Hip-hop and cannabis have had a love-hate relationship for decades now. And while some of the most successful rappers in the genre have crafted their careers around a love for the kind bud, others have been thrown in jail or kicked out of countries just for smoking some sticky.
With Rich Homie Quan’s felony cannabis possession arrest still fresh in everyone’s mind, Hip-Hop DX took a deeper look at the rap game’s place in America’s burgeoning marijuana market.
In addition to Quan’s case, the segment highlights 2 Chainz’ cannabis activism and Snoop’s move into media. To find out more, DX interviewed MERRY JANE's Associate Director of Marketing, Maya Cooper, who discussed hip-hop’s cannabis obsession and the future of legalization.
“I think hip-hop has always embraced cannabis from a creativity standpoint, and I think it’s important that hip hop artists that are in the spotlight show the positive effects of cannabis, from a business standpoint, creativity of course, and even health and wellness.” Cooper said.
While Quan faces 30 years in prison for his bud, artists like Snoop and the Wu-Tang Clan have turned rap game success into legal weed businesses at the heart of the emerging industry. You’ll be hard-pressed to find any other facet of pop culture more dedicated to every aspect of cannabis culture.
To check out the whole report on hip-hop’s influence on cannabis, and vise-versa, watch the entire video above.