Marley Natural: Inside Reggae Dynasty’s Splashy L.A. Cannabis Launch
“I was in a car that said we were going to a weed shindig,” said Kokal with a smile. “I was game. Then when I got here, I realized what was happening.”
Nearby was an open bar, drawing only modest traffic as guests lit up around the property. “This is really chill, probably because people are getting high rather than just getting wasted,” Kokal said. “It’s a different culture. The culture of alcohol is legal, so it’s more prevalent everywhere you go, which is completely acceptable in our era. Something like this is slightly threatening because it’s new, but it’s a less threatening environment.”
As legal medical marijuana spread across an increasing number of states in the U.S., pot entrepreneurs have sought a Marley endorsement for years. The process of creating Marley Natural began three years ago, when the family reached out to potential partners through its entertainment rep, Creative Artists Agency. “We wanted to build a brand that in some way could fuel change,” said Tahira Rehmatullah, the company’s general manager. “It’s an amazing collaborative effort.”
Beginning this week, the cannabis buds and oils are being launched exclusively in Los Angeles at three local dispensaries. (Accessories are available worldwide on the company website.) “L.A. really is a cultural hub, and a lot of great brands start here,” explained Rehmatullah. “There is a strong cannabis culture.” The Marley products will slowly become available across California, then expand to Colorado, Oregon and Washington later in 2016.
The Marleys will remain directly involved, even as Stephen prepares to release a new album of hip-hop-influenced reggae, Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life, this spring. “I was born a musician,” he said. “I didn’t become a musician. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t around the music.”
Music is a family tradition, but so is business, insisted Stephen. Marley Natural taps into the side of Bob Marley “that was a businessman. My father had his own record plant, his own record shop, his own pressing plant. He was a very wise businessman.”