In an age where cannabis entrepreneurship is at its peak, rapper Wiz Khalifa firmly states he doesn't need a professional joint roller. Yes, you heard it right. Unlike his fellow artist Snoop Dogg, who employs a full-time professional blunt roller (P.B.R) earning a yearly wage of around $40,000-$50,000 (which, according to a recent tweet from Snoop, has seen a rise due to U.S inflation), Wiz prefers to roll his own.
"I’ll never hire a weed roller cause no one rolls better than me," he said in a recent Instagram post.
Wiz, who needs no introduction, is no stranger to cannabis culture, much like his music. The multi-platinum-selling artist's association with the herb is almost as famous as his chart-busting songs. But his love for marijuana transcends recreational use. His ventures within the booming cannabis industry have not just turned heads but also turned hefty profits. It's almost a metaphor for his artistic career: Wiz Khalifa, always at the intersection of music and marijuana.
Early in his career, Wiz vocally supported the use of cannabis, intertwining it with his music in albums like "Rolling Papers," "Young Wild & Free," "Medicated" and “Kush & Orange Juice." Through this, he slowly but surely shifted public perception of cannabis, paving the way for the cultural acceptance and decriminalization we see today.
See also: Snoop Dogg Microwaves His Blunts Before Smoking And For Good Reason, Here's Why
In a 2010 MTV interview, Wiz admitted, "I thought weed was bad for a minute." He went on to add, "When I was younger, I thought it was bad, but I got to a point where it worked for me... Definitely, legalize it. Please, everybody needs it. The world would be a better place.”
Indeed, Wiz Khalifa's predictions have largely come true. Not only has cannabis been legalized in many places, but the industry has also created the jobs he wished for.
By 2014, Wiz decided to invest in the growing industry, partnering with RAW, a leading rolling paper brand. He launched an entire line of rolling products, stating, "I'm really excited to have my own line of papers with Raw. I've been using the product for years, and it only felt right to make this happen with them."
In 2015, he took it a step further by founding Khalifa Kush, his strain brand based on a rare phenotype of the OG Kush, now available on the market through two main associations.
However, Wiz's advocacy has not been without controversy. Earlier this month, while throwing the first pitch at a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game, the rapper caused a stir with pre-game tweets hinting he was under the influence of not just cannabis, but also psychedelic mushrooms. The event echoed a similar incident in 2017 when Wiz wore a T-shirt that read "Legalize It" at a baseball game, stirring controversy.
Yet, in the face of it all, Wiz remains unapologetic and firm in his beliefs and practices. As for his recent Instagram post, "I’ll never hire a weed roller cause no one rolls better than me," one could say it cements his unique relationship with cannabis - personal, hands-on, and rolled just right.
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