Lansterdam in Review:

Gage nabs licensing deal to bring ‘Khalifa Kush’ to Michigan

Rapper’s premium cannabis lineup heading to Lansing by December

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There’s no shortage of cannabis brands inspired, endorsed or created by celebrities and recording artists — particularly in the hip-hop world, which aligns especially well with pot culture. 

We have Leafs by Snoop, Trees by Game, Monogram from Jay-Z and Lil Wayne’s GKUA Ultra Premium lineup. Jim Belushi also runs Belushi’s Farm. Seth Rogen has Houseplant. And of course, Willie Nelson and Tommy Chong are both cashing in with their own weed brands.

Last week, another heavy hitter in stoner culture announced plans to arrive in Michigan before the end of the year: multi-platinum selling Taylor Gang rapper and U.S. Jointmaster General Wiz Khalifa and his dank lineup of Khalifa Kush flower, pre-rolls, vapes, edibles and concentrates. 

Gage Cannabis — which launched in Lansing last May — will work to develop and commercialize the products under a five-year licensing agreement announced last week. That deal also makes Gage the exclusive retailer of Khalifa Kush products across the state of Michigan. Currently, the Khalifa Kush brand is only available in Nevada, Arizona and Utah. 

“Wiz is a globally recognized cannabis connoisseur,” said Gage CEO Fabian Monaco. “We are confident that this partnership will allow Michigan to become a unique cannabis destination.”

Khalifa also released a brief statement: “From day one, we have only partnered with people we align with, who focus on customer and quality over everything, and Gage is one of the best.”

Gage’s provisioning center on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard marked the company’s fourth shop in Michigan. Ten more have opened since then. Gage also has state approval for 19 cultivation licenses and three processing licenses with plans to continue its expansion.

Khalifa Kush — which first launched in 2014 — is reportedly tailored specifically for Khalifa’s personal tastes, which include some potent indica strains that have routinely scored top reviews on the West Coast weed market. City Pulse wouldn’t cover my plane ticket to sample some products before they arrive in Lansing, so I’ll be waiting until later this year like the rest of you. Here’s hoping it’s better than Lil Wayne’s brand, which I found to be particularly underwhelming. 

One thing is certain: Khalifa’s pot will most definitely taste better rolled up in a joint than a blunt. The Grammy-winning rapper has made it very clear that he wouldn’t have it any other way.

P.S. If anyone out there wants to pay me to put my name on your pot brand, just give me a call.

Kyle Kaminski is City Pulse’s managing editor and a cannabis enthusiast who has been smoking marijuana just about every day for the last decade. Almost weekly, Kaminski samples some of the best cannabis products available in Greater Lansing, gets real high and writes about them.

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