Many cannabis brands have chosen to brand themselves through music, to make their products stand out on the back of an artist’s support. You’ve most likely heard of some of them, like Leafs by Snoop and Trees by Game. However, there is a new trend emerging now: selling music through cannabis; using weed to get a certain artist some extra attention. Veteran rapper Kokane is doing just this.
Credited for roughly 4,000 songs, he’s collabed with Snoop Dogg, Eazy-E, N.W.A., Dr. Dre, Cypress Hill, Ice Cube, and many other big-name artists. He is often called “the most featured artist in the world.”
Exclusive: Kokane Debuts New Video!
Today, we are presenting the exclusive release of “Higher” by Kokane. Smokers can download the track for free with the purchase of one Kokane-branded pre-roll, available for sale in Washington’s Have a Heart dispensary, as well as other retailers in the state.
This music video was shot on a 39th floor, at Hi Tunes Headquarters on what the producers claim to be “the Highest balcony in all of Washington state.”
Interestingly, this video includes footage from actual business meetings and closed deals, and features cameos by producers Chris Pack, Milo Eubanks, Zac Levine and artists Swisher Sleep and Huey P.
An Exciting New Concept
Kokane is distributing his latest track through Hi Tunes Distribution, a company that makes and sells branded pre-rolls, offering a free song download with each one.
“Music used to sell sheet music; then records and record players; tapes and tape players; CDs and CD players, then just mp3 players,” Hi Tunes’ founder Scott McKinley told us.
“Music ran out of things to sell. So I created the Hi-Tunes Distribution platform to change that.”
“I love the concept of people buying a product and getting a free song download,” Jared Mirsky added. He’s the founder and CEO of one of the top, longest-standing cannabis branding agencies in the world, Wick & Mortar (formerly Online Marijuana Design).
“Cannabis and music go hand and hand. Finding new and innovative channels to distribute both was a natural evolution in the marketing of cannabis,” said Cynthia Salarizadeh, founder and CEO of cannabis PR firm Salar Media Group.
“Now that cannabis is legal for adult-use in 8 states and the District of Colombia, that opens up these markets for unique branding and media sales approaches. It is exciting to see how crafty brands are becoming as we continue to advance as an industry.”
Smoke More, Love More
Another exciting music project being branded through cannabis is the “Smoke More Tour.” In this case, a group of underground rappers go on tour on a bus with a few fans. The team intends to educate the public on the positive uses of cannabis.
“Smoke More Tour is our way to promote unity in a time when everyone is against each other. It is a way to discover new talent and show how unique the hip-hop genre is. It is a way to curate events that can be shown to our representatives,” Smoke More Tour’s producer, who goes by the artistic name of Him Again, said.
But, why brand it with cannabis?
Well, the relationship goes both ways, Him Again adds.
“[Cannabis consumption] is not just recreational. Cannabis is a natural treatment for diverse ailments like PTSD, which is often found in combat veterans and impoverished individuals… Smoke More Tour is more than just noise on a microphone; it’s a culture that has always been here, and it is as related to music as it is to cannabis.”
