Wu-Tang Rapper’s Weed Dispensary Opens In Newark
Wu-Tang’s Raekwon the Chef and Charlamagne tha God held a Grand Opening for their dispensary Hashstoria in the heart of downtown Newark. The company was co-founded by Raekwon the Chef of the Wu-Tang Clan, the popular podcast host Charlamagne Tha God, civil rights advocate and attorney Bakari Sellers, and entrepreneur Jedd Canty of Maryland.
COMING BACK TO OLD HANG OUTS IN NEWARK
“This is one of the places I grew up, number one. Ya know, Staten Island and Newark been so close together. These were like my stomping grounds as a kid. These streets taught us hip hop,” Raekwon explained.
“Just coming to parties. We came for clubs like Sensation, Peppermint Lounge. These were rough places back then,” he noted.
Raekwon recounted that he snuck into some clubs and saw Queen Latifah and Shaq when he was younger.
“Weed saved our lives. I tell people that all the time. That gave us inspiration while we were listening to the music,” he explained.
Raekwon said smoking joints of the Thai stick land race cultivar or strain is his favorite method of cannabis consumption.
INDEPENDENT AND MSO CANNABIS PRODUCTS AVAILABLE
Raekwon explained he understood the need to provide quality cannabis products.
The Mudd Brothers Display Case at Hashtoria Dispensary
“It’s good for you, and it’s pure. No pesticides. No weird things,” he said about their selection. “It’s important … we give you top-notch quality.”
Ambassadors promoted a range of brands at the HS opening.
In addition, in display cases, they had new flower brands like North Lake Supply’s pre-rolls, concentrates from Mudd Brothers, and Precious pre-rolls from a white labeling deal with Clade 9 of California. The vape maker Fernway of Massachusetts was prominently displayed in a case too.
HARNESSING CELEBRITY FOR SOCIAL GOOD
“I remember sitting down and talking to strong Black leaders who always said the power lays in y’all. We were so much inspired by the you know, um, the civil rights movement and everything they did. But we don’t even realize we had 20 times that power,” RK explained.
“We never took the time to communicate and really nourish our minds,” RK added. “Sometimes that comes with growth.”
“It takes a village to raise people, especially our youth, our younger cats,” Raekwon said.
“These kids today, a lot of them don’t know how to read, write,” he noted. “Even if we get the one, we did our job. And then the one will multiply to ten.”
“It’s more about getting our people’s businesses in here and kind of supporting everybody,” Raekwon said.
GETTING INTO NEWARK
“Charlamagne tha God, you know, said Newark should be a place we should pay attention to. It’s something we really fell in love with. It made sense. Newark is a sense that is growing right now,” Raekwon explained.
The Mudd Brothers pictured in the back with Raekwon, Charlamgane The God, Bakari Sellers and Hashtoria Team during the Grand Opening on Nov 13th.
He noted explained they got the right lawyers and team and then applied.
“It wasn’t an easy walk. Jersey is one of those tough states,” Raekwon said.
Newark has many residents who are pro-cannabis. However, more socially conservative churchgoers have had concerns. ThT harmed locals from opening due to hysterical, irrational concerns about dispensaries near parks clauses made in Newark’s cannabis laws.
Unfortunately, larger, well-funded companies can charm and jump through the hoops of a limited market more easily than smaller companies.
“Of course, I’m going to make a strain,” Raekwon said about future plans.
“My mission is to get everybody’s strain in here, and it’s a strain with a positive message and a cause behind it,” he added.