Raekwon, a member of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan, has offered the first look at his upcoming cannabis dispensary, Hashstoria, in New Jersey by sharing a video of the Newark location which he says will be “a space for cannabis connoisseurs in the community to convene.”
“I’m so excited to share with y’all the architectural journey of our @Hashstoria Newark location,” said Raekwon on an Instagram post with an accompanying video showcasing the space. “We are located right in the heart of the city so we want to create a space, employment for all community members to gather and witness the finest greenery on the planet. (we have the best professional growers on deck). This location boasts over 17000 square feet, a tremendous multi-level space that will be finely crafted by the incredible architects over at @rhgdesign. We are going to be without question the flyest consumption lounge on the East Coast. Get ready cause we about to blowwwww!!”
Hashstoria is set to become one of the first cannabis dispensaries in New Jersey but has met its fair share of troubles while trying to get up and running. New Jersey’s Central Planning Board initially rejected plans to open up shop in April 2023 after Newark’s Landmark & Historic Preservation Commission approved the Hashstoria lounge along with architectural and renovation plans for circa-1900s retail buildings at 799-805 Broad Street in February 2023. The Board’s denial came after receiving backlash from Rev. Doris Glaspy, pastor of Old First Presbyterian Church which is across the street from the planned dispensary.
“I pray that you will put this somewhere else, not in the heart of Newark,” said Rev. Glaspy. “We’re not against people smoking marijuana if they want to. But they can put it somewhere else.”
Newark’s Central Planning Board reversed its course and approved the application for the dispensary near the end of July 2023 after Hashstoria’s attorney Kelly Carey told the board the decision to reject the application would result in an easy overturn on appeal. Raekwon took to Instagram to thank the city and his business partners after the decision was reversed and allowed the rapper to open his cannabis business and continue forth on his goal to provide opportunities to Newark residents.
“Our interest is to bring to the community an opportunity for hospitality in the cannabis area,” said Rachael Grochowski, architect for Hashstoria. “The retail is intended to create a sense of experience and really speak to both Newark as a place and to the culture of the city. The culture of music, the culture of social justice in the cannabis space and the culture of wellness in the cannabis space, we’re taking all these elements of social justice and wellness very seriously as part of our contribution to the city.”
Raekwon joins the ever-growing list of musicians and celebrities who have entered the cannabis space and enters the cannabis space with his fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Method Man, who launched his own cannabis brand TICAL in 2020 in four black-owned dispensaries in California. Other rappers such as Future have also entered the cannabis industry this year through the launch of their own cannabis brands. Research from Headset found that celebrity cannabis brands in California tend to outperform traditional cannabis brands on the market.
“As an artist, I strive to enlighten the world with different perspectives and experiences, whether through my lyrics, live performances, or other creative endeavors. With Carma HoldCo, I can apply that creativity to build a new cannabis lifestyle brand that resonates within my community and delivers a high-quality product to my fans and a much wider audience,” said Future.
