and hand since the days of Dionysus.
At this point, you almost have to be stoned to attend one. Especially in California.
Thankfully, Northern Nights, a raging electronic fest along the Eel River, deep in the Redwoods of Humboldt, is leading the charge (with this year’s Outside Lands following suit). This year, they became the first music festival to feature onsite dispensaries, a weedy lounge area, and the open consumption of cannabis.
“Northern Nights has been leading the way in cannabis activations and music festival integration since the festival started in 2012,” said Chelsea Lucich, the Cannabis Vendor Coordinator for Northern Nights. “Even back in 2015, we had a 215 area where medicinal patients could consume.” [215 refers to Prop 215 which was the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, which allowed medicinal patients access to cannabis.]
“This year was special for many reasons,” Luchich continues. “It was the first year back since the pandemic started, so everyone was ready to experience the way cannabis and music give way to connection. But the real spark was the heart-focused curation of the Craft Cannabis Farmers Market.”
“Inspired by the small farmer initiative our friends at the Emerald Cup started, we gifted 20 booths for free to the craft farmers from our region. We wanted not only to pay respect to the area where our festival resides but to help preserve and bring awareness to the culture of craft cannabis that is currently on the brink of extinction.”
Speaking personally, I found the super vibey consumption and dispensary area, dubbed The Tree Lounge, to be a welcome respite from the rage of the main fest. Within this otherworldly collection of pillowed teepees and farmer booths slinging some of the best weed in the world, there was a full range of weedy activities like medicated dining, cannabis cocktail hours, weed yoga, stoned sound baths, and more canna-wellness programming.
We were lucky enough to attend Northern Nights this year, and sample a ton of the incredible offerings from small Humboldt-area farms. Here are some of our favs.
Sour Diesel by Sol Spirit Farm
Sol Spirit
Near the crystal winding waters of Willow Creek, along the border of Humboldt and Trinity County, is where you’ll find Sol Spirit Farm, home to some of the happiest and most eco-conscious flower on the market. Everything about this regenerative sungrown farm, as well as the farmers themselves, is high vibe. When you consume their flower, the magical energy they put into these plants transfers to you, making you shine like never before. Nowhere is this effect more apparent than in their classic cut of Sour Diesel, which has become one of my favorite iterations of the iconic strain.
Sol Spirit
Fluffy, sativa nugs move from ruddy to light green, with burnt orange hairs. The smell is heavy on the gas, with a sour, earthy finish. This is a classic cut of Sour Diesel, the kind that’s hard to find today, as the strain has been watered down over time, backcrossed into infinity in its common form.
The taste is gassy, earthy, with a lemon tea finish on the exhale. It immediately gets you high behind the eyes, with a marked head change. Then, suddenly, without warning, you spring into action. It’s like when you’re at the beach before noon and the layer of fog clears — the sun shines hot and bright and boom! The fun begins.
Instead of beach fog, this flower evaporates mental fog and springs you into productivity. I felt excited, elevated, and 2/3x more capable than before. Waves of excitement course in the absence of anxiety. The last note I had was “like putting a glitter filter on your life,” and I stand by that.
Bottom line: Perfect for obliterating to-do lists and transforming daily life into the rainbow level of Mario Kart 64.
Magu’s Fruit by Sunroots Farm is a unique cultivar that’s fit for a goddess and named after one, too. Magu is a legendary Taoist xian associated with the elixir of life and a symbolic protector of women in Chinese mythology. Also referred to as the Hemp Lady, she’s portrayed with long fingernails in an apron of leaves, carrying a basket of mushrooms and peaches with a container of fungus wine. Just like every other baddie at Northern Nights.
Her nugs are luscious and dark, mysterious, and covered in crystals. Cascading hues of purple with hints of white sage, bright green leaves, and dark orange hairs. The smell is a fruity, berry wonderland of cherries and plums, blackberries and currants.
Uproxx
Berry lemon on the exhale with a spicy, pepper kick, this flower immediately elevates you to a heightened space of clarity. It takes you soaring like an eagle, high enough to observe the minutia in everything below.
Colors seem brighter, vision is enhanced. Overall, this flower leaves me feeling uplifted and in tune with the world around me. While your mind is active, your body is soothed and melty. It’s a really beautiful dichotomy, the cerebral head high, piercing with clarity in thought and expression, paired with a euphoric body high that makes it feels like you’re flying.
Bottom line: Great for doing yoga, creating art, meditating, and other goddess activities.
Esensia Gardens produces some of the most beautiful weed in the world, regularly sweeping award shows with their meticulous sun-grown flower from Mendocino. Their proprietary Pixie Dust strain is no expectation, having won the Emerald Cup the past three years in a row.
Pixie Dust deserved every one of those coveted awards — it truly is that special. A cross between Blueberry and Magic Wand (another proprietary strain by Esensia), the nugs look like little velveteen rabbits, bright green, coated with crystals, sparkling in the sun.
Esensia Gardens
The smell conjures peach ice cream, a garden in the summer, bees buzzing in the blackberries, and citrus blossoms in the heat. There’s a sumptuous sweetness to the smell that feels nostalgic in some way, with a little kick of lemon zest at the end.
The high is euphoric and relaxing and hits like a perfectly sweetened glass of iced tea. Everything about this high is tingly, soft, and kind. You can feel the physical stress release, making it perfect for taking the edge off a long day. Mentally, you’re lucid and bright, but your body is on a beach somewhere relaxing with a cocktail.
Bottom line: This magical strain is perfect for hot days, hot springs, and watching the sun set.
This cut of Cherry Pie by Trinitrees Farm (available through Redwood Roots), is as fun as it is potent. Cherry Pie is another iconic strain from the years of yore, a cross between Granddaddy Purple and Durban Poison that kicks your ass in the best way possible. Like Sour Diesel, this is a great stain that you never see shining anymore — making this one all the more exciting.
Trinitrees Farm
This Cherry Pie makes you say WOW. The nugs are olive green and orange. The scent is fucking crazy, like whiskey, leather and bay leaves, pine and dark chocolate, cedar, fresh wood, and sap. It’s a romantic, complex scent, that translates to a similar profile on the exhale.
The high hits hard and fast. Immediately, everything is more intense, raising the saturation of the photo edit of your reality. I smoked a bong rip and completely forgot to write anything about the experience, instead rolling around on the couch, alternating between giggling and bouts of outer space. This flower also has a mildly sedative effect, allowing you to fully check out of existence if you want to, but not sending you straight to sleep if you don’t.
Bottom line: This is a great heavy hitter for daytime use if you’re that girl (I’m that girl), and nighttime/weekend use for everybody else.
Last but certainly not least, we have an incredible cut of Gelonade from one of my favorite farms in existence, Moon Made Farms. Moon Made is a woman-owned farm up in the hills of Humboldt near where the festival took place. This regenerative sun-grown farm also implements Indigenous practices of planting seeds by the moon cycles, resulting in some truly beautiful flower.
Moonmade Farms
This Gelonade is a great get-up-and-go strain with a psychedelic bend. Frosty and bright green with hints of orange, these dense nugs pop with a sharp and spicy lemon explosion. You can get a sense of the high by smelling the flower, which is a sign of extremely good cannabis. High in caryophyllene, limonene and linalool, the flavor is lush lemon and pepper spice with a fruity twist at the end.
I love this strain because it’s not just upbeat and capable, it’s also flirty and fun. I smoke it before parties, meetings, and pretty much any time I have to converse with anyone, ever. It’s great for getting shit done but has a quirky flare that makes everything a little more interesting.
Bottom line: Perfect for spending time with others, silver linings, and finding joy in the mundane.
Music festival season is in full swing, and if you’re looking for the perfect city to check out your favorite artists, Las Vegas might be the one for you. Just think about it: You could have a weekend filled with good food, great drinks, one-of-a-kind pool parties, exciting times at some of Vegas’ many nightclubs, and then a festival of your choice. The point is there’s so much to do in Vegas and that’s the beauty of the city. So, to ensure that your time in Vegas is as magical as it should be, let’s take a look at the many festivals, concerts, and events that you should be aware of for the rest of the summer.
Festivals
Life Is Beautiful
Exodus Festival
If you’re looking for a weekend of absolute summer fun, the Exodus Festival might be the place for you. The epic showcase boasts ten parties and 20 DJs that include The Chainsmokers, Diplo, Kaskade, Alesso, and more. Parties will go down by the pool and in nightclubs, so you’re guaranteed a fun time regardless of the setting that works best for you. With a weekend of fun locked in for later this summer on September 1-5, Exodus Festival is set to put on an absolute show for its 12th season.
While Las Vegas certainly provides plenty of opportunities for folks to do things by themselves or with another person, Desert Drip is here to cater to you and your group of eight or more people. Between September 1-5 later this summer, Desert promises a cost-effective and hassle-free way to have a blast on the Vegas strip. Whether it’s having a splash at pool parties or dancing the night away at one of Vegas’ nightclubs which include Drai’s, Jewel, Hakkasan, Ayu Nights, and others, Desert Drip will make sure you have the weekend of a lifetime.
Heavy metal and psychedelic music fans, this one is for you! Psycho Las Vegas is back for its sixth edition this year, and they’re bringing their talents to Resorts World Las Vegas on the strip for the first time ever. This year’s bill promises performances from metal favorites like Mercyful Fate, Suicidal Tendencies, and Emperor as well as other notable acts like Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Warpaint, Monster Magnet, Wu-Tang Clan rappers GZA, Raekwon, and Ghostface Killah, and more.
There’s no doubt that life can be beautiful when you’re out in the sun and there’s plenty of music around you. That’s exactly the scene that the 2022 Life Is Beautiful Festival will deliver to attendees. The showcase will take over Downtown Las Vegas for a show that’s headlined by a genre-spanning list of acts. Arctic Monkeys, Calvin Harris, Gorillaz, Lorde, Jack Harlow, Kygo, Migos, Sage The Gemini, and Beach House all lead this year’s lineup while others like Rico Nasty, Big Boi, Charli XCX, and Isaiah Rashad also appear on the bill for a lineup that is guaranteed to deliver an exciting moment to all kinds of music lovers.
In addition to all of the festivals mentioned above, there are also artists that will make stops in Vegas for exciting concerts. The Weeknd will deliver an experience that combines funk, R&B, pop, and more for a show at Allegiant Stadium on August 20 while The Killers will set the stage ablaze for a concert on August 26 at the T-Mobile Arena. The following month, Demi Lovato will bring her soaring vocals to the Venetian Theatre at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas on September 30. The aforementioned names are just a shortlist of what to expect on the music front, in addition to the long list of residencies, when you visit Las Vegas.
Purchase The Weeknd tickets here.
Purchase The Killers tickets here.
Purchase Demi Lovato tickets here.
DJ Sets
Las Vegas is also where your EDM cravings can be satisfied as a number of iconic DJs, up-and-comers, and modern stars throw a series of outright parties and exciting shows throughout the summer giving people multiple opportunities to get lost in the music. Alesso, DJ Snake, DJ Pauly D, Illenium, and Lil Jon are just some of the names on the list of DJs you can catch in Vegas this summer.
Purchase tickets for Alesso’s Vegas shows here.
Purchase tickets for DJ Snake’s Vegas shows here.
Purchase tickets for DJ Pauly D’s Vegas shows here.
Purchase tickets for Illenium’s Vegas shows here.
Purchase tickets for Lil Jon’s Vegas shows here.
Unforgettable festivals and concerts await in Las Vegas. What are you waiting for? Go plan your trip at visitlasvegas.com
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Wiz Khalifa is a businessman — he has his own weed brand, Khalifa Kush, as well as HotBox, a collaboration with the virtual restaurant brand NextBite.
Now, Khalifa is launching with a naturally occurring psilocybin and mushroom wellness brand called Mistercap in collaboration with the Canadian company Red Light Holland. In the Netherlands, they’re working on magic truffles and hope to launch home-grown, non-psychedelic mushroom kits in the U.S., Europe and Canada by the end of the year.
“We’ve been working with Wiz Khalifa and his team to collaborate and create a brand that encompasses our joint belief for the affordable and equitable access to naturally occurring psilocybin responsibly,” Red Light Holland’s CEO and director Todd Shapiro said in a statement. “Wiz Khalifa is a global icon with tremendous reach who is uniquely positioned to help us spread the message and end the stigma surrounding psilocybin while focusing on mental health and wellness.”
He added: “When we launch the MISTERCAP products, including the MISTERCAP website, social media channels and merch – we plan on launching BIG TIME – so stay tuned, because Wiz Khalifa x Red Light Holland together are not afraid of shaking things up and making some much needed helpful noise. Together we are demonstrating that mushrooms are important, the future and can be very sexy!”
A couple of months ago, Jack Harlow announced his partnership with KFC. And so the “Jack’s Favorite’s” menu was born, which was a curation of “the menu items I’ve been enjoying since I was a child,” as he stated. “Partnering up with KFC feels like poetic justice,” he said. “I’ve begun traveling the world and no matter how far I go, KFC is one of the first things people want to bring up when they find out where I’m from.”
Now the partnership is taking a step further with the introduction of the new Jack Harlow meal. “From releasing Come Home the Kids Miss You and now launching my own meal at KFC, I’m having a super blessed summer,” said Harlow. “When KFC asked me to create my own meal, I knew it couldn’t be just any meal. My meal brings together my childhood favorites from growing up in Louisville, the KFC Mac & Cheese, with my new go-to Spicy Chicken Sandwich (with plenty of ranch), Secret Recipe Fries, and lemonade – it doesn’t get much better.”
CMO of KFC U.S. Nick Chavez added: “Jack has long been vocal about his passion for his home state of Kentucky, which is why this partnership is so finger lickin’ good. Jack Harlow fans, don’t miss out on this meal handpicked by Jack himself.”
It will be available across the states starting June 6.
Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Despite being persona non grata in the music industry for the past six months or so, Travis Scott remains as popular as ever among sneakerheads. Today, his latest collaboration with Nike dropped — and unfortunately for his fans, the shoes proved as scarce as a recent Travis headlining performance.
The culprit in this not-so-mysterious case of the missing shoes — as it so often is — was SNKRS, Nike’s app for bidding on the most coveted (or “hyped”) releases from its stocks. Whereas you’d go on the plain old Nike app for a pair of new LeBrons or general release Air Max, SNKRS is where you need to be for the latest Jordan retro or high-profile limited-edition release with artists like Travis or Billie Eilish.
However, ever since its release, it has been as much a source of frustration for fans as it has a resource — in fact, many times, it is more so. Nearly every new release day brings with it a slew of fans posting their “Ls” on social media, as the drawing system condemns many fans to the dicey proposition of the resale market, where they can get their latest grails, but only at a 200% markup (sometimes more). Today was no different, as the hotly-demanded Travis Scott Cact.us collection, consisting of a reconstructed Air Max 1 and Air Trainer 1, disappeared faster than you could say, “It’s lit!” Those who did hit today met an immediate wave of hate from their peers.
Only on @Nike SNKRS app where you can lose 4 different raffles…My brother and my cousin even tried and THEY DIDNT WIN EITHER. You’re telling me out of 12 tries.. no one could win ONE pair of shoes? Statistics aren’t even on your side. I’m done.
There is some good news on the horizon for Travis fans, though. He makes his return to the festival scene at Primavera Sound in Brazil this summer, while his album Utopia is still waiting in the wings. Check out fans’ SNKRS laments above.
Tyga has been locked in a legal battle over his recent Wavy Baby sneaker collaboration with MSCHF since April, but it appears they may be a light at the end of the tunnel. Billboard reports The U.S Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has quickly approved an appeal submitted by the Brooklyn studio that assisted the “Taste” artist in making the shoe. On Wednesday, the court announced that the court would allow a quick challenge to a previous ruling that banned the sale of the sneakers because they look too much like Vans Old Skools.
MSCHF cited that the case was time-sensitive, as the ban infringed upon their First Amendment rights. “MSCHF is grateful that the Second Circuit granted its motion to expedite this appeal, which raises critical questions of the intersection of the First Amendment and trademark law,” stated David Bernstein, the company’s lawyer. “Given that MSCHF plans to display Wavy Baby at the Perrotin Gallery and at Art Basel this fall, it was essential that the appeal be expedited so that the Second Circuit can protect MSCHF’s First Amendment rights.”
The Second Circuit states the case will be fully briefed by mid-August and the ruling will come sometime after that. The Wavy Baby sneakers were originally set to release on April 18.
Earlier this year, Kanye West’s Instagram page was a source of wildly erratic takes from the rapper/producer/father of four. Each new post brought a deluge of attention — not all of it positive — as he attacked his ex’s new boyfriend Pete Davidson, lamented the separation of his family, and generally made a bit of a nuisance of himself. The drama concluded when he deactivated his account, presumably to go away and get some much-needed counseling out of the public eye.
Today, he returned, revamping the page with just one post, a collaboration with Japanese industrial designer Naoto Fukasawa. Described by Bloomberg as “one of the world’s most influential designers,” Fukasawa has won multiple design awards over the course of a 30-plus-year-career, contributing to all sorts of consumer goods, from espresso machines to furniture. In Kanye’s new (sole) post, Fukasawa and Kanye offer a reimagining of one of the most ubiquitous products in the world: A McDonald’s cheeseburger. More specifically, they shared a conceptual redesign of the burger’s packaging, turning it into a square with translucent paper, similar to a candy wrapper.
There’s no information on what motivated this project or whether it’ll be used in any wider capacity yet, but fans are already celebrating Kanye’s return to Instagram; the new post has just under 1,000,000 likes in three hours.
Killer Mike, one half of Run The Jewels and recent Ozark star, has long been a vocal advocate of marijuana — both as a medicine and as a creative tool that has helped pull his mile-a-minute mind in focus. Which made him a natural fit to host Weedmaps’ excellent new docuseries, Tumbleweeds. The four-part docuseries follows Killer Mike as he explores the unique cannabis cultures of Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago and chops it up with comedians, cannabis advocates, and business owners in an effort to paint cannabis legalization in a more positive light by showing how weed can tie communities together.
Tumbleweeds is a fun watch that remains as entertaining as it is educational, much of that thanks to Killer Mike’s personality — which can turn from jovial to intensely thoughtful on a dime. We experienced this first hand when we linked up with the rapper and activist to discuss the series, weed policy, restitution for the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) who helped popularize marijuana in the United States, and some radical (but necessary) efforts that states can — and should — make as we steadily march toward federal legalization.
Check out the full discussion below and be sure to catch the final episode of Tumbleweeds on May 8th or all four parts on May 15th on VICE TV and Vice TV Streaming apps.
Paul Tumpson
Something I really like and appreciate about the new series is that it takes what has been a familiar and frankly racist framework — this idea that “pot destroys communities” — and kind of flips that on its head to show how cannabis can be an integral part of communities. Was that the intention going in? Or was it more about exploring the unique cultures of each respective city?
I think it was all of that at one time. I think the best entertainer in the circus is the juggler. I think that when you can show the interconnectivity between things, the better. Not only do we show that pot is a healer, but pot also helps with PTSD, we show pot from an artistic perspective in the museum. We got an opportunity, we got a chance to show that pot smokers are normal regular human beings leading normal regular lives who use this plant versus other medicines.
We got a chance to show that local businesses that grow around pot — whether it was pizza or candy or fine dining — we got an opportunity to really see the interconnectedness of it all. If you look at pot culture from a pot smoker’s perspective, like say the Rastafarians, pot has been used in a bunch of different things. Everything from using hemp to create tools and papers to smoking marijuana, using it in religious rituals and things, so I think that the stoner community already knew that pot exists or cannabis exists in a lot of different places for a lot of different reasons.
What to me was the curveball but I really thought was interesting was adding comedians. Comedians… they take our pain and make us laugh at it and that brings joy. But they’re very, very observational… and usually very smart in some capacity, and I really enjoyed the conversations that I had with comedians.
I enjoyed going to local businesses, and enjoyed meeting the advocates too, but getting the chance to meet people who make people smile for a living and who are users of pot really was an interesting curveball that got thrown in, so it didn’t get too serious. It didn’t get too heavy. It didn’t get too long or instructional. Really remained fun from start to finish.
Is there anything you would say that you learned in this process that you didn’t know of beforehand?
Damn near too much shit to list. What I really enjoyed was talking to — and I’m sorry, I can’t remember her name [Charissa Jackson], “pot does rob the memory,” Kris Kristofferson said that. This young lady was a veteran and an advocate for veterans’ rights around PTSD and pot. I have a sincere reverence for people who’ve served in our US military. It’s not like I want a war machine marching across the earth but any young person who signs up from 18 to 22 and gives part of their life, a very young, whimsical part of their life… They give that to the United States military. I believe they shouldn’t have to pay interest on a home loan. I believe they should be first in line for lower taxes. I really have a reverence for them.
So to see someone give a damn about veterans in a way that made her an advocate for marijuana usage. Someone that’s helping on the Hill, helping Washington come to their senses about medicine via the cannabis plant versus appeal with the VA meant a lot to me.
Fab Five Freddy and the brother that moved from, I think it was down in Louisiana, who had served 13 years I believe for two joints. You have to understand, Fab Five Freddy in my life has been an art teacher, and music director. He has introduced me to culture and this is just from a kid watching him prior to MTV and MTV. But to see him now as an advocate and an ally in terms of pushing legalization or decriminalization were two things I can really say I walked away from the interview much smarter from and much more determined to help normalize cannabis in this country.
Why were the cities of Las Vegas, San Francisco, New York, and Chicago the cities settled on in the series? As someone who was born and raised in and around Southern California’s cannabis culture, I actually appreciate how you skipped over Los Angeles, which I feel gets too much of the spotlight.
Los Angeles is a hell of a city but Northern California still has better weed. I just got to be frank about that. Shoutout to Satellite OG, shoutout to Berner and Cookies, shout out to Lemonade, shoutout to a few other brands that I’ve smoked great weed from but those hippies in Northern California sure know what the fuck they’re doing.
Illinois as a state is lightyears ahead of the state I’m in, Georgia, and I thought Illinois decriminalizing and making use for recreational use was brilliant. Chicago was dope in terms of the artwork that I got to see there. It was dope in terms of comedy and it was dope in terms of having some fire bud in that motherfucker, I gotta be frank,
Vegas… in my opinion, gambling doesn’t want anything to get too in a way of gambling, some of the restrictions were a little tighter for me, a little more uncomfortable until you got into shops. Once you got into the shops, the people were amazing, the way they educated you about the brands was amazing. But in terms of the laws, you can tell that Vegas is not going to let cannabis and prostitution compete with gambling.
When I was walking back into the casino, I remember one of the doormen, he was a young Black guy, he walked to me and said, “Mike, I’m not tripping on you but I’m gonna tell you sometimes they trip on guys who come in with the Cookies bags and whatnot so next time just put it into your bookbag” and I was like “oh, shit.”
The casinos really don’t want you so high that you can’t leave your room, they need you out there pulling that slot machine.
New York is much more conservative than I thought it would be. I can literally buy weed right on the corner in front of the store where we were eating CBD chocolates. But yet it hasn’t made it inside the store. But they don’t trip about you standing around smoking weed, so I’m not tripping on that, but I’d like for them to get a little more progressive.
SF is just the capital of marijuana in my mind. If you’re not talking Amsterdam, you’re talking Northern California. When I’m in Amsterdam, they ask you for Northern California seeds. So shouts out to Northern Cali because that’s just the best OG Kush in the world.
Paul Tumpson
In the past, you’ve mentioned that BIPOC deserve a considerable share of the marijuana industry for helping to popularize it. Agreed, can you tell us how you envision that specifically?
I would envision it the same way politicians who envision bullshit laws that allow six licenses for a whole state would envision it. If Georgians are made up of 35% Black people, then 35% of the licenses should go to Black people. And those Black people should have to partner because you’ve got the Black bourgeoisie, being from Atlanta I’m gonna tell you, you got Black Republicans, you got Black bourgeoisie, Black circles that want to keep it in there. You should have to partner with someone convicted of a marijuana felony. Now that’s radical, and that’s some American shit because we were started by a group of motherfuckers who didn’t want to pay taxes.
What I would say is you would have to partner with say a group of Black money or capital investors, they would have to partner with a former Kingpin and then I would bring in business mediators and help those people build the industry from the ground up and I would allow those licenses to be free-flowing and not be so constricted that no one else could make it into the market.
Our first Black mayor was a man named Maynard Jackson and Maynard Jackson made it so that if you wanted a city contract with the city of Atlanta, at least 29% of your company had to be black or people of color. So all of a sudden you saw businesses opening up partnerships and opening up subcontractors and things of that nature and it grew a Black working class and middle class and it gave us 60 years of successful mayors, our economy has grown, even through this COVID thing, our economy is great.
I’m only speaking locally because I do my work locally — 35% of these motherfuckers Black? 35% of licenses should be Black! They should have to partner with people convicted of marijuana convictions, and in terms of dispensaries, there damn sure should be an unlimited amount you put out there. You should be able to open up a dispensary with the minimal amount of shelf, you shouldn’t have to have $150,000 liquid and no shit like that you should be able to open up a dispensary if you’re an old lady, you grow your plants and you sell it curbside like a lemonade stand in the summer.
…If you can’t tell I put a little thought into this.
You mentioned some states and they all approach cannabis differently. In your opinion, what state is really doing it right and how can others do it better? Aside from what you just laid out, of course.
I like what Illinois did going straight to recreational — I don’t think they did the hump of a strict medical thing first. I like how Colorado was putting money back into the school systems and improving the school system. I don’t think we have had the best version yet. Because we do not have the right people advising. We need people convicted of marijuana convictions at the table with lawmakers making the law, it should not just be conglomerates and lobbyists or corporations that want to get into medical now.
It should be Black farmers who have been for the last 80 and 100 years cut out of many industries in this country. It should be people who were victims, people you would call Kingpins of bullshit drug laws, many of which our current president helped to instate. It should be those people at the table and it should be common folk, recreational marijuana users helping to shape the laws that are going to go forward. We should not be restrictive like the prohibition was with liquor, we should not only allow four, five, or six licenses and we should not cut and carve regions so that only politicians and their friends, or companies get them, we should make it less restrictive.
We should have less licensing in terms of keeping a tight hold on the money that gets sucked into taxes. We should make it from day one, the time you open your dispensary, the time you get your first dollar for a marijuana sale, you should be able to bank in the United States. You should be able to put that money in a bank, it is a shame that people who run dispensaries have to worry about robbery, have to worry about seizures, have to worry about ATF, and the alphabet boys because they simply cannot bank. So all those I would bring to the table and I would put a particular interest in Black banks like my bank Greenwood, like Citizens Trust Bank, like Carver — I’d put a particular interest in Latino banks because who were the people used to villainize marijuana? Black people and Mexicans.
I’d try to make some restitution by providing opportunity. I’d allow the people to shape the laws on the ground to be everyone from everyday stoners and smokers that go to work to people that have served long, lengthy marijuana sentences for kingpin drug laws. I’d bring people who are already in the industry as outlaws the people who are growing and people going against the government now and choosing to do it in terms of helping the free, I’d make sure the people who’ve been involved in NORML for the last 40 years have a seat at the table and get an opportunity to talk.
It’s time for the people that use marijuana to make the rules for marijuana and not the other way around.
Paul Tumpson
I know you’re a fan of indica strains, I’m just curious, what about indicas appeal to you particularly?
I’m naturally hyper — my mind naturally is moving on 100 different things at 100 miles per hour 100 times a day. And indicas allow me a very dense body high, and even cerebral, that allows me to focus in on one or two things that I need to get done. Even when I go for my walks in the morning or running around the gym, with a indica high by the time I realize I’m in pain the workout is almost over.
Although sativas are credited with being cerebral, I think if you’re a person whose mind moves a lot that indicas are great for you because they put you at calm. When I wake up in the morning and do breathing exercises or yoga or tai chi or whatever the fuck my wife has me doing, it’s cool to take a couple of puffs off one of these [gestures to the lit joint in his hand] and settle myself and not think about the other things that are going on.
And that the grandfather of it all, that OG Kush — I like to smoke it. Curren$y’s a big fan of it. There’s just nothing that’s as mellow and cool. Indicas fulfill the stereotype of marijuana being a thing that puts you in a very cool vibe, you know what I mean? It’s one of the reasons I love it.
And just as my last question, I’m curious– and you kind of alluded to it a little bit just now — if you could take us through your typical smoking ritual.
I get up and roll three of these a day. I wake and bake, I get up and do my walks, or I do the tai chi or yoga stuff. I smoke about a quarter of this and then when I’m done with that, I’ll finish the other three quarters over the process of the next two hours or so. I’ll grab food in the afternoon, I try to wait to eat till about 12 or 1 now. Usually, after I’m done with that one my wife starts moving around, we’ll share one, go have lunch, talk about the day, and do some business.
That will hold me until say about 5 or 6, just do whatever, kick it with the kids. If I have a late meeting or something I hold it and usually I smoke the last one right before I leave wherever I’m going or I’ll sit in the driveway, look at the stars on my truck bed and smoke the other half and that was my three grams for the day.
(@NitaBonitax) 
