Behind The Beats: The 420 Edition: Rolling With The Wu-Tang Clan
Known for her work as a radio personality hosting programming on Wu-Tang Radio, Mang-Yee Reverie is a "hip hop historian" who is simultaneously an entrepreneur, brand and marketing strategist, promoter, photographer, public speaker, and so much more. Growing up in an extended family of music icons including Redman, Method Man, Havoc, and the Wu-Tang Clan, she has been an integral part of the development of hip hop culture from a young age. She is also known for her work building cannabis brands that have launched in multi-state markets, such as Method Man's Tical, The Honeybee Collective, and High Society. New Yorkers will soon be able to enjoy products from Joe Meets Jane Coffee, Mang-Yee's infused beverage line, which she's bringing to market with state-licensed processor HPI Canna. A mother of three, she is dedicated to educating young people and is currently writing a children's book on hip hop.
What Is 420, National Cannabis Day?
It’s been two weeks since 420, and I am still recuperating. Living and working in Denver, Colorado for the last 8 years, I am very well acquainted with the festivities the holiday brings! Most years I attend the annual show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in the evening, and spend the day at Civic Center Park with friends where hundreds of brands and vendors line the beautiful walkways and a pleasant cloud of smoke hovers over the city. I visit my favorite dispensaries for all the specials, and just enjoy the time partaking with family and friends. Needless to say, 420 in Colorado is always a vibe, even if this year a spring snowstorm crept in and added to their adventure.
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, 420 has become a big deal in many states, as more and more legalize our sacred plant. A little background on the history of 420: Although there is a lot of debate on the origins, many sources point back to a group of high school friends from California known as the Waldos, who in the fall of 1971 were given a treasure map to a patch of weed on the Point Reyes Peninsula. The map was given to them by a friend whose brother was in the U.S. Coast Guard and was growing cannabis. The Coast Guardsman was paranoid he would get caught, so he granted permission to harvest.
The friends agreed to meet at 4:20 p.m. at the statue of chemist Louis Pasteur on the campus of San Rafael High. They met, got high, and drove out to search for the patch. In the ensuing school days, they would use the term “420 Louie,” to remind each other of their after-school quest. They eventually dropped the 'Louie' part and just said ‘420’ to refer to cannabis. Originally '420' was nothing more than a private joke between a group of friends; however, it was picked up by the masses - popularized by cannabis journalist Steve Bloom, who learned the story through the Grateful Dead fandom and wrote about it for High Times - and spread from generation to generation.
420 In New York: Washington Square Park
As you know, I hail from Brooklyn, New York. So three years ago when the country had gotten word that the state of New York had finally legalized recreationally, I was excited to be able to spend the 420 festivities at home. New York has not disappointed! Every year the festivities are bigger and more elaborate.
The 420 Sesh held in Washington Square Park is one of my favorites to attend; just to vibe out with the beautiful skyscrapers as your backdrop, music, and people of all backgrounds for me is an indescribable feeling. I come from an era where never in our wildest dreams would cannabis be legal, so to celebrate as a holiday in so many different states is a blessing, to us who have always loved this plant and culture.
Behind The Beats: The Wu-Tang Clan And The Cannabis Industry
Naturally I’ve opted to fly home to New York for the last three 420’s. 2024 wouldn’t be any exception. This one was extra special for me, as my family, Redman and the Wu-Tang Clan, were executing an East Coast Takeover.
In the last several years, a few of the Members of the Wu have stepped into the cannabis industry they’ve always affectionally rapped about. In 2020, Method Man launched his brand Tical; co-founded with Nathaniel Vereen, it is to date one of the only brands to be in such a wide range of markets (13 in all) and looking at overseas deals as we speak. Raekwon the Chef has cooked up his own multi-state brand, founding “Hashstoria,” opening locations on the West Coast and soon to open a consumption lounge in New Jersey. Protect Ya Neck, founded by Mook Gibbons, includes lines from some of the Wu-Tang Generals including Allah Mathematics’ (Creator of the Wu-Tang logo and lifelong tour DJ and Wu Super Producer), new strain. Mathematics and Masta Killa’s limited drop sold out in Las Vegas in days! Young Dirty Bastard, son of Ol’ DB; Cappadonna; and a few of the other members have too found a space in the cannabis industry which has long been associated with the Hip Hop Culture.
420 Eve In New York: Bud Drop At Terminal 5 And Steppin Stoned At SOBs
My 420 was full of family adventures, even before the big day. I kicked off my holiday weekend with an early flight home for the prequel. See, 4/19 is equivalent to New Year’s Eve, a countdown to the finest adult holiday of the year per se. Terminal 5 in NYC has done a midnight Bud Drop for the last few years, featuring our two favorite stoners, Method Man and Redman, presented by Empire Cannabis Clubs and Shiest Bubz. So many of New York’s newest and top brands participated in sponsoring events, the crowd being one of the highest I’ve ever seen. Styles P and Sheek Louch of The LOX got the audience warmed up with some of our favorite stoner anthems, then Doc and Mef hit the stage and shut that joint down! We did a countdown to midnight and the Empire team dropped balloons filled with pre-rolls down on the crowd. It was exciting to watch.
Down the way, fellow Wu-Tang member Raekwon rocked an event at the infamous SOBs NYC, dubbed “Steppin Stoned”, hosted again by Shiest Bubz and my good friend Seth Zaplin, with sounds by DJ Green Lantern and a special appearance by Lord Sko. Honeysuckle was there as a media partner to catch all the fun, so definitely check out the recap footage for that! I was so blessed, New York owed me nothing.
420 At The National Cannabis Festival In Washington, D.C.: The Wu-Tang Clan's Shops Of Shaolin
Next morning, I made my way to Washington, D.C. our Nation's Capital. I donned a fresh line green Dickies suit and Cream Air Force 1’s customized by my friends “I Know Some People LLC”, with real cannabis adhered to the check, toe, and strap of the sneaker, as a Brooklynite the fit always has to be right!
All week our cannabis community had been meeting with Congressmen, Senators and lobbyists to push for change in our nation's policies. Redman is co-founder of The United Empowerment Party alongside Sephida Artis-Mills; they’ve been working in multiple states to push awareness and change as the United States first political cannabis party. No need to say that week leading up to the holiday they were hard at work.
I hadn’t spent a 420 in Washington D.C. yet, so I was excited for the new experience. The Wu-Tang Clan and Method Man and Redman were headlining the National Cannabis Festival, so we all made our way down for the festivities. This year, all the Wu brands joined forces to open the “Shops of Shaolin,” a popular activation at the fest. The background beats of Redman’s DJ Dice Brooklyn kept the crowd rockin’.
The Shaolin Shops were massively successful; they could barely keep up with the amount of love the patrons of the festival showed. All the members' brands were at the shops, even if they weren’t related to cannabis.
The occasion represented the first time all the family’s ventures could come together in one place! Ghostface had his Killah Koffee on deck, which smelled just as amazing as it tasted, a great midday boost. Park Hill Clothing had the flyest merch out there. Method Man’s Tical Athletics was present, with RX Water, Compliments of the Chef, Deck and Cappadonna’s merch and more!
420 At The National Cannabis Festival: The Wu-Tang Clan Performs With Redman
The festival garnered over 20,000 attendees and the weather cooperated beautifully for the festivities, as the rest of the weekend was a little chilly. After shopping the shops and a day of seeing all the happy faces enjoying the camaraderie that we’d never thought we’d get to celebrate so publicly, it was time for the show.
So many dope acts were present: Devin the Dude, The Backyard Band, Thundercat all rocked the stage as the sun shone on the festival attendees. Wu-Tang stepped on stage for the main show and the crowd lost it. They performed some of our favorite hits as smoke billowed over the festival grounds. Redman joined them halfway through the set and everyone went wild!
There’s just something special about celebrating the holiday with some of our culture’s favorite smokers and to see all the smoke “legally” drift through the air. Perfection.
(C) Very Rich Studios @veryrichvisuals
What's Special About The 420 Weekend?
I was so proud to see the events go off with minimal problems, as opposed to what we can see sometimes at all day festivals where alcohol is the focus. So many brands came from all parts of the country to celebrate cannabis freedom together.
The weekend was a dream come true for a girl like me, who comes from a legacy background and never imagined in her wildest reveries that we’d be able to legally toke, grow and partake in something that we were criminalized for only a few years back. Salute to everyone who attended the show; it was and will always be worth the trip home, till next year!
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Written By:
Mang-Yee "Juicy" Reverie hosts midday programming on FLO 107.1 FM in Denver and on Wu-Tang Radio. She is the founder of Joe Meets Jane Coffee and creator of The Mile High Sessions podcast, as well as a marketing consultant and strategist for multiple leading cannabis brands. For more about Mang-Yee, visit wutangradio.com, or follow @mangyee_reverie on Instagram.
@mangyee_reverie (IG)
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Featured image: The Wu-Tang Clan performs at the 2024 National Cannabis Festival (C) Mang-Yee Reverie / Wu-Tang Radio