When Cypress Hill frontman B-Real isn't touring with his band or with Prophets of Rage, he's busy expanding his California pot-shop empire. Since legal recreational marijuana began being sold in the Golden State in 2018, he's opened five stores, most recently one in downtown Los Angeles on October 18.
“We have a lot of history behind us as it relates to music and the pro-legalization movement," he said at the opening on 2011 Pasadena Blvd. "It’s a blessing to be able to build and grow our business throughout California. We put down roots of our first storefront in Sylmar and serving our community with a premium cannabis experience throughout the West Coast.”
Dr. Greenthumb's - named after a Cypress Hill song - five locations are in San Francisco, Sacramento, Sylmar, Eurkea and now L.A. The store menus include his Insane strains, Nipsie Hustle's Marathon OG and various Cookies offerings, including Gary Payton, Cereal Milk and London Poundcake.
Ironically, B-Real opposed Prop 64, the legalizational measure in 2016, which passed with 57% of the vote. In march, he told Variety:
"I knew what was going to happen. I’m not speaking for myself. I’m speaking for the moms and pops who put their life savings into this industry. Maybe they’re doing enough to get by. It’s not cheap to run the business. If you’ve got it going, then it’s cool. But they’ll swallow those people up cold. And they’re going to continue until it’s all done. That’s been my theory for a long time. That’s why I told people to vote No on 64, but no one listened."
"Corporate money will come in and buy those licenses. They’re gonna swoop all that up. It’s survival of the fittest."
At the time, only his Sylmar store 20 miles northwest of L.A. was open. He won that license in a lottery in 2015. "The store is going well," B-Real explained. "The hardest part is dealing with the regulations, making sure we’re up to code on everything. Aside from that, everything has been good. We’re going to have three open in Southern California and keep expanding. They made it hard for people to withstand the new rules and regulations. Corporate money will come in and buy those licenses. They’re gonna swoop all that up. It’s survival of the fittest. You do what you can to keep your brand above water, to keep it positive and keep it growing. A lot of brands will be washed away, but if you’re still there and the quality’s still there and you’re in compliance, you’ll survive the fuckery and hopefully have more stability than there is right now. But no matter what, my brand’s going to be there. "
