Eric Metaxas, a Christian author and radio host, faced severe trolling on Twitter this week. A few days ago, he took to the social media platform to recount an awkward encounter he had experienced. According to his story, he was jogging through Central Park when he spotted four minors smoking weed. Without hesitation, he yelled out to them, “Smells like failure!” However, his self-congratulatory and embarrassing story did not go well with Twitter users, who criticized him for his alleged racism.
As he claimed the incident occurred in the mostly Black neighborhood of Harlem, some people believed that Metaxas’ actions stemmed from bigotry. Following the incident, Justice reform activists, social commentators, and others participated in the roast session and hurled many insults such as “nerd,” “narc,” and “total tool” at Metaxas. Despite the backlash, Metaxas has yet to respond to the trolling directly. However, he did share a link to a Telegraph article that explored the alleged connection between weed use and schizophrenia.
Changing The Conversation Around Weed
Today on my run up through Central Park in Harlem I saw four teenagers smoking weed. As I passed them I shouted in a firm but friendly voice: “Smells like failure!” and kept going. I said it as an act of love, honestly. I hope that at some point one of them might think about it.
Late last year, President Joe Biden announced his plan to pardon all federal marijuana offenses. This was a huge step in the right direction for the US. The government has long been criticized for criminalizing weed to the extent that it has. “No one should be in jail just for using or possessing marijuana,” Biden said at the time. Many people praised the move, but Eric Metaxas obviously disagreed. Moreover, the Biden administration went as far as to acknowledge the disparate rates at which black and brown individuals are affected by the criminalization of marijuana.
“Criminal records for marijuana possession have led to needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. And that’s before you address the racial disparities around who suffers the consequences,” the president said in the announcement. “While white and Black and brown people use marijuana at similar rates, Black and brown people are arrested, prosecuted, and convicted at disproportionate rates.” Again, while this is a step in the right direction, the conversation around weed clearly hasn’t changed for many. Like Metaxas, many others still see marijuana as something dangerous that should be illegal. What do you think of the tweet? Let us know in the comments below.
Currently, 22 states have legalized weed, while a further nine have decriminalized it. This includes Curren$y’s home state of Louisiana, where it was decriminalized in 2021. However, Louisiana does not allow the home growth of weed for personal use. Furthermore, Curren$y’s love of that sticky green has led to a hilarious moment at a local show.
Curren$y shared a the reel of an attendee at a recent concert. The man can be shown throwing bags of weed onto the stage, which Curren$y accepts gratefully. In the caption of the post, the rapper reveals that “The homie threw a zip errrtime a dropped one of the records he really wanted to hear haha almost left with a pound haha”. More recently, he has posted an image of him enjoying a joint backstage. It’s unknown that photo features him lighting up his concert gift.
Apparently, it quickly became a trend among the audience, with a number of audience members also showering the performer in that good good. As Curren$y notes, he left the concert with almost a pound of weed to his name. For a man who had fought for marijuana as long and hard as he has, that’s a big payday. Curren$y is due to begin a small tour in early May. According to a post on his Instagram, he will hit up Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Maybe leaving Curren$y a leafy gift will become a custom at his concerts going forwards. The clip also comes days after 4/20, the annual celebration of all things weed. What do you think about Curren$y’s concert gift? Would you give up your weed for your favorite rapper? Be sure to check back at HotNewHipHop for all things hip hop related.
It doesn’t matter how good your 4/20 was because Rick Ross had a better one. In celebration of the day, the rapper received a pretty insane amount of jewelry from his cannabis partner, High Tolerance. They apparently have him $130,000 worth of jewelry as a gift. In a video shared by TMZ on April 25th, Manny, the CEO of High Tolerance, presented Ross with a ring, chain, and pendant. They acted as a costly token of appreciation. The chain boasts more than 19 carats of diamonds and is worth $40,000. The pendant is made of 14k rose gold and has a value of over $30,000. The ring, worth $60,000, contains over 22 carats of VS1 and f-colored diamonds, as well as 14k gold.
In March, Rick Ross formed a partnership with High Tolerance to create a cannabis strain called “Collins Ave.” The new strain is expected to be released on June 1. Ross expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating that High Tolerance has the finest flower on the market. He also credited Manny, the CEO of High Tolerance, for his exceptional products. Manny, for his part, praised Rick Ross as a genuine cannabis expert. The company has partnered with many other celebrities in the past, including Jadakiss, Jim Jones, Ghostface Killah, Juelz Santana, and more. This is not the first foray into cannabis businesses for Ross, however.
Rick Ross’ Various Weed Ventures
Rick Ross has a history of using the name of his old Miami neighborhood for his weed business. In 2020, he collaborated with Berner’s Cookies cannabis brand to create “Collins Ave,” a line that included three carefully chosen strains: Collins Ave, Pink Rozay, and Lemon Pepper. At the time, he expressed his desire to establish himself as a leader in the cannabis industry and provide a high-quality product to consumers, particularly in the southern United States. Ross commended Berner and Cookies as the best in the business and voiced his admiration for their product.
Additionally, Rick Ross established his own cannabis-themed company in 2021. The rapper started the hemp company to focus on the promotion of the health benefits of the plant to smokers. “I truly believe in the health benefits of Hemp derived products,” said Ross. “Having had my own health scares, and through my healing process, I decided I would develop a line of smokables to help others with the benefits of Hemp cannabinoids.” What do you think of Rick Ross new partnership with High Tolerance? Let us know in the comment section!
The YSL RICO case has had no shortage of shocking developments and wild occurrences as of late. Moreover, outlets previously reported news of a huge scuffle happening somewhere in the court house during a hearing. In fact, it was such a loud exchange that even those in the courtroom were able to hear it. Now, we have an explanation for that, as footage recently released of a YSL codefendant getting strip searched. Not only that, but officials found marijuana sewn into Rodalius Ryan’s underwear after they smelled weed on him.
Furthermore, the body cam footage came from Michael Seidel of WSB-TV and reveals the whole exchange. While Ryan maintained that the smell was nothing, police pleaded with him to come clean, as they didn’t want to have to search him. Nevertheless, they eventually attempted to handcuff him and he began to scream, which is what the courtroom heard. After eventually stripping him down and searching his belongings, they found weed sewn into his undergarments and kept Ryan detained. While this is an ugly and disheartening development, other updates point to some codefendants potentially seeing partial freedom.
YSL Defendant Stripped, Weed Found In His Underwear
To elaborate, Miles Farley recently was granted bond after his lawyer Anastasios Manettas was arrested in court for carrying prescription drugs on his person. Moreover, he saw prompt release on bond and his legal colleagues expect all charges against him to be dropped. However, it certainly didn’t paint the defendants in a better light, especially after multiple instances of attempted smuggling of contraband. In addition, it also speaks to increasing tensions and distrust between the parties that, however legitimate, just makes for more antagonistic views on the matter.
Meanwhile, another YSL codefendant recently was ordered to undergo a mental evaluation after he claimed that Donald Trump and Joe Biden were giving him legal advice. Not only that, but lawyers are pushing for his case to be tried separately so as to avoid further delays in the indictment-wide trial. Another aspect that has delayed the process significantly is jury selection, which hasn’t received many recent updates. On that note, stick around on HNHH for the latest news and updates on the YSL RICO case.
Mike Tyson discussed the NBA’s decision to remove marijuana from the banned substances list during an interview with TMZ Sports published on Sunday. He told the outlet that he supports the decision and wants athletes to use his cannabis business, Tyson 2.0.
“Well listen, I would prefer them to use my product cause my product is the best product in the world” the legendary boxer stated in the interview. “I’m not tooting my own horn — it just is. Look at the write-ups from people that have tried it.” Tyson even recommended the strain, Sour Diesel. “If you want to go down and do some indica, you do some OG Kush,” he said. “If you wanna stay up and enjoy the world, you do the stuff I always smoke, Sour Diesel. It keeps me thinking.”
Mike Tyson At UFC 287
MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 08: Mike Tyson is seen in attendance during the UFC 287 event at Kaseya Center on April 08, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Tyson also just recently opened his first Coffeeshop TYSON 2.0 in Amsterdam with his friend and CEO Adam Wilks. “It’s a real full Tyson 2.0 experience,” Wilks told TMZ. “You can buy cannabis, baked goods, ear-shaped cookies, and brownies. You can buy pre-rolled joints … all different Tyson 2.0 cannabis products that you can experience in-house at our café.” Wilks also said there are “open discussions to be had,” when asked about Tyson 2.0 partnering with the NBA.
The NBA removed Cannibas officially from the banned substances list through their new collective bargaining agreement with the National Basketball Players Association. The league had previously temporarily stopped testing for marijuana during the 2019-20 season. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver explained at the time: “We decided that, given all the things that were happening in society, given all the pressures and stress that players were under, that we didn’t need to act as Big Brother right now. I think society’s views around marijuana has changed to a certain extent.” Check out Mike Tyson’s comments on the NBA’s new CBA with TMZSports below.
Mike Tyson Calls On NBA Players To Use His Cannabis Company
Benzino says that he once tried to prevent his daughter, Coi Leray, from smoking weed as a teenager. Appearing on an upcoming episode of The G.O.A.T.s and Underdogs Podcast, the former Source editor recalled the first time Leray tried to smoke.
“She’s about 15, 16, essentially,” he began in a preview clip of the episode. “And she’s smoking — I’m like, damn, I don’t want her to smoke. So it’s like, man, I don’t wanna be the bad guy.” When co-host Tamira Smith asked what age Benzino started smoking, he admitted he was 13 years old. “But you want your kids to be better than you!” Ray Daniels said. “You’re right,” Benzino responded. “It’s called necessary hypocrisy.”
Coi Leray At Rolling Loud
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JULY 24: Coi Leray performs onstage during day 2 at Rolling Loud Miami 2021 at Hard Rock Stadium on July 24, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images)
Leray and Benzino have been at odds in public many times over the years. In 2021, Leray admitted that she was “ashamed” to be her father’s daughter. In response, he slammed his daughter in a since-deleted Instagram post. “I been posting and supporting, so idk where all this bs is coming from. That line in her song is [cap] my name and rep is very important to me and nobody is gonna tarnish that for story line u dig? I still love u very much coileray but this gotta stop,” Benzino wrote.
Leray fired back at the time, says she’s “embarrassed” by Benzino. “And this is why I NEVER WANTED ANYBODY TO KNOW!!!” she wrote in a since-deleted tweet of her own. “I’M EMBARRASSED TO BE YOUR DAUGHTER. I should have been a boy your right cause I would have knocked you the fuck out already. NUMB TO THE PAIN!! I’m hurting right now but it’s all good. Ima be the one to PUT US RIGHT BACK IN THAT MANSION.” In the time since, the two have also traded shots over Leray expressing her support for Eminem. The Detroit rapper and Benzino have famously had beef over the years.
Wiz Khalifa almost knocked Mike Tyson out while trying to show him how to do “kush-ups.” For those unaware of the endurance test, a kush-up consists of taking ten quicks puffs from a joint (blunt, pen, or whatever smokable you prefer) without blowing the smoke out. Moreover, Wiz tried to show Tyson the technique on the latter’s Hotboxin’podcast. When the boxer tried to do one, he only got to two puffs before coughing. “Do ten puffs but don’t exhale,” the Taylor Gang leader explained. “1,2, 3, and you don’t blow the smoke out.
“That was two, that was two,” he acknowledged after Mike started coughing uncontrollably. “So we’ll work on the kush-ups,” Wiz Khalifa remarked with the patience of a coach. “Yes, thank you,” the 56-year-old replied while trying to catch his breath. “Oh god, help me,” he exclaimed. At least the two seemed to have fun together and enjoyed the devil’s lettuce with much more ease and enjoyability than a kush-up. Throughout their conversation, Tyson was able to finish his L with no further hiccups. In the comments section of Wiz’s post with a clip of the interaction, he lightly teased his colleague.
“SMOKIN WIT CHAMP,” Wiz Khalifa captioned in all caps. Also, he added “Somebody come help my boy for real” in a comment. During their interview, they spoke about a lot of cannabis-related topics, including whether legalization would occur in all U.S. states and territories. Currently, marijuana is recreationally legal in 21 states, plus the District of Columbia. Conversely, 37 states allow for medical use of the drug. Of course, this isn’t the first time that Wiz and Tyson linked up to smoke together.
However, there’s only one person who’s seemingly able to out-smoke the Kush & Orange Juice MC, and that’s unsurprisingly Snoop Dogg. The two had a bit of a competition on stage, and though people argued that the order of their trade-offs was against WIz’s favor, he ultimately tapped out first. Given that all names involved are heavy advocates for marijuana, it’s still quite the achievement. Regardless, check out the full Hotboxin’ episode below come back to HNHH for the latest news and updates on Mike Tyson and Wiz Khalifa.
You’re on a plane and look over your left shoulder at the pilot. He’s passed out. His last words are, “Now we ready to roll.” Next thing you know, you’re in a car smoking a joint, and he miraculously comes back to life. This time saying, he’s “rolling joints bigger than King Kong’s fingers.” You, now higher than a giraffe’s neck, call your girl cause you “boutta catch another flight.” She shows up with a bottle of Belaire Rose. To your surprise, flight “444” has two first-class seats available. You jet off to the Islands. Rosé is pouring, and lollipop edibles are being passed. The vibes are strong. You hear voices in the distance, they’re calling you closer. Suddenly a bell rings, and your dream comes to an end. It’s the morning, and it’s time to smoke.
Leafs by Snoop
To no surprise, our first heavy weight on the THC rapper strain list is Uncle Snoop himself with his cannabis line, Leafs by Snoop, which was released in 2015. At the time, Snoop was the only rapper to have a strain in the public eye, as weed was not legal or decriminalized in most states. Leafs by Snoop originated in Denver and consists of eight flower strains, concentrates, and edibles. Indica dominants included Northern Lights and Bananas, while sativa dominants were named Lemon Pie and Tangerine Man. When speaking on his success at his launch party, Snoop proudly said, “Leafs By Snoop is truly the first mainstream cannabis brand in the world and proud to be a pioneer,” and “LBS is blazing a trail for the industry.”
Method Man’s ‘TICAL’ Brand Aims to Raise THC Awareness
Next is the How High actor and Wu-Tang Clan rapper Method Man, with his cannabis line, TICAL. The name translates into “taking into consideration all lives.” His line provides three epic strains like Sweet Grease, Free MAC, and Orange Cookie Kush Flower. It has a mission to raise awareness of the long-lasting unethical imbalance in the criminal justice side of marijuana. Meth further aims to show that the justice system is unfair regarding laws against those who consume, carry, or sell weed.
Wiz Khalifa Launches ‘Khalifa Kush’
NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT – SEPTEMBER 11: Wiz Khalifa performs onstage on the main stage. headlining day 4 of Bestival 2016 at Robin Hill Country Park on September 11, 2016. in Newport, Isle of Wight. (Photo by Ollie Millington/Redferns)
The “Young Wild and Free” rapper Wiz Khalifa is next on our list with his line, Khalifa Kush. Here is where you’ll find all the right tokes with his original strains Khalifa Mints and KK, which will likely have you higher than God himself. Khalifa can usually be seen chilling in his element with one rolled up. It’s inevitable that these cheeches will have you hanging from the trees like a baby koala bear. “Yeah, roll one, smoke one / When you live like this, you’re supposed to party,” says Wiz Khalifa on “Young, Wild, & Free” with Snoop Dogg and Bruno Mars.
The “Blick Blick” Queen Coi Leray is also a standout on our rapper cannabis list. Her strain, Pink Zushi, was released in 2022 in collaboration with one of the most expensive eighths, The Ten Co. The Cookies strain is a cross between Gelato and Zkittlez. It is a light toke that will have you dancing through the night or laid up all cuddly in a smoke-filled cloud.
Ricky “Rozay” Ross the boss is next. Partnering with cannabis line Cookies, Ross meticulously created his THC brand, COLLINS AVE, around his personal profile with strains Pink Rozay and Lemon Pepper. The Teflon Don spoke on his line, saying, “I want to be a force within the cannabis industry and bring a superior quality product to the masses, particularly my people in the South.” Ross’ elite brand will also likely have you lifted, pouring champagne all over yourself like you just won a championship ring. That is until you realize you’re just on the couch vibin’ to “Aston Martin Music,” and really, what’s better than that?
Jay-Z’s ‘Monogram’ Brand Will Have You in An Empire State of Mind
Jay-Z, the founder of Roc Nation, launched his own cannabis line, Monogram. The mission is to mark a new chapter in the cannabis industry, defined by “dignity, care, and consistency.” Further, with a goal to “bring you the best,” Monogram will have you in an “Empire State of Mind” with its light, medium, and heavy strains. Named after significant years in Hov’s life, you’ll find strains called 01, 70, 88, and 96. Described as a “heady high that releases your mind,” next time you’re in the Stuy, light one up and enter the zone of eliteness; you’ll be glad you did.
Weezy’s ‘GKUA’ Strains Have Highest Natural THC Levels
Lil Wayne is next with the dank. His THC line, GKUA, is a premium buzz that will likely have you high for hours—maybe days. Wayne also offers a multitude of classics along with originals created by the rapper himself. You’ll find strains like Big Purp, Slime, Hollygrove, and G.O.A.T. This line combines the highest natural levels of THC. Upon making and testing his products, Wayne said, “I used to just want to get high. Now I smoke to get inspired.” He added, “With GKUA, I’m sharing a feeling that I love.” That said, if you consider yourself a cannabis connoisseur, GKUA seems like the right line of strains to choose from.
Dim the lights because ”It’s A Vibe” with rapper 2 Chainz’s line of Gas Cannabis Co. Teaming with Green Street Agency to bring forth a high that is affordable and luxurious, this line is full of gas. With his three exclusive lines, including Octane 87, Octane 89, and Octane 93, 2 Chainz wanted to allow consumers to afford his product. However, the expense increases as the gas gets headier. Described with the ability to “keep your engine running smoothly,” these strains have deep aromas and a heavy hit. They’ll also certainly have you in a cloud of smoke reminiscing on the first time you ever tried THC.
Quavo’s Premium ‘Birkin’ Line
The adlib King, Quavo, is next on our rapper cannabis list. His exclusive line, Birkins, is named after the bag that every woman wants. It’s expensive, it’s smooth, and it’s luxurious, just like this premium smoke. When asked about his strain, Quavo said, “We got tired of buying the girls Birkins, so we started smoking it, that’s all.” Next time you’re in the “Hotel Lobby” before hitting the club, get lifted with Quavo’s high-end strain. It’ll 100 percent have you feeling right.
Sean “Diddy” Combs Makes $185M THC Licensing Deal
Diddy Combs has also stepped up to become a licensed operator and seller of marijuana with a $185 million deal. With hopes to increase awareness of the injustices In the marijuana Industry, Combs said, “How do you lock up communities of people, break down their family structure, their futures, and then legalize it and make sure that those same people don’t get a chance to benefit or resurrect their lives from it?” Further, there are many cannabis connoisseurs across the rap industry. Artists like the late Nipsey Hussle offers an Indica-dominant Marathon OG. Others like Ice Cube, Jim Jones, Tee Grizzley, YG, Kurput, Xzibit, Ty Dolla $ign, and Juicy J also have their line of strains.
STATES ACT Works to Legalize Weed State-by-State
Though growing in legality, only 21 out of 50 states allow the selling, usage, and carrying of marijuana. The decriminalization of weed varies its law in each state and allows you to carry various amounts without being charged for a class B felony. Currently, thousands of men and women are in prison for marijuana-related crimes. In 2020, it was estimated that 99 people per month were being incarcerated for dealings as such.
With the marijuana reform of the Tenth Amendment regarding drugs, the STATES ACT works to legalize weed from votes within each state. This is why not all states are legalized, as everywhere in the U.S. has not agreed, yet, to make the use of weed legal. However, with the awareness from artists and their release of premium strains, many people are not only being released from prison.
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