The Duke of Boulogne continues his immersion in the field of cannabis. Booba is now launching its finished products with its PRT LAB brand, with THC in authorized markets, with CBD elsewhere. Interview between Miami, France and Spain.
Is your foray into the cannabis industry really a surprise? What prompted you to participate in this field?
Booba: It wasn’t really a vocation but I always did my business in relation to my art, to my hip-hop culture. I always took the opportunities I had. Hip-hop brings many things together. There are clothes, of course, there is a way of life. In fact, I always allowed myself and always felt legitimate to do everything that revolved around my art. Weed is part of my life. When I saw that Germany legalized it, I told myself that things are starting to move. I contacted Julien from TH Seeds, whom I have known for 30 years. It had been a long time since he asked me to do something with us. And so it went.
Can you tell us more about your new products and what sets them apart from other products available on the market?
Julien TH Seeds: For our products that will be available in France, we only use French producers on small lots made by small artisans such as Jardins de Julien. We made a drastic selection of upstream CBD varieties and I launched Julien on it, with internal production in a controlled environment. The first lots they have already arrived and they are truly exclusive products, a guarantee of quality for customers.
For derivative products, it is the same. For vapes, we work with a distillate that contains 85% cannabinoids and terpenes from cannabis. It will really be a high-end, quality product, with material coming from Ccell.
And for tastes, Booba, do you know how to choose? Did you have any questions?
Booba: I already knew the work of Julien (from TH Seeds) and therefore everything that smells with his varieties served as a guide for me.
Julien TH Seeds: On CBD varieties, there is less to work with at the genetic level. But we always took the lead in selecting the things Booba wanted, with the tastes he wanted, the instructions he gave us. And for the vape, is the same. He gave the tastes that he preferred to have and what necessarily suits him and his personality much better. If it doesn’t represent the product, nothing happens.
Do you also target certain markets with THC products?
Julien TH Seeds: Yes, for the varieties of THC, he was also the one who guided me in relation to what I wanted, how the plant grows, how it is, and the effect it gives, and the flowers we will have.
Booba: And I didn’t want to just do weed that turns your brain off, you see. So, I wanted to do it for everyone. But what interests us is not only the height. I like to smoke, but I like to stay active. I am a businessman. I have a family. I do a lot of sports. I want to be able to stay active.
Julien TH Seeds: So we made 3 varieties with different effects for every moment of the day. We have Game Over that will turn you off. But the Mona Lisa is great for the day. And 7G is very good weed, it’s Neville Haze Banana Runtz. Here, it’s really sweet, hazy. It really just allows you to smoke something that tastes good and lets you concentrate. It gives you a boost.
Booba: It makes me think, as I told you, all my business revolves around my art. I’ve done several clothing brands and the first one I did was called the Haze Project in relation to Purple Haze. Finally, there is continuity.
Does weed help you for sports?
Booba: I think it depends on the people. Some people do sports to compensate for smoking. I do sports and use it more for recovery. Like many boxers and UFC fighters. Everyone smokes after training for muscle recovery, for muscle soreness, and for anything that really helps.
Have you ever had trouble marketing your products?
Julien TH Seeds: No, for the moment, it works like any other company, for registrations, to get a bank account that accepts credit card payments on websites, that’s just what’s a little more annoying, and that’s a little longer. Booba’s notoriety helps a bit.
Why did you choose Berlin for the launch of your range, and what do you expect from your presence there and from the festival?
Booba: We chose Berlin because the country has just been legalized, so we will be able to show all my products. And in the timing, which makes almost the first date of my tour. From what I understand, the Mary Jane is a great show, as we were ready, we were full, we said let’s go.
Julien TH Seeds: The Mary Jane show will become the biggest show in Europe with the legalization in Germany, this will allow us to deal directly with our collaborators, to develop the varieties we will make for the German market. And you can consume it legally anywhere, while in Spain, it is more limited.
And will there be continuity in music festivals around your CBD range?
Boob : Yes, obviously, we will distribute well and take advantage of my presence to highlight the brand. We have to distribute CBDeeyyyyy, let’s taste some pre-rouleyyyyy (laughter).
As a public figure, do you plan to use your voice in favor of the legalization of cannabis in France?
Booba: No, I don’t want to get into that. I will not campaign for the legalization of cannabis, I will let them do what they want, I do not want to get involved in politics. Like Alice Belaïdi. People know what he’s doing, but they don’t want to talk about it. It’s very smart to do that.
Do you have any celebrities in mind who have developed their brands in Canada or the US? Have you ever tried their products?
Booba: Yes, I know the Mike Tyson brand, even the Cookies. And in well-known varieties, I tasted Zkittlez.
Has living in Florida changed your approach to music or your business?
Booba: Not really. And when it comes to weed, it’s pretty quiet here. It doesn’t smell like weed when you leave the Los Angeles airport.
Beyond the business, what is the point of having your own brand of cannabis?
Booba: I have already joined forces, if I did not know Julien, I would not have put myself in this job. I’m not interested in doing it for the sake of it, and I only sell weed if I don’t know what I’m selling. We do it because we say we know how to do it, that we do our job well, and that every product is of quality. It really fits my world, everything is accurate, well made. It also has something to do with my art. Game Over is one of my titles. Floki in CBD is a character from the Viking series, one of my favorite series. 7G is the continuation of 6G, we are already in the future. And Julien has already won awards with our varieties.
Julien TH Seeds: When he asked me, he said: “With the varieties we have made, can you participate in the cups, as you did before?” Spannabis, we couldn’t because I was a judge. For next year, I will stop to be able to present our varieties. But we started this year with the IC 420 Cup in the Flower and Breeder categories. We came first with the Game Over, third with the 7G, and second in Breeder with the Mona Lisa.
Booba: It is confirmed that we chose well, worked hard, and that we are very good. And I love competition, so it’s fun for me to get into it, and even more so, to win cups! Even Japanese cuts if possible!
Julien TH Seeds: It would be hard if we don’t manage to make a top 3 at the Emerald Cup. It’s one of the only ones I don’t have with Ego Clash. I am confident that next year we will get there.