The “Mask Off” rapper’s new venture is set to launch in May 2023.
Rapper Future is the latest celebrity to expand their reach within the lucrative cannabis industry.
As exclusively reported by Billboard, the Grammy award-winning rapper and FreeBandz Global Music owner is partnering with Carma HoldCo — the global branding company behind many towering cannabis brands — to launch his upcoming slate of THC, CBD, and Delta 8/9 products. The line, titled “Evol,” is set to release May 2023 in California.
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“As an artist, I strive to enlighten the world with different perspectives and experiences, whether through my lyrics, live performances, or other creative endeavors,” Future said in a statement. “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.”
Earlier this year, trademark attorney Clarissa Harvey suspected the “Wait 4 U” rapper’s recent move on Twitter, revealing that his team filed for six trademark applications for a line titled “EVOL BY FUTURE.” Harvey also pointed to the rapper’s 2016 tweet where he wrote, “Love backwards #EVOL,” which is predictably the inspiration for the name.
Future’s venture into the leafy business is a part of a wave of cultural icons collaborating with cannabis operators to harness the booming energy in the market.
Even as endorsements, equity investors and shareholders, the association of celebrities with cannabis products introduce another level of marketing to the industry’s nascent cultivation.
“Future is one of this generation’s most prolific, influential artists,” Chad Bronstein, Carma HoldCo chairman, said. “His drive, creativity, and vision, in partnership with Carma HoldCo, will create experiences that will inspire consumers and further establish us as the new global leader in branding and licensing.”
Carma HoldCo’s branding and licensing prowess is behind leafy brands like boxing legend Mike Tyson’s “TYSON 2.0” and wrestling icon Ric Flair’s “Ric Flair Drip,” and others. According to Markets Insider, since 2021, TYSON 2.0 and Ric Flair Drip have generated $50 million in revenue. The companies suggest that their revenue should outpace its previous annual growth with $160 million in revenue for 2023. This budding acceleration points to the increasing demand for cannabis as legalization and state parameters expands.
Carma HoldCo’s distribution comprises 75,000 retailers across 40 states and 17 countries worldwide.
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