The legendary independent rapper Afroman hops on an episode of This is 50 and talks about his career’s longevity, legacy acts, constant touring, and the cannabis industry.
Afroman and Bryson “Boom” Paul Chop it Up
The rapper from Palmdale, CA taps in with Bryson “Boom” Paul on This is 50 after being on the road. Though this is true, Afroman explains that he is constantly on the road and constantly performing. Even through the pandemic, Afroman was able to keep his hustle going with relentless touring and performing.
Image via @ogafroman on Instagram
He talks about how he is still writing and that he’s driven by his love for songwriting. He mentions the late Biz Markie and says that people love passion over talent. His example with Markie was his most popular song, “Just a Friend,” and how, though he was clearly not the most talented singer, the song was written and performed with a full heart, and that alone is more contagious than just being talented on stage.
It didn’t matter who was listening to “Just a Friend.” During the peak of its popularity, you may have easily found yourself singing the lyrics with your arm wrapped around your worst enemy.
Afroman and the Legend of “Because I Got High”
Afroman also explains what it’s like to be considered a legend. Though he questions the title, he can justify it when he thinks about one song: “Because I Got High.”
This song has been able to keep him from a day job since the late 90s and has been the song he is basically paid to perform at every concert. Fortunately, this is something he looks at with optimism and positivity versus being jaded and exhausted with it. He humbly accepts the title as a hip-hop legend as he processes this justification for it. It also doesn’t hurt that there are fans younger than he was when the infamous song initially was released!
He even shares his thoughts on the cannabis industry, which has boomed to a multi-billion dollar industry from something considered just as bad as meth back when “Because I Got High” first came out. Though the song is a play on the typical lazy stigma of a stoner, he remixed it in 2014 in order to highlight the benefits of using cannabis. This was his effort during the push for the legalization of cannabis across the United States.
Afroman’s Rise
Afroman’s career took off after “Because I Got High” was played on The Howard Stern Show. He eventually was nominated for a Grammy for the song and even scored a six-album deal with Universal Music Group.
The song is interesting because it is relatable to cannabis culture, but at the same time, it could be a repellent for people who fear that weed makes you lazy and unmotivated. For most of us in the industry, the song is a hilarious, dated way to look at stoners. Regardless, it has been the 20+ year foundation for Afroman’s stability in his career. It has created so many opportunities that have enabled his multi-decade long music career; and it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down any time soon.
