It is no secret many musicians love cannabis. Whether it is for relaxation after a long day in the studio or to get that extra spark of creativity to inspire their music, musicians love weed! However, one genre that possibly has the strongest connection to the sweet leaf is hip-hop. The rap and hip-hop genre has been infused with cannabis for many years now. Countless rappers have referred to weed in their lyrics and even dedicated full songs to their love of the plant. Many rappers go as far as to put their names on new strains of weed. On the topic of cannabis strains, let’s take a closer look at what cannabis strains do rappers smoke.
Girl Scout Cookies
Girl Scout Cookies or GSC for short is a strain of cannabis that wouldn’t be as popular today if it wasn’t for hip-hop music. This strain’s history has its roots firmly placed in the soil of the rap game. Rapper and cannabis entrepreneur, Berner was not only part of the strain’s first growth with the Cookie Family but thanks to his connection in the hip-hop world would get this strain the attention it deserved. Once the likes of Wiz Khalifa started rapping about Girl Scout Cookies it blew up on the West Coast scene.
Rappers like Jadakiss, French Montana, and Future have all confessed their love for GSC. Even the most medicated and dedicated man in hip-hop, Snoop Dogg says GSC is up there as one of his favourite strains. Although when asked about his favourite strain of cannabis, Snoop Doggs’ answer is usually longer and more confusing than a six-year-old’s Christmas list.
Anyone who has tried or seen Girl Scout Cookies will know immediately why this plant has inspired so many rappers. GSC is an Indica dominant strain that came out of crossbreeding OG Kush and Durban Poison. As the name suggests, GSC has a uniquely sweet flavour and smell. The strain has been making rappers giggly and happy over the last few years and I think it is safe to presume that it will continue doing so for many years to come.
OG Kush
OG Kush is an OG staple of not just cannabis gardens all over California but also an OG of the hip-hop community. There have even been rumours that this strain got its name from a phrase made popular by Ice T on his 1991 track ‘O.G Original Gangster’. OG Kush has been riding shotgun through the minds of rappers since the early 90s. Dr Dre is well-known for being a fan of Kush with many references to Kush in his lyrics. The strain is popular all across the U.S with New York rapper Smoke DZA admitting in a 2012 interview, “OG Kush is the boss”.
It could be debated that nobody loves OG Kush more than Cypress Hills’ B Real. Much of B Real’s work with Cypress Hill has been inspired by marijuana with tracks such as ‘Dr Greenthumb’, ‘Smoke Weed’ and ‘Hits from the Bong’. B Real is a cannabis culture pioneer. The hip-hop icon has even gone on to create and release his strains in California dispensaries.
OG Kush is almost the classic strain of cannabis. The dank weed smell is exactly what stoners crave when they crack open a bag of this stuff. However this stuff is an OG for a reason, Kush weighs in at a potent 23% THC average. Both rappers and ordinary non-rhyming folks love OG Kush for its uplifting yet relaxing effects.
Jack Herer
Along with the likes of Chemdawg and Blue Dream, Jack Herer is a strain of cannabis that is renowned among marijuana-loving musicians for its creative benefits. Two rappers that love Jack Herer are EL P and Killer Mike from Run The Jewels. The Hip Hop supergroup has been applauded not only for their awesome music (which has many weed references) but their activist work. The group is extremely vocal on the issues of the world including black rights, policies and of course cannabis laws.
Killer Mike has recently released a docu-series, Tumble Weed, where he discusses his views on current cannabis laws. But the Run The Jewels duo aren’t all talk. El P and Killer Mike have also released their very own strain named after their hit track “Ohh la la”. This was in collaboration with Cookies sister brand LEMMONNADE, so of course, Berner had a part to play in this. Can we take a second to appreciate how hard Berner is working? I mean the devil works hard, but Berner works harder.
When it comes to favourite strains Killer Mike doesn’t mess around. He says when he is up north in Canada he loves to roll up some Jack Herer. However, he maintains when he is in New York it’s only Sour Diesel. Mike believes New York has the best Sour Diesel around.
Jack Herer is a Sativa dominant strain that is not only Killer Mike’s favourite strain but a worldwide favourite too. The Dutch strain is a golden child of the cannabis world as a 9-time cannabis cup winner. The strain is known to induce a feeling of focus and creativity. No doubt a bonus for writing raps.
Sour Diesel
Killer Mike isn’t the only rapper that likes him some Sour Diesel when in The Empire State. Come to think of it many rappers outside of New York also love this strain. Many old-school artists and rap legends have referenced Sour Deez in their songs. This is a strain that people who grew up listening to the likes of N.W.A and Bone Thugz-N-Harmony will have heard plenty of talk about. This strain has stood the test of time as it is still popular among hip-hop’s new guard such as Wiz Khalifa.
Sour D has achieved legendary status among cannabis enthusiasts in no small part due to many rappers’ love for the strain. This strain is well known for its pungent gassy scent and for producing huge thick clouds of smoke. Since its rise in the 1990s after growers crossed Chemdawg with Super Skunk, Sour Diesel has become a mainstay in both the hip hop and cannabis communities. This Sativa strain is a go-to for both legends and future legends of the rap game alike.
All and all, we have barely touched the surface of the giant green mountain of what cannabis strains rappers smoke. One thing is for certain, it is not only musicians but rappers love weed too! This love story between Mary Jane and hip-hop music has been going strong for many years now. With no signs of slowing down, we wish them many more happy years to come.
