Sometimes when a celebrity gets into your favorite niche industry, it can be downright annoying. (After all, they’re already rich and famous.) And the built-in attention sometimes leads other brands to attempt to leverage their popularity through celebrity endorsements. Groan. Some of these celeb-backed brands don’t make a ton of sense, but here’s our pick for five that do. Regardless of the name attached, these companies produce top-shelf products, inspiring stories, and help the canna-community in ways you may not expect.
Seth Rogen’s Houseplant
One of the most talked-about cannabis companies in 2021 is Houseplant, which just so happens to be owned by Seth Rogen himself. The famously 420-friendly actor works alongside his business partner Evan Goldberg and leading California cultivators. Rogen and Goldberg pick the bud they love and every batch is vetted to ensure ultimate quality standards. Despite the attention to quality, the company also prioritizes accessible price points. Houseplant’s third pillar is an emphasis on cannabis education, diversity, and inclusiveness. For example, they ask their potential cultivators to fill out a Supplier Diversity Survey, which demonstrates a company’s social responsibility efforts. In a time where so many brands ignore deep-rooted issues in the cannabis industry, Rogen has chosen to face them head-on, and it’s clear that Houseplant is about far more than just a celebrity name.
Santana’s Mirayo
It’s no surprise that Carlos Santana has come out with a cannabis brand. During his shows, he often takes the time to talk about the beauty of the plant and how it helps him spiritually. Now he’s taken these speeches further, crafting the company Mirayo, which produces pre-roll packs and flower, each branded with a unique “energy flow” that’s in line with Santana’s beliefs about the spiritual power of cannabis.
Meaning “my ray,” Santana’s brand is all about embracing the healing properties of cannabis. He explains that when he was a kid, his mother crafted her own cannabis salves and he grew up understanding the plant’s medicinal value. Santana’s candid and personal stories of how the plant has helped him and his family are a good example of how a celebrity can create an authentic brand.
Wiz Khalifa’s Khalifa Kush
When you’re someone like Wiz Khalifa, getting a strain crafted just for you seems pretty normal. But, it’s sharing that personalized strain to the world where things get remarkable — and that’s precisely what Wiz did. Back in 2010 or so, Wiz Khalifa had some master growers create a particular strain just for him, explicitly tailored to his personal cannabis preferences. After a few years of keeping this stash to himself, Wiz decided to let others experience the sublimity of Khalifa Kush.
Today, dispensaries across the country sell Khalifa Kush for everyday customers to try and enjoy. The attraction of smoking what Wiz Khalifa himself has puffed on for years is appealing in and of itself; however, you add the top-shelf quality of a strain like KK, and you’re left feeling like a celebrity yourself.
Bob Marley’s Marley Natural
We can’t talk about celebrity cannabis brands without talking about the one and only Bob Marley. Marley Natural — created by loved ones of the beloved reggae superstar — is designed to appeal to both cannathusiasts and the cannacurious. Made with high-quality herb and total transparency, Marley Natural offers an ample variety of products in varying strengths, as well as accessories and premium body care products. With marketing materials that put an emphasis on potency, community, sustainability, and responsibly sourced flower, the company makes an effective claim to be a direct reflection of Bob’s ethos.
Jay-Z’s Monogram
Right off the bat, Jay-Z’s cannabis brand Monogram looks kind of pretentious. $50 hand-rolled joints? That’s something only a celebrity can enjoy. However, when we take a step back and see the inner workings of the celeb’s brand, it shows that the rapper is clearly doing something right.
Jay-Z leads Monogram’s social justice program, which was started with $10 million and receives 2% of the company’s net income each year. This money goes directly to Black and minority-owned cannabis businesses to help support diversity in the industry. Though 2% may not seem like a lot at first glance, when you think about the high price tag and celebrity clientele of Monogram, these donations are massive. In other words, Jay-Z is using his fame and wealth to help out other cannabis businesses, especially the ones who have been subjected to years of mistreatment and unfairness. (We can just look past the insane price tags, right?)
