Professional YouTuber Nordan Shat, most popularly known as FaZe Rain, is partnering with The Parent Company (TPCo) to launch new cannabis brand, RCVRY.
Nordan rose to fame as a trickshotter after joining FaZe Clan, one of the most successful competitive video game teams. His gaming skills quickly made him a YouTube sensation, netting him over a million subscribers by 2014, and over 5 million today. But by 2020, Nordan suddenly moved out of the FaZe Clan mansion and disappeared from the public eye. A few months later, Nordan told his fans that he had been struggling with substance abuse issues, which eventually led to a serious illness.
Doctors diagnosed Nordan with CRPS, a rare form of neuropathy that causes extreme chronic pain in one arm or leg. This poorly-understood disorder often develops after an injury or a stroke, and can cause constant burning or throbbing pain, joint stiffness, muscle spasms, and swelling. In Nordan’s case, the pain was so extreme that he suffered dozens of seizures a day and was confined to a wheelchair.
“When I was doing other substances, I just randomly woke up one day and my leg didn’t work, essentially,” Nordan told MERRY JANE. “I had a nerve problem and I was in a wheelchair for two years… I just got out of it a couple months ago and I’m just recovering from all that.”
The long road to recovery helped inspire Nordan to create a cannabis brand that might help people who are struggling with similar issues. “Weed has always felt to me like the cleaner alternative out of any substance available, even with alcohol,” he explained. “No matter what it is, I believe weed is the best substance you can take. Out of all the vices people get into I think it’s by far the cleanest, and what it does for people’s minds is truly beneficial for a lot of people, including myself.”
(Courtesy of RCVRY)
Nordan now describes himself as “Cali sober,” a popular term dating back to the aughts referring to people who quit using addictive drugs, but still smoke bud and (sometimes) consume other plant medicines. Cannabis “influenced my life in a positive way,” he said, adding that it helped him “keep [his] mental composure” throughout his recovery. These days, he smokes blunts “pretty much exclusively… A blunt is a great way to unwind and just relax, feel the vibe. Even if I won’t feel that high, I still will feel that mental clarity and relaxation.”
RCVRY’s first product, Rainz Runtz, is an indica-dominant hybrid strain coming in at 28% THC. Nordan personally selected this strain to launch with because it’s one of his all-time favorites. “Instead of just trying to go for a mass-produced product in terms of just getting profit margins, we really do wanna have the best option of flavors and quality,” he told MERRY JANE. “We really just want the best possible cannabis and the cleanest possible cannabis. So that’s what we’re hyper focused on: Creating great quality product for the brand rather than just… trying to sell mass-produced bullshit weed.”
To roll out the new brand, RCVRY is partnering with The Parent Company, a vertically-integrated cannabis company that famously collaborated with Jay-Z on his Monogram brand.
“We ended up having a great relationship with Bryan [Smothers, Strategic Partnerships director for TPCo] and we always felt like he understood what we were trying to build with the brand,” Nordan said. “He wasn’t all too corporate, was nothing weird like that, so we had a great experience with him. And that’s why we are working with The Parent Company and all their locations.”
Nordan isn’t the only one stoked for the launch. The team at TPCo is also thrilled about this collaboration. “We are thrilled to partner with Nordan Shat, aka FaZe Rain, and the RCVRY team, who share our passion for the plant,” said Troy Datcher, Chief Executive Officer of The Parent Company. “FaZe Rain brings an immense audience, and our collaboration represents a prime opportunity to unlock the synergy between gaming and cannabis communities. My priority continues to be optimizing our portfolio of high-quality, authentic brands, and our partnership with RCVRY is another strong addition to our roster.”
To celebrate the new product drop, RCVRY will be hosting a launch party at Calma West Hollywood this Saturday from 1-4 pm. Nordan will be onsite all afternoon hosting a meet-and-greet and taking on the role of a budtender. Rainz Runtz will be exclusively be available at Calma.
“We do care more about the community and the customers rather than just profit margins,” Nordan said. “We want to make people experience and feel something when buying this product, when being a part of the RCVRY community. That’s our main goal and that’s all we care about.”
Early access opens on September 12. The first 33 entrants will receive guaranteed access to RCVRY’s launch products, limited-edition swag, and VIP privileges at RCVRY’s upcoming activation.
**This was created in partnership with TPCo
