Cannabis Art Music Trifecta

written by Maurice Cardinal … originally published 09/22

Three organic elements tie NFT together naturally;

ART
MUSIC
CANNABIS

This article was originally published way back in 2022, and here we are in 2024 announcing that FINALLY, “In a groundbreaking move for both the cannabis and music industries, American Weed Co. proudly announces its role as the first-ever cannabis brand to headline sponsor a major U.S. music festival. This historic partnership with AEG Presents’ Cali Vibes 2024 festival marks a significant step forward in destigmatizing cannabis and promoting advocacy for reform.” Read the full story here …

We knew at iADX365 that it would eventually happen …

While NFT twists and turns, cannabis is building an underground movement designed to blow the doors off of traditional sponsorship models.

And if anyone knows how to do underground, it’s the weed community.

Everyone would agree today that many visual artists and musicians use marijuana to open their minds in an effort to access their unconscious selves–a hidden and private place where great art is often hatched and incubated. The psyche model is known as the ICEBERG principle.

The TRIFECTA – ART, MUSIC, and CANNABIS is a perfect creative catalyst.

For many artists, cannabis is a creative tool, and I agree. Pot is a great prompt for many artists. There are however other innate ways to reach into your unconscious self. For example, I learned decades ago to LUCID DREAM, and it’s now my go-to for creativity and problem solving–others meditate, as do I too.

I’m a fan of Ai Art–art created using software. Apps like DALL-E can also help artists peer into their unconscious selves. Keep in mind though that there is a difference in the art produced by a machine. The difference is subtle, and kind of like comparing a hand made oak cabinet to IKEA, or a fast food burger to a steak. It’s all functional, but there is an intrinsic difference respective of quality of spiritual experience. One is manufactured, the other organic. One is perfect for the masses, the other for art collectors with elevated expectations. An organic sentient presence in art is important for many artists and collectors.

Without doubt though, pot is one of the most popular and effective ways for many artists to seed a creative idea. Often however, it doesn’t put a creator into the right headspace to execute complex details. Many artists use cannabis as a way to discover an idea, then flesh it out later while straight, with many doing a final edit, once again, under the influence.

Everyone has their own process, but the overwhelming trend with visual artists and especially musicians, is to use weed to get you rolling in the right direction.

Unfortunately, governments everywhere do absolutely everything in their power to keep society from seeing and appreciating the connection between cannabis and creativity. It is what it is though, and if artists want to regain freedoms, it would be in our collective interest to push back and make sure the community and public in general know that cannabis is a common catalyst for creativity!

In Q3 2022, there are ten countries where recreational cannabis is legal in some regions within their respective borders. Canada, where I live, is one of the two exceptions where weed is legal at a federal level–throughout our entire country. In a very short time, maybe a year or so, Europe and United States will join the federal pot party, and when that happens, cannabis competition will ramp up to suffocating levels. If you think it’s tough now, don’t hold your breath hoping it will get easier. Canada is a leader in cannabis promotion simply because we are developing continuity throughout our entire country–municipal, provincial, and federal. We learn something new every day.

It’s not to say that Canada doesn’t have cannabis cultivation and distribution issues, as investigative journalist @Matt_Lamers recently reported in MJBizDaily, but when it comes to pot promotion and innovation, Canada is a leader. How long it will last is anyone’s guess, because historically, we don’t have a great track record when big ships pull into our harbors. We have a chance in these early days though to pioneer new processes, and register a few pot patents, but if we don’t capture mindshare and fight to keep it, Canadian cannabis will get pushed into the shadows. Canada made the mistake of selling raw logs instead of finished lumber. Let’s not do it again. Processing is power.

Don’t be surprised to see a strong move towards edibles and cannabis-in-a-can. When a company grows all that pot, you have to do something with it. The market is maturing and slowly shifting from shit-faced stoned, to cool and collected sipping-sophistication in nightclubs and large entertainment venues.

The old Bud(weiser), is on target for being swapped out for the new BUD(in a can) as a live and virtual event sponsorship cornerstone.

Brand visibility and credibility will soon be even more challenging than it is today. If companies don’t start now to stake claims and own eyeballs, they are going to be in the unenviable and expensive position of trying to catch up instead of keep up. We all know the importance of first on the scene, and what it meant for companies like YouTube, Amazon, and Microsoft.

Nothing has changed today. #1 is still #1.

The internet and the metaverse can work together to stake out the next frontier.

No one has to wait today for access to a foreign country’s mindshare.

The longer you wait though, the further behind the curve you fall, and in the big stakes cannabis arena, one month can make all the difference in the world.

It’s time … you snooze, you lose.

Here’s my first video about MUSIC, NFT, and COLLABORATION