All The Smoke Gary Payton Pulled Up MAFIA Style on Berner Over His Weed Strain
4 snips
Apr 16, 2026 
Berner, rapper and entrepreneur who built the Cookies cannabis brand, shares wild startup stories. He talks branding and scarcity, naming strains like Gary Payton, turning down major offers, fighting costly legal battles, surviving colon cancer, and moving into film and community training. Short, bold anecdotes about music collabs, influencer tactics, and why he protects product quality.
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Use Genetics Clothing And Timing To Build A Cannabis Brand
- Build a brand on quality genetics, a strong megaphone, and clothing as billboard marketing.
- Berner credits Cookies' success to timing: unique strains (e.g., cherry pie), music reach, and merch visibility during early social platforms.
How Gary Payton Became A Cookies Icon
- Berner met Gary Payton mafia style when Gary showed up quietly at an Oakland restaurant and inspected the product before agreeing to collaborate.
- The organic collaboration included Gary recording intros, a viral vlog, and a likeness on packaging that boosted the strain's fame.
Protect Brand Integrity Over Fast Capital
- Not all money is good money; preserving brand integrity and IP matters more than fast scaling with bad partners.
- After taking investment, Berner saw margin-driven decisions compromise product focus, so he later reclaimed IP to rebuild control.
