Former NBA player Carmelo Anthony has announced the launch of his own cannabis brand that plans to give a portion of its profits to a nonprofit organization that assists those who have been negatively impacted by the War on Drugs.
Anthony launched “StayMe7o” on April 20 and it is the first cannabis brand under Grand National, a new cannabis-focused agency created in partnership with Lowd Cannabis’s CEO and Founder Jesce Horton and Chief Creative Director Brandon Drew Jordan Pierce. The agency plans to focus on brand creation and marketing in the cannabis industry.
Anthony’s interest in the cannabis industry started as he observed the industry from the outside while trying out various products for his own recovery purposes for soreness. He works closely with the cultivation team at Lowd and tests the genetics for his cannabis product line.
“As I started getting out of the NBA, I started studying and realized how important it is to understand all of the cannabinoids in the plant, as well. What is the cannabinoid, how does it affect the body? I dove into ways we could create this flower, let’s create seeds that are really effective. We can test these seeds out as well. Starting in Portland, we can talk directly to the consumer to the community, they respect us,” said Anthony.
StayMe7o is partnering with NuProject, a nonprofit organization that assists communities impacted by the War on Drugs, to donate a portion of sales to the organization. Anthony intends to uplift and promote other minority-owned brands in the cannabis space and has made StayMe7o products only available at two Black- and Native-owned stores in Oregon, Natural Wonders and Green Muse.
“This is a space with a long history of Black entrepreneurs getting penalized and judged, arrested, and locked up for cannabis,” said Anthony. “Now, for it to be legal, it’s only right to open those doors back up for those who want to be in this game, who are already in this game. Instead of it being so singular, how do we come together and work together toward a common goal? Everyone has cannabis out here, what separates you?”
Anthony was previously involved in the cannabis industry through an investment in California-based LEUNE. Anthony and other investors, including former NBA player John Wall, NBA agent Rich Paul, entertainer La La Anthony, music manager Anthony Saleh and venture capital firm Casa Verde Capital, helped raise roughly $5 million to fund growth and expand its product line. LEUNE also plans to expand its social justice initiatives and will use the new investors to raise awareness about inequality in the industry. LEUNE has also worked with other organizations such as The Last Prisoner Project, Eaze Momentum, and the Floret Coalition.
Anthony said he believes the NBA and sports world in general is coming around on cannabis and its potential as a tool for recovery. The NBA recently removed cannabis from the league’s banned substances list under its new collective bargaining agreement that went into effect in 2023. The new CBA also permits active players to make investments in the cannabis industry by investing in CBD companies.
Another former NBA player, Udonis Haslem, has also recently entered the cannabis industry through partnership with The Flowery, a medical cannabis provider in Florida. The collaboration resulted in the launch of his new strain, FORTY OG, a reference to the number he wore on his jersey during his 20-year career with the Miami Heat. The strain was developed over a 14 month-period with Haslem playing a pivotal role in the process, visiting the cultivation facility and participating in sampling. A limited-edition merchandise line featuring jerseys, t-shirts, and hats is also expected to be released.
