With LA the epi-center of cannabis and hip hop, it’s not surprising to find the two worlds cohabiting in the music and mindset of Problem. Immersed in LA rap royalty that includes Wiz Khalifa, Snoop and Kendrick LaMar, the one-time party bad-boy from Compton “changed the narrative” and it shows in his dress, demeanor and desire to transcend labels, set tables, and still stay true to his community and ongoing relationship with cannabis. When he’s not dropping mixtapes like “Coffee and Kush'' and inhaling its eponymous cannabis brand, he’s building a superteam to create nothing less than a “new future.” We talk Nipsey, Kendrick, Compton and his favorite set-in-New York TV show “Billions,” its new season centered around the emerging world of finance and cannabis. We caught up with him at Chace Infinite’s Harum Coffee Shop in Leifert Park See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Light Culture

Jason “Problem” Martin -- From Rapper to Rapreneur

Along with cannabis, psychedelics like Ayahuasca, ‘Shrooms, MDMA, LSD, Ketamine and other mind altering substances are resurgent, finding their place as part of the plant-based health and wellness movement. Spurred on by medical studies and the support of the psychiatric community in search of answers to PTSD, depression and a growing list of mental problems, the movement to legalize these previously outlawed psychedelics is rapidly advancing what many have suspected all along: that far from being the killer portrayed in the war on drugs, what we today call plant based medicine, is actually good for you. As a journalist and cofounder of Double Blind Magazine, Madison Margolin is a leading figure in the 21st century movement to benefit from these plants and their off-shoots. We talk about psychedelics, spirituality and religion, Ayahuasca’s potential for world peace, microdosing and the legacy of 60s LSD evangelist Timothy Leary. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Madison Margolin and the Psychedelic Evolution

Can you imagine how it must feel to be serving a 13 year prison sentence for possession of two joints in the midst of a gold rush in the growing, selling, and marketing of weed.  Well, Bernard Noble can. He was that guy, but now he’s in the cannabiz thanks to the efforts of, among others, filmmaker and hip hop legend Fab 5 Fred Brathwaite. How Bernard got released and went into business with Brathwaite on BNoble prerolls is both a cautionary tale and an inspiring rare example of justice served better late than never.  Both blessed with gifts of gab, their story is recounted here in vivid detail that will make you both jump for joy and gasp in alarm.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fab 5 Fred Brathwaite & Bernard Noble — Team Up for Prison Reform

One art world Insider called him “the most charismatic artist since Jean Michel-Basquiat.” Like the great Basquiat, Dash Snow was a graffiti writer who showed in galleries, was dismissed as a lightweight clown, became an international art star and died a drug-related death in his 20's. There's more, much more to the story of Dash Snow, an heir to a fortune who immersed himself in New York’s art world demimonde of the early 2000's. Now, Cheryl Dunn's long-in-the-making documentary begun with Snow's cooperation, “Moments Like This Never Last,” is out and destined to add to the legend of this self-destructive bad-boy artist. I talk to the director about what drew her to Snow, his impact on the art world, how the legend grew and its impact on the world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cheryl Dunn -- Dash Snow Doc Director

Frenchy Cannoli’s legendary life came to an end on July 18th. Recognized world-wide as an evangelist for Hashish, he was also a throwback to another era when adventurers trekked the Himalayas in search of ancient wisdom. Having him on my podcast was one of my career highlights. We honor his life as we rerun this classic Light Culture podcast from January, 2020. RIP Frenchy Cannoli. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Light Culture Classic - RIP Frenchy Cannoli

Ricky Powell was a living legend who died earlier this year. A photographer who documented popular culture including hip hop, graffiti and pop art, he toured with the Beastie Boys and took some of the most iconic photos of that era. He was also very funny as you will hear in this rerun of one of my all time classic Light Culture podcast episodes from 2019. RIP Ricky Powell. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Light Culture Classic - RIP Ricky Powell

Jeremy Elkin’s documentary “All the Streets Are Silent” tells the story of New York in the 90s, a decade in downtown history when hip hop met skate and set off a combustion of energy that catapaulted a youth culture to stardom and mainstream appeal. We talk about Elkin prepping at Vanity Fair; finding vintage vids of Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes and Method Man; Eli Gesner’s legendary Zoo York “Mixtape”; the influence of Larry Clark’s “Kids” on the scene, and much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jeremy Elkin – When Hip Hop Met Skate

From his unlikely casting in Larry Clark’s movie “Kids” at 16 to his cult status as an actor and consummate art world outsider, Leo Fitzpatrick’s don’t-give-a-shit ethos has worked, landing him a role in the Wire and a co-director gig at the blue-chip Marlborough Gallery. Though he recently shut his St. Mark’s Pl. gallery, his commitment to youth-driven culture continues unabated. We talk about New York’s mean streets and the tragic loss of his friend, artist Dash Snow, his reverence for Larry Clark, the “Beautiful Losers” generation, and being the father of a five-year-old boy. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Leo Fitzpatrick – Still In It For The Kids

What would make an editor/writer with a Conde Nast and Huffington Post pedigree chuck it all to start a cannbis-centric lifestyle magazine? As the co-founder of Gossamer, von Pfetten has channeled her love for travel, design, art, culture et al into a print venture that looks to update the stoner aesthetic for the 21st Century. We talk with the Vancouver born von Pfetten about her pride for BC Bud, her love-hate relationship with “wellness,” women in weed and why she thinks we make fun of Gweneth Paltrow and Goop. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Verena von Pfetten – She Also Smokes Weed

Jason DeLand has been selected to both Adweek's list of “20 Most Influential People Under 40” as well as High Times “Top 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis.” As the founder of the ad agency Anomaly and the popular Dosist e-pen, he’s a defacto futurist who looks into his crystal ball to talk about the coming world of cannabis in New York, building brands in today’s changing world, CBD,  sleep and his personal journey and the scientific learning that came with it. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jason DeLand – The Anomaly Behind Dosist

On the popular serialized music podcast Dissect, Cole Cuchna geeks out on iconic hip-hop albums, focusing on one song per episode. This time it’s a deep dive into Kanye West’s 2013 album Yeezus, looking at the life, times and music of this iconoclastic shape-shifter.  We talk about Kanye in terms of Dylan, Stravinsky, Wagner, Nipsey Hussle and Kendrick Lamar.  We also learn the fascinating backstory that birthed the Dissect podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Cole Cuchna Dissects Kanye West

In her popular YouTube and Instagram videos, Eunice Chang’s found  a lane that allows her to be serious and lighthearted about her greatest passion -- skateboarding. Her infectious personality shines through with her version of the skatepark community’s fun-filled antics. We talk about her love of the Jackass movies,  defying Asian-American stereotypes, social media’s impact on the sport’s fanbase, and why she wants to move to New York City. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Eunice Chang -- Skating’s Funny Girl

Shaun Ross has a great story to tell. Born black, gay and albino, he defied the odds and became a super model. Featured in Vogue, GQ and Paper, he walked the runway for Givenchy and Alexander McQueen and appeared in videos with Beyonce, Lana Del Ray and Katy Perry. Today he’s focused on a music career and his recently released album Shift show he’s got what it takes. We talk about the inequities of the fashion world, making a difference with music, fitting in, his love of voguing and his dream audience for a life performance. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Shaun Ross -- Model, Activist, Pop Star

Over a long career, he's been an L.A. rapper, worked with A$AP Rocky and currently manages the Buffalo-based rap collective Griselda, which includes Westside Gunn and Benny the Butcher. We talk with the founder of Agency 78 and L.A.'s Harun Coffee about making emotional connections, Kendrick, Drake and J. Cole as conscious rappers, hustling weed and what he learned running a streetwear brand/hangout on New York’s  Lower East Side. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chace Infinite -- Cultural Hustler

When the author of the best-selling The Marathon Don’t Stop: The Life and Times of Nipsy Hussle began work on his biography little did he know that LA’s iconic rapper, entrepreneur and social activist would be shot and killed on his beloved gang-riddled streets of Crenshaw. We talk about what made Nipsy special, how he worked to transcend and build on his street life and whether we’ll ever know the truth behind the murder of this man who made a difference. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rob Kenner – On the Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle

Hi, my name is David Hershkovits. As a founder and, until recently, editor-in-chief of Paper magazine, I have been a long-time advocate for cannabis reform and legalization as well as a supporter of the community and culture surrounding this movement. On Light CultureI, I'll be exploring the exploding cannabis industry and its relationship to our lives and times as told through the voices of some of today's most influential tastemakers -- rappers, writers, artists, fashion designers, models, advocates and activists, influencers, entrepreneurs and others who live the cannabis life, respect its history and embrace its future. Light Culture is brought to you exclusively by Burb -- where cannabis, clothing and culture intersect. Based in Vancouver, Canada, Burb hopes to build on the city's legacy of tolerance and respect and on British Columbia's great gift to the world -- BC Bud. Follow us on Instagram @shopburb and subscribe to this podcast at shopburb.com/lightculture.

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