On July 15, Snoop Dogg inaugurated his first cannabis dispensary, SWED, an acronym for “Smoke Weed Every Day,” in West Los Angeles. The opening event was marked by Snoop Dogg’s special appearance and the introduction of a limited-edition line of Death Row Cannabis products, paying homage to the late Tupac Shakur.
Located on Centinela Avenue, near fellow rapper B-Real’s Dr. Greenthumb’s dispensary, Snoop Dogg’s SWED store aims to become a cornerstone of cannabis culture in Los Angeles. The initial product lineup includes the iconic Alien OG strain, with four additional phenotypes available for fans to vote on via a QR code. The winning strain will be added to the permanent 2Pac collection this fall.
In addition to the cannabis products, Snoop Dogg’s dispensary will offer customers exclusive memorabilia. These include never-before-released photos of Tupac Shakur in front of a graffiti-covered Death Row Records logo and recreated matchbooks from the same shoot, available at select dispensaries through the Death Row Cannabis website.
Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur shared a close friendship, a bond that Snoop highlighted during Tupac’s posthumous induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017. Recalling their first meeting at a wrap party for Tupac’s movie Poetic Justice in 1993, Snoop noted, “On that night, ‘Pac passed me my first blunt. That’s right: Tupac is the first one that got Snoop Dogg smoking blunts. See, I was a Zig Zag man before that.”
Reflecting on their friendship, Snoop said, “That first blunt sparked a friendship that ran deep. We’ll always have his music, but this is another way I can bring what was meaningful to 2Pac to his fans.”
Snoop Dogg kicked off Death Row Cannabis last year after snagging the rights to the notorious label. His new dispensary, SWED, boasts a marquee styled like a California license plate with the tagline, “A Snoop Dogg Store.” Step inside, and you’ll find an array of cannabis goodies: flowers, pre-rolls, concentrates, and edibles. The place is a love letter to hip-hop culture, featuring a section dedicated to Snoop’s Doggystyle album with hand-written Snoop quotes on a graffiti wall and a smoke-proof DJ booth for Snoop to spin records. One standout artifact? The original Death Row wooden “executioner’s chair.”
Joining fellow rappers like B-Real and Xzibit, who’ve also dipped into the LA dispensary scene, Snoop Dogg keeps expanding his cannabis empire. His former brand, Leafs by Snoop, has morphed into Death Row Cannabis, dishing out top-notch products for cannabis lovers.
Next on Snoop’s agenda is a SWED coffeeshop in Amsterdam, set to open next month. This new venture lines up with his gig as a correspondent for NBC, teaming up with Martha Stewart to cover the Summer Olympics in Paris.
Snoop Dogg’s dispensary isn’t just another business move; it’s a homage to his bond with Tupac Shakur and a pledge to deliver primo cannabis. With SWED, Snoop aims to craft a unique blend of music, culture, and cannabis, giving enthusiasts and hip-hop fans an experience only Snoop Dogg can create.
