By Shirley Ju

Music and cannabis go hand in hand… and this is what happens when two legendary figures in their respective industries conjoin.

On Wednesday, September 25th, Ted Lidie, founder of Alien Labs, hosted his exclusive “Ted Talk” series in Los Angeles, this time joined by The Alchemist, one of the most well-respected producers and DJs in the rap game. This is just one example of Lidie’s extensive rolodex of relationships.

For those who aren’t familiar, Alien Labs is a legacy cannabis brand not just known for high-quality products, but their innovative approach across all boards. Their motto is “You Are Not Alone,” driven by Lidie’s own personal experiences struggling with mental health and finding his footing in this thing called life. They’re also a lifestyle brand, with clothing found in stores like Zumiez and Hibbett.

The Alchemist on the other hand, has been deemed one of the most influential producers, working with all the greats such as Eminem, Action Bronson, Freddie Gibbs, and more.

Taking place on the rooftop at E.P. & L.P. on La Cienega Blvd, tonight’s Ted Talk follows a string of successful events in major cities including Sacramento, San Diego, and San Jose, following it up with Arizona after Los Angeles. The evening featured live music, food, drinks, and of course, Alien Labs flower.

Here are five takeaways from the intimate conversation, which straddles the intersection of cannabis culture and music.

1. The Alchemist grew up in LA in the 90’s

Contrary to what people might think, The Alchemist grew up on the West Coast back in the 90’s, specifically the westside of Los Angeles. Because of his ties to East Coast Hip-Hop, a lot of people may assume he’s from that side of the country. 

“I have an older brother who’s a year and a half older, so I used to hang out with his crew,” Alchemist explained. “The westside of LA, it was a time. If you were around, you know weed wasn’t always around, so you had to know somebody who has something good. Sometimes it would be here, then you’d have to wait for it. It’s not here, you have to wait a month, then you’d have some bullshit. You’d wait ,and it’d show up. But I’m from that era, where you have to know somebody who knew somebody.”

Alchemist actually grew up with fellow West Coast rapper Evidence, whom he met at The Troubadour. And because Evidence lived in Venice, they always had a neighbor or somebody they could get weed from. One day, Alchemist decided to trade his baseball card collection for a quarter pound of weed… and the rest was history.

2. The Alchemist prefers small spliffs & coffee all day

We all know coffee and cannabis compliment each other perfectly. Alchemist hilariously deems it the “poor man’s speedball.”

When asked how Alchemist likes to consume, he reveals he now prefers papers, but it all started with the bongs.

“I used to go to the studio, and bring the bong to the studio. People thought I was crazy.”

We all know how much Alchemist loves marijuana, as Lidie put it: “one of the real, rare smokers in the weed industry.” So how often is he really smoking? All day.

“It depends on the day,” Alchemist stated. “If I’m in the studio doing music, I’m pretty much smoking all day. I drink coffee and smoke, it’s like the poor man’s speedball. The safe version. All day, and I start early. I get up fucking 7am. I do most of the beats early in the mornings.”

But he doesn’t smoke big joints, he rolls tiny personal spliffs. His friends calls them “mosquito legs,” and he smokes a great amount of them. 

3. The Alchemist got caught with weed in Germany & they took his blood

What started as an innocent story on how Alchemist was shook he couldn’t bring weed to Dubai, ended in a tragic story about how he got caught with weed in Germany.

“Got pulled over, we had some weed,” Alchemist recalled. “They had an issue. I went [to jail], paid a bunch of money. They took my blood, it was fucking crazy. A German doctor, just imagine. It was the worst possible scenario. I’m used to getting my blood taken from a doctor, so I’m like, ‘you’re gonna be nice right?’ He’s like, ‘haha yeah.” Fucking jammed that shit. Then it was “not enough!” The other arm. Two arms. A whole bunch of shit, paid 600 bucks.”

Alchemist also came with the jokes this evening. 

“God bless, but now they have my fucking DNA in Germany. In a vile, they might be cloning me.”

Lidie had a similarly traumatic experience, getting a DUI in Reno and ending up in Nevada jail. They also drew his blood.

On a positive note, Alchemist did reflect on his current blessings, having connections in every country so he doesn’t have to worry about smuggling weed overseas anymore. 

4. The Alchemist’s favorite smoking memory is with Wesley Snipes

Alchemist recalls his favorite smoking memory being a kid at a Cypress Hill show and going on stage to hit the six foot bong. When asked who his favorite person to smoke with all time was, he answered: Wesley Snipes. 

The audience immediately clapped for that answer, as Alchemist followed up with the disclaimer: “he smokes!”

Lidie also had a GOATed answer, telling his story about chiefing with actor John C. Reilly (the other half of Step Brothers alongside Will Farrell).

5. The Alchemist read ‘The Alchemist’ after he named himself

A lot of fans may assume The Alchemist named himself after the iconic self-help book, The Alchemist. He clarified that he actually read the book after the fact, and fell in love like everyone else.

“Definitely read it afterwards, I was like ‘this shit is dope’’,” Alchemist explained. “I read it quick, that’s like a one night read. Anyone can relate to it. When I read it, damn this is crazy. Santiago and the whole journey, but anybody could relate to that book. Everyone loves it, it’s one of the top selling fucking books in the world.”

Similarly, Lidie explained why the Alien Labs name holds so much weight.

“I lived in San Francisco too, so I’d go to The Hemp Center,” Lidie states. “I’d get all the fire Girl Scout Cookies. When I started learning about that culture, all I really knew was that it didn’t represent me. Of course, I loved Hip-Hop. I was into urban culture, but I was also into anime and horror movies. Nerd shit, video games. When I went back and I started thinking about what I wanted out of a brand, the ‘alien’ term was really a double entendre for extraterrestrial life, but then outsider. That’s what we were.”

How Lidie viewed himself in the cannabis community is parallel to The Alchemist’s uniqueness to the rap game.

“Anyone that was different and didn’t feel like they had a place in that culture at that time to gather, we nailed that,” Lidie continued. “All of you guys here that have love for Alien Labs, you like the same shit I like. That’s really what Alien Labs is, it’s the outsiders and people that don’t feel like they always belong.”

The Alien Labs’ tagline is “You are not alone, fueled by Lidie’s own journey with mental health and depression. This allowed him to create this brand for people to come together, celebrate the plant and celebrate each other.

“Make friends and make a community, that is the reason we’re so successful,” he concludes.

The greats of California cannabis past, present, and future gathered in Santa Rosa, CA Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20-21 for the Hall of Flowers trade show and festival. Amid the 13,000 guests over two days—we spied Swami from Swami Select joining in Wiz Khalifa’s 4:20 p.m. world record attempt smokeout.

And we saw the next generation of canna-fans explore the trees, dabs, vapes, and so much more.

Watch along with Leafly correspondent Lindsay Maharray’s video Reel of the weekend.

With over 300 vendors and 13,000 attendees—everyone enjoyed the old-school weed festival vibes. OCB rolling papers said they set the ‘world record for the most joints lit at once.’ Here’s one more Reel.

Related

How to order weed delivery online with Leafly

This September, the nation’s budtenders give us their Budtender’s Choice 2024 picks for the best strain and brand in the state, but you don’t have to wait for the results to come in to smoke that fire.

Leafly Buzz flew up and down California, scooping up tasty nugs and seeing which jars we finished first. After scouring strain search trends and menus—we find ourselves deep in the hype stuff: Blue Gushers, Cherry Gushers, Permanent Marker Bx1, and the like.

Here’s your monthly cheat codes to the best bong loads of September. Here’s September’s Leafly Buzz.

Data grinder

We broke out our calculators, plugged into the Leafly strain database, and ran a scan for zaza. Here’s what the stats tell us.

Lemon Cherry Gelato

No. #2

So popular you love it or loathe it, Lemon Cherry Gelato climbs into the number two strain spot in the western states this month. For newcomers, it’s a hybrid indica that’s relaxing, soothing, and silly. As popular as a pinot noir, fine cannabis brands each claim their own cut of this cultivar—popularized by Backpack Boyz. Some say LCG is re-branded Gelato #33, others Gelato x Z. 

GMO

No. #8

GMO Cookies charges into the No. 8 spot out west this month with a stanky, somnambulant stone. Chemmy, gassy, and dank—GMO nugs come super-size for bag appeal. Oregon and Michigan both specialize in GMOs.

Gary Payton

No. #9

Gary Payton hits a slippery spot and drops to No. 9 this month. The dessert strain is built from The Y and Snowman, with a jammy floral fuel note. Bred by Powerzzzup Genetics in the Bay Area, growers coast-to-coast rock Payton in their lineup.

White Runtz

up 22.4%

Rounding out an all-cookie fam Data Grinder we see White Runtz doing numbers. It’s up 22.4% month over month, with really similar traits to Lemon Cherry Gelato. It’s just a little more calming, and more dense. Both test high in caryophyllene, limonene, and linalool.

New in the Leafly strain database

Cherry Pie x Z x Biscotti

Old-school Cherry Pie gets the candy of Z and the cookie of Biscotti in this 3-way cross. Dark, icy, striking, and dank—this flavor is another end-of-day reward. High-end indoor flower grower Bosky won the Transbay Challenge qualifier of San Diego with Cherry Pie x Z x Biscotti this summer.

Blue Gushers

California and Arizona brand Made grows the Blue Gushers a type of Triangle Kush x Gelato 41 with a blue hue and sweet, gooey, berry taste. Blue Gushers is a sweet hybrid for getting creative or tripping on a nature video.

Pink Froot

Colorado-based Green Dot Labs is back with another exclusive cannabis strain drop, coming in October, GDL’s Pink Frōōt strain has a tropical taffy candy and euphoric, yet functional buzz.

Sour Elvis

Sour Diesel and the strain Elvis (AK-47 x Skunk #1) combine in Sour Elvis, spotted at Hall of Flowers from the East Coast brand Nature Always Wins. It’s a really unique mix of old-school sour with more fuel and dank from the Elvis.

Picks of the dispensaries

New on shelves

Double Rainbow

Happy Trails

Double Rainbow will leave veteran smokers cooked on a 37% THC indica hybrid cross of Rainbow Cookies and Purple Hulk. Happy Trails’ jar of it got me uncomfortably high and yet I’d come back for half-bowls and ride the rainbow, holding on through deep breathing and water. Sometimes you just want a journey. Woman and social equity-owned flower company Happy Trails from Oakland, CA keeps crushing it.

Burning up the charts

Pineapple Jack

Happy Trails

Phew, we broke the cookies spell with some classic Pineapple Jack, jarred by Happy Trails in California. It’s got pineapple, tropical and pine notes and zippy, focused daytime effects. Pineapple Jack is going to make that art project crank by.

Best-sellers

Ballin out

Cherry Gushers

SF Canna

While Made grows Blue Gushers down south, SF Canna has Cherry Gushers (Acai x Black Cherry Funk) for the Bay Area. Candy, gas in a gorgeous, multi-colored, resinous package—Cherry Gushers is great after a meal in the back yard with the gang.

Ballin’ on a budget

Permanent Marker Bx1

Made

Leafly Strain of the Year 2023 Permanent Marker keeps on charging with Permanent Marker Bx1, which stands for backcross. It’s even more of what makes Permanent Marker a winner—magic marker fumes and a dramatic dark look. Bred by Seed Junky and grown at scale by Made—it’s another perfect after-work treat.  

High Note

Puffco’s new Storm Peak and Proxy

The annual Puffco party Puffcon has arrived and with it—the latest color for their hit lineup. This time, it’s the smokey, blue “storm” colorway for the New Peak and the Proxy. The Puffco offers the nicest way to onboard a friend who wants to start dabbing. Yet the advanced settings are not to be trifled with.

OK, we’re heading into the fray at Hall of Flowers in Santa Rosa. We’ll be back with even more hot, hot heat from the weed beat.

Growers, breeders, brands, stores—got buzz for Leafly? We’re all ears. Email us at david.downs@leafly.com