Cannabis and the Music Industry

The legalization of cannabis is spreading across the country — recently, New York, Virginia and New Mexico have all passed marijuana reform bills. Currently, 17 states plus D.C. have legalized cannabis for adult use. As cannabis becomes more mainstream, more poeple are embracing getting high as an alternative to opioids. Interestingly, a recent study published in the medical review journal, Frontiers in Neurology, showed that painkillers were 90% more effective when combined with music than when painkillers were taken alone. And we wouldn’t be surprised if the same could be said for the combination of cannabis and music.

While cannabis has (unfortunately) not been adequately researched for its potential pain-relieving benefits, it has always paired well with music. You might say cannabis and music go together like bread and butter. And as legalization continues we expect to see more musicians making moves in the cannabis industry and more musicians that own cannabis brands. Did you know these famous musicians invest in and operate cannabis brands?

Snoop Dogg

Snoop is Tha Doggfather of rap, known for his 16 solo albums, numerous collaborations, undeniable street cred and love of the chronic. He has also been a notable figure in parlaying marijuana into a budding industry. In 2016, Canopy Growth, a Canadian mega-cannabis conglomerate, brought on the rapper’s Leafs by Snoop brand. Since then, five other celebs have joined Snoop under the Canopy umbrella — most recently, Snoop’s friend and lifestyle guru, Martha Stewart.

Last year, Snoop’s venture capital raised $45 million to invest in cannabis businesses. He is truly a figure that has and will continue to make moves both in cannabis and beats.

Sublime

Punk-reggae band Sublime has recently partnered with The Healing Plant on a line of band-branded marijuana products, which are anticipated to launch in California this summer, Forbes reports. 

The Sublime cannabis brand will see a controlled launch at select dispensaries in the band’s southern California home ground, including Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange Country, San Diego and the Inland Empire. The announcement of this cannabis company is already exciting long-time reggae fans who will undoubtedly be hit with a blast from the past when they enjoy the Sublime cannabis and music combo.

Jay-Z

In July 2019, Jay-Z (Sean Carter) began working with a California cannabis licensee Caliva. Last fall, Mr. Carter worked as Chief Advisory Officer at The Parent Company. He dropped a luxury marijuana line of flower, pre-rolls and a 1.5 ‘OG Handroll’ under his newly formed brand Monogram.

Leafly even reports that the flower “earns the title of luxury, and you pay for it.” An ad campaign for Monogram is currently taking over billboards in Los Angels with sun-soaked images of beautiful people puffing poolside in Palm Springs.

Wiz Kalifa

This famous rapped created the brand Khalifa Kush, which is inspired by the artist’s taste for a phenotype of OG Kush, the genetic backbone for many potent West Coast cannabis strains. Wiz told Fader, “When I smoked it, I was like, ‘this is my Kush.” He first kept the flower for his private stash for years before bringing it to market in Colorado back in 2016.

Now, a full line of Khalifia Kush products includes flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles and concentrates available at Reef Dispensaries, which also has stores in Nevada and Arizona. The company motto is: “Smoke better weed.”

The Marley Family

If Snoop is Tha Doggfather, then the Marleys are the royal family and the legendary reggae musician and family patriarch Bob Marley is the king. And several of his 11 children are now cannabis entrepreneurs and industry professionals.

The youngest son, Damien Marley, is a musician and co-owner of Rolling Stone magazine with investors. Bob’s daughter, Cedella, has written a cannabis cookbook and is CEO at Marley Natural, the family’s cannabis brand. Another of Marley’s sons, Stephen, has curated Miami-based Kaya Fest, celebrating reggae cannabis and natural living. This is also where the family unites to play on the main stage.

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson became a cannabis icon just by being himself. One reward that comes with longevity is that you live to prove you were right about some things — Nelson is the elder statesman of being chill. Musician, singer/songwriter, actor, entrepreneur and activist, Nelson has been a longtime cannabis fan and supporter as co-chair of NORML’s advisory board.

His cannabis ventures include Willie’s Reserve, his curated cannabis product brand, and Willie’s Remedy, a CBD-infused whole bean coffee blend.

CannaCon Connecting Music and Cannabis Across the Country

Are you ready to grow your cannabis business alongside musicians that own cannabis brands in this fast-growing industry? CannaCon is the nation’s leading business-to-business cannabis conference. The trade shows feature a large exhibition hall with exhibitors from around the world and seminars delivered by cannabis experts. Grow the industry with us!