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In the late ’70s and early ’80s, some devout Californians were cross breeding native varietals of cannabis from all around the world to produce what we know as weed today. And at the same time, some unstoppable New Yorkers were turning break dancing, graffiti, DJing, and rapping into what we now know as hip-hop. The pairing of cannabis and hip-hop is undoubtedly the work of some divine matchmaker. So, here are a few albums paired with some strains, intended to amplify your experience and highlight the star-crossed love of weed and rap.
Dreams Worth More Than Money: ACDC
You gotta hand it to Meek Mill. This guy is a hard worker, and he’s bounced back from serious losses. He recently went to jail, his close friend Lil Snupe was murdered, and through it all he recently released what is probably the best album of his career. Alas, bright times seem brief for the young Philadelphian as his attempt to beef with Drake backfired, and basically left Meek in a tattered pile of wounded man. But thankfully, there’s a strain for that: ACDC. A rare and coveted CBD-rich varietal, it is guaranteed to wash away whatever ails you. Dudes like Matt Rize are currently using this stuff in high-quality concentrates. It’s giving people with debilitating ailments, from cancer to seizures and genetic disorders, a chance to live without their sickness dictating their lives. So, if there’s anything out there that could save your experience of Dreams Worth More Than Money from the pain of this beef, it’s ACDC.
If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late: Tangie
It’s no secret that IYRTITL isn’t even Drake’s proper album for the year. It was a pre-album teaser, and still, it’s yielded a wealth of songs with staying power, and has had people emulating the Jim Joe cover, ad nauseam. And if that wasn’t enough, the young Canadian has ethered Meek Mill to the point that people are posting eulogies and sermons about him online. And so, it’s no surprise that this album should pair perfectly with Tangie. It’s a sativa-dominant strain from Dutch breeders DNA Genetics that will have you running through cities, states, and continents with your woes before you know it. And if that’s not enough, this strain has been topping the list of connoisseurs' personal favorites, and winning all kinds of cannabis cup distinctions such as Gold Coast Extractions’ first place for Tangie No. 17 at High Times’ Denver Cannabis Cup. Get some Tangie, get way up, and feel blessed.
DS2: Afghan Goo a.k.a. Afgoo
Future has been building his reputation steadily since late 2010, and it appears that DS2 is his undisputed arrival. After #FutureHive took over Twitter with memes, a series of free concerts had people lining up overnight, and seemingly everyone in the USA was bumping the album (it’s tough to argue otherwise). It would seem that everyone has at least some proclivity for the woozy and medicated outlook that Future so deftly depicts. But, you don’t have to sip lean to get on his level because a few puffs of Afghan Goo will have you seeing everything in purple vision. This indica-dominant strain will slow you all the way down so you can soak up every last drop of Future’s game. Just be sure you don’t go too hard, because this potent varietal might have you blowing a bag, not realizing, and blowing another bag. And Future does not recommend blowing two bags a day—everything in moderation, homies.
YRN: Silver Haze
After two years of building on their buzz from “Versace,” Migos finally dropped their debut album, YRN. And while it’s bittersweet since Offset is currently incarcerated, it’s still a big success for this boisterous Atlanta trio. In fact, it’s such a success that they made a formal celebration of it and did a session with a small orchestra backing them. YRN finds them sticking to what they’re best at—sending words, contorted by a Southern drawl, rapidly tumbling over bass-heavy synthesizer beats. If you want to keep up with Offset, Takeoff, and Quavo’s super-rapid, high-intensity styling, you’re going to need some performance enhancements. Luckily Sensi Seeds anticipated this quite some time ago and developed Silver Haze. This potent sativa will give you the juice you need to keep up with the ludicrous amount of syllables these guys pack into a song. But it will also keep you feeling calm because let’s be real, in spite of their hyperactive style, Migos don’t lose their cool.
Living Legend: Cinderella 99
Gunplay is the standout member of the Carol City Cartel, a Dade County trio backed by Rick Ross before MMG existed. Since his early breakouts “Rollin” and “Bogota,” he has released a steady stream of mixtapes, freestyles, and the widely reputed classic cut, “Bible on the Dash.” He’s known for snorting cocaine on radio shows, brandishing swastika tattoos, likening himself to Adolf Hitler, and generally being too much to handle. But for those who are listening beyond the machinations of popularity, he’s a unique and welcomed voice. On his debut album, Living Legend, Gunplay runs us through the ins and outs of a life deeply intertwined with cocaine, utilizing an incredibly deft writing capacity to deliver his depictions with an incontestable immediacy. Thus, what better pairing than Cinderella 99? This sativa-dominant strain is highly regarded for its intense yet agreeable high, but you’re bound to have a tough time finding it unless you really know who to talk to.
Summertime ’06: Paris OG
Vince Staples is the young Long Beach rapper slowly creeping onto everyone’s radar. Since his mixtape debut, Shyne Coldchain Vol.1, he has continued to build on a buzz that has been helped greatly by collaborations with Odd Future and Mac Miller. But on Summertime ’06, he is standing on his own two feet and undoubtedly making a name for himself as a talented artist with a unique perspective, and an approachable yet incredibly deep view on life. This album pairs perfectly with Paris OG, a relatively new strain that has gained a highly regarded reputation with growers, connoisseurs, and concentrate-makers such as Vader Extracts. Paris will have you vibrating at a relatively low frequency, though not too low. This ocean-grown varietal is just right to vibe with the wavy and relaxed motions of Staples’ beachside, urban raps.
Sortahuman4Life: Jack Herrer
The legendary activist Jack Herrer has shaped much of what we know about cannabis today, and in the same way Hunstville rap duo Sortahuman are an integral but little-known part of the Internet rap scene. On their most recent release, rappers Supa and Joeybagadoughnutz encapsulate much of what has come to define the underground in the current era: a diffuse network of collaborators spread out all over the country; a sound that draws inspiration from a wide array of regional and generational rap styles; varied beats that stick to simple, straightforward, and engaging principles; and a larger-than-life yet approachable persona. These aren’t guys projecting celebrity, they’re two guys who live and breathe rap music, enjoy their lives in Huntsville, and create art that reflects this. Herrer fit a similar profile, and the Sensi Seeds strain named after him pairs perfectly with Sortahuman4Life. This is rowdy, energetic music that remains focused, and particularly intentional, and Jack Herrer will have you geeked ghost riding your body along with these country boys.
32 Zel/Planet Shrooms: Doc’s OG
Denzel Curry is a young rapper from Carol City who has been rapidly rising since 2013, when his song “Threatz” made it onto MTV and garnered a co-sign from Waka Flocka. Of late, he can be found touring across the U.S. with Joey Bada$$. The former Raider Klan member has an ever-growing following and is known for creating songs that test the conventions of pop, but bump a tough groove in the process. On his most recent album—which is a double EP—he can be found applying a uniquely Floridian treatment to the highly regarded rap traditions of the South. Big Rube is featured on the intro to the second EP, Planet Shrooms, and offers a quiet stamp of approval from the OG Southern psychedelic rap camp Dungeon Family. So, what better to pair the album with than Doc’s OG? This uncommon strain from Rare Dankness is an award-winning sativa-dominant OG Kush. Its uplifting high will give you all the bounce you need to ride along with both halves of the album, and the clarity to keep up. And while it plays on an equal field with all the big names, you’ll have to look to smaller folks like Treometry, who use it to make some of the highest quality extracts out there.
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