If you pay attention to pop culture, it seems like lately, almost every celebrity has their hands in the cannabis industry. From investing in cannabis technology to releasing their own branded strains, there are enough celebrities involved in the cannabis industry to fill an encyclopedia. In Part 1 of this series, we wrote about six celebrities with ties to the canna industry, and in this blog, we’ll turn our sights to the music industry. Without further ado, here are seven musicians with ties to the cannabis industry.
Berner
If you’ve attended one of CULTA’s famous Cookies drops, you’re already familiar with the man behind the brand: Gilbert Milam AKA Berner. Berner formed Cookies with Jai in 2012, but he was a prolific rapper and songwriter in the years leading up to Cookies. As of 2021, he’s released 18 solo albums, several of which have charted on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. As an entrepreneur, he’s credited with founding multiple companies, including Cookies and Vibes Papers, and he occasionally travels to Baltimore, Maryland, for official CULTA x Cookies events. Learn more about Berner in this interview.
Run the Jewels
In 2020, rap duo Run the Jewels collaborated with Lemonnade (the sister brand of Cookies) to release their own cannabis strain called Ooh La La. Named after a song from their fourth studio album, the line of products included pre-rolls, vapes, extracts, and blunts that were available at Cookies dispensaries throughout California. Their collaboration with Cookies may have been highly publicized, but they’re far from being the only musicians to try their hand at producing cannabis strains -- they join the likes of Wiz Khalifa, Method Man, Ice Cube, and Jay-Z, among others.
Willie Nelson
Years before cannabis became legal, Nelson spoke openly about the economic potential of cannabis. In 2015 he founded Willie’s Reserve, one of the first celebrity-sponsored cannabis production companies. In an effort to bring personalization to Willie’s Reserve cannabis, his website users have the option to explore the farms and meet the farmers behind his company’s products. As a vocal cannabis advocate, he’s an honorary NORML advisory member and regularly donates proceeds from his products and concerts to The Last Prisoner Project.
Travis Barker
In February 2021, Travis Barker added lifestyle entrepreneur to his resume with the launch of Barker Wellness. Barker Wellness is a line of CBD products intended to help users find some R&R. The CBD line focuses on three main areas (sleep, maintenance, and recovery) and includes tinctures, a pain relief cream, and on-the-go “snap packets” that can be used on their own or together. According to Barker, he started using CBD after his grueling tour schedule with Blink-182 began to take a toll on his body. He “tried everything from cryotherapy to massage therapy, but CBD was like the best kind of result.”
Wiz Khalifa
If you listen to Wiz Khalifa’s music, it’s not hard to tell that cannabis is an integral part of his life. Named KK (no, not after Kim Kardashian as Kanye West once thought), his cannabis strain was first released to the public in 2016. At that time, it was only available at a single chain of dispensaries in the Southwestern US. Since then, he’s partnered with Gage Growth Corp. to develop and launch a line of premium cannabis products in the state of Michigan. Currently, his cannabis line includes flower, pre-rolls, edibles, and concentrates.
Marley Family
Although the launch of Marley Natural was shrouded in a cloud of controversy, it was developed by his estate and is touted as being the official cannabis brand of Bob Marley. Marley Natural was launched in 2016 (on what would have been Bob Marley’s 71st birthday) and offers three categories of cannabis products: cannabis (flower, pre-rolls, cartridges), body care products, and lifestyle accessories. The company has a social impact program that supports philanthropic groups in the US and Jamaica. You can learn more about their philanthropic program here.
Lil' Kim
Lil’ Kim is one of the most recent celebrities to enter the cannabis space but, as of the writing of this article, the details are also pretty hush-hush. We know that she partnered with a California cannabis brand (superbad inc.) and a tech platform (CampNova), and initial press around the partnership hinted that it’d include promoting products through video and audio efforts. CampNova is a tech e-commerce platform that is “socializing the process of ordering”, and the platform offers customers access to in-demand products through tiered membership. More details will be released in the future.
Revolutionizing the cannabis industry
We may not be as internationally famous as Travis Barker or Lil’ Kim, at least not yet, but we’re dedicated to revolutionizing the medical cannabis industry in Maryland. Since our inception, we’ve launched an apparel line, started the state’s first cannabis tissue culture program, increased the footprint of our outdoor grow facility in Cambridge, and we’ve been named one of the best dispensaries in Maryland. All in a few short years! Excited for what the next six years has in store for CULTA? We are too!
