Jay-Z Joins Forces with Large Cannabis Company

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]R[/dropcap]evealed on July 9, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter is joining Caliva, a large cannabis company based out of San Jose, California, as chief brand strategist. It was also announced that under his new role, he’ll put some emphasis on social justice issues surrounding cannabis laws.

Jay-Z was recently listed among the short list of entertainers who have become billionaires. On top of that, his wife, Beyonce, is worth $355 million. Both have basically risen to the pinnacle of success within the music industry. Partnering up with a trusted cannabis brand is one way of supplementing the power couple’s fortune.

“Anything I do, I want to do correctly and at the highest level,” Jay-Z said in a statement. “With all the potential in the cannabis industry, Caliva’s expertise and ethos make them the best partners for this endeavor. We want to create something amazing, have fun in the process, do good and bring people along the way.”

To address the negative impact of the “War on Drugs,” mostly for people of color, the company will donate a portion of profits to the nonprofit Code For America’s “Clear My Record” project. The plan is to provide people with a second chance to be hired for jobs and approved for housing after clearing cannabis records.

Jay-Z joins the growing list of rappers or rap producers to officially endorse a cannabis brand—and the list is long and includes Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, The Game, Baby Bash, Berner, Ray J, Post Malone, Krayzie Bone and the Notorious B.I.G.’s son C.J. Wallace.

Rolling Stone reports that it was Jay-Z who came up with the idea. “For Jay-Z to seek out Caliva as a partner is humbling and confirms our mission of being the most trusted name in cannabis,” said Caliva’s CEO, Dennis O’Malley. “To find that we were in complete alignment around our values and ethos was just a home run. We believe this partnership is unparalleled in this or any business and we could not be more pleased to be working with him and have him as our Chief Brand Strategist.”

Caliva is massive, serving about 750,000 customers in California, and with 250 locations. It’s a great place for Jaz-Z to make a big impression on the cannabis industry.