How Jay-Z Is Leading Caliva's Creative Direction, Community Outreach

By Sylvia Muñoz Campo

The number of celebrities entering the $75 billion cannabis industry is growing daily.

You may be familiar with brands paying famous influencers for endorsements to attract attention and bolster sales. What you might not know is that many celebrities entering the cannabis industry are looking for more than just profit.
One of those celebrities is rapper, music producer and philanthropist Shawn Carter (aka Jay-Z).

Carter is the current Chief Brand Strategist for Caliva, and he is expected to lead the brand’s creativity and outreach efforts.

According to Caliva representatives, Carter will influence the brand’s creative direction as well as work to increase the economic participation of citizens returning from incarceration — many of whom, otherwise, would not receive any monetary benefits from cannabis legalization — through advocacy, job training, and overall employee and workforce development.

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"Anything I do, I want to do correctly and at the highest level," Carter said. "We want to create something amazing, have fun in the process, do good and bring people along the way."

San Jose, California-based Caliva was founded in 2015. Since then, it has been touted as one of the most trusted names in cannabis, currently employs more than 600 people.

Last year, it opened its Deli by Caliva dispensary in Bellflower, California, representing its first expansion beyond the Northern California market.

As you may have guessed from the name, the dispensary’s style is inspired by New York’s traditional Delis. Deli has been in development since early 2019, meaning Carter didn't have a hand in the retro retailer, but is expected to bring his ideas to life in 2020. On another note, taking into account that we are dealing with the covid-19 pandemic, Caliva has reported double-digit growth for its delivery business, with record-breaking sales over the past weeks.

We are sure there is more to come in 2020.

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En Español: Jay-Z Lidera la Dirección Creativa y Difusión de Caliva

Photo: everyskyline / CC BY