Rapper Berner Talks Cannabis Business Ventures, Shares Advice For Entrepreneurs

Rapper Berner's most recent collaborations are with famous, marijuana-loving musicians like Wiz Khalifa, Snoop Dogg and B-Real.

The musician, who has released 10 solo albums in a decade, is as prolific in the business world as he is artistically. 

Berner is often credited with the creation of some of the most popular marijuana strains in the U.S., including Girl Scout Cookies, Gelato and Snowman. Benzinga was interested in his multiple business ventures and dominant entrepreneurial role inn the California cannabis market and asked the rapper to walk us through his canna-businesses. 

Serially Serious

The serial entrepreneur and rapper first brought up his cannabis, accessories and clothing brand Cookies.

“Cookies is internationally known and pretty successful," Berner said. "The genetics we brought changed the game in the cannabis space."

Cookies isn't Berner’s only cannabis brand. He opened a dispensary in California, Cookies Los Angeles, and co-founded Exotics by Berner with his friend Ivan of Jungle Boys.

Exotics is also responsible for other popular strains like Sherbert and PGSC.

“We decided that together we could pretty much run California," Berner said. "Ivan runs one of Southern California’s biggest brands and we run Northern California as one of biggest brands as well. So we created a sub-brand, Exotic; we created a special menu for that company and did licensing deals all around the world with it."

Berner’s third brand is Lemonnade, which produces Lemonnade-strain-based cannabis varieties crossed with other genetics.

Others companies Berner is involved with and invested in: Santa Cruz Shredder, a firm that makes grinders and dabbing accessories, and the G Pen collection from Grenco Science.

‘Beyond Buds’

Berner owns Hemp2O Water, a brand of cannabidiol-infused vitamin water available across the U.S. in stores like Target Corporation TGT and Costco Wholesale Corporation COST.

Three of his other ventures are KoKoNuggz; a YouTube series, Marijuana Mania; and a childproof cannabis storage jars brand, Weed Stash.

“KoKoNugs is just chocolate that looks like weed, but it's just the most amazing chocolate. It’s like a novelty: looks like you got a sack of weed but it's just bomb-ass chocolate," Berner said. 

“I've got so much stuff I can’t even remember them all,” he said. “There’s a couple things going I can't talk about; brand new companies that are kind of popping up.”

Doing It For The Right Reasons

Berner shared some final words for budding entrepreneurs.

You can make some money, but make sure you get it for the right reasons. Make sure you appreciate the plant, make sure you appreciate what the plant’s done for people, make sure you appreciate that it is a medicine and it heals everything from anxiety to mental anguish to all kind of different things," the rapper said. 

"Furthermore, make sure your intentions are pure, and that you ready to put in the time and energy into your business like it deserves. If you are looking for a quick buck, you are probably going to fail.”

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Screenshot courtesy of Berner.