lifestyle
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
The end of 2024 is upon us and that means holiday festivities, gift swapping, and a lot of eating and drinking if we’re lucky. For those of us who indulge in cannabis products, this is a fine time to get gifted or hand out some holiday cheer so let’s get into it.
As my coverage of cannabis continues to take shape, I’m learning more and more about the wide uses for the plant and how it doesn’t always have to end up in a blunt, joint, or bong for me to get the relief and effects I want. I’ll level with readers and say I’m not much into flower but if it’s already rolled, I’ll indulge in a fresh “j” here and there. My preferred method of use is vaporizers, edibles, and concentrates and I’m more of a sativa or sativa-leaning hybrid kind of guy. I find it helps me with my ADHD, joint pain, and general mood.
In this short list, I’m listing brands I’ve tried in my travels across the country along with brands that have select locales but are still worth highlighting. Heck, you might be one of those frequent flight hoppers like myself so this can aid in your search for good products.
I do want to say that before we end this post and lock it down until 2025, please indulge in cannabis safely and observe the rules and laws in your respective hometowns. I hope all of you have an amazing holiday season and we’ll see you at the top of the year.
For now, enjoy this handy cannabis gift guide. Let us know in the comments what some of your faves are.
—
Photo: Getty
1. 22Red
Source:22Red
22Red is the brainchild of Shavo Odadjian, who some might know is a member of System of A Down. The cannabis brand specializes in a wide variety of flower, prerolls, concentrates, infused flower, and vapes.
Learn more here.
2. CAKE She Hits Different
Source:CAKE
CAKE She Hits Different, co-founded by Chloe Kaleiokalani, is dope for the fact we need more women-owned brands in the cannabis space. The brand’s Designer Distillate vaporizers are the first to boast a 1.25 capacity and boosted with terpenes.
Learn more here.
3. Housing Works Cannabis Co x Cartography NYC—Stoner Nameplate Necklace
Source:Cartography NYC
We’ve featured Housing Works Cannabis Co in previous gift guides and love what they’re doing up in New York. They also have a collaboration with Cartography NYC via the Stoner Nameplate Necklace now available for preorder. Peep the other gear in the eShop too!
Learn more here.
4. iGrowcan
Source:iGrowcan
For the novice home grower, iGrowcan is a handy option to help those with an aspiration for having “green” thumbs, if you get our meaning. Salute to the Royal Queen Seeds crew!
Learn more here.
5. Jeeter
Source:jeeter
Jeeter bills itself as the number one preroll brand in the world and they certainly have a wide reach in the game. They also have infused prerolls with TCHA diamonds, live resin concentrates, and more.
Learn more here.
6. Live ORO
Source:Live ORO
Live ORO is billed as a drinkable sleep aid boosted with 10 MGs of THC and 10 MGs of CBD, promising a relaxing night’s sleep in every bottle.
Learn more here.
7. Reefresh
Source:Reefresh
Reefresh is another drinkable cannabis option but without the bubbles. Sometimes, you just want a crushable sip and they have a 10 MG canned option, along with a concentrated 100 MG flavored shot that you can dose at your comfort.
Learn more here.
8. Royal Queen Seeds — TYSON 2.0 Collab Seeds
Source:RQS
For home growers, Royal Queen Seeds is a name most should come to know. And now, they’ve partnered with Mike Tyson, a known cannabis enthusiast with his own Tyson 2.0 seeds.
Learn more here.
9. Voila!
Source:Voila!
I drink quite a bit of sparking mineral water and having an infused, flavored version of the drink is right up my alley. Voila! is a brand that’s new to us but we hope to try them out soon.
Learn more here.
10. WYNK
Source:WYNK
Wynk is actually the first cannabis-infused hard seltzer I tried and I appreciate the fact that it’s a very mild dose that’s perfect for social settings and also for those who want to take a break from alcohol.
Learn more here.
Rihanna has a new snack she’ll be making for her kids — assuming she doesn’t take all of it for herself.
In a fun new video posted to the superstar’s Instagram Thursday (Dec. 19), Ri and a friend try out an unorthodox pairing: chicken nuggets and caviar. “Oh my god, I don’t like how much I like this,” the Fenty mogul says after smearing the spread on a nugget and taking a bite.
“Am I about to steal my kids nuggets?” she continued while going in for seconds and thirds. “I hate when I like my kids’ food, because I be stealing that s–t. I’m actually really nervous what my near future looks like.”
“In the spirit of Christmas, this one is for all the ‘snoccer moms,’” Ri captioned the clip.
Trending on Billboard
Assuming she actually shares with her kiddos, the caviar nuggets will go to 2-year-old RZA and 1-year-old Riot Rose, whom Rihanna shares with A$AP Rocky. In an October interview with Access Hollywood, the “Love on the Brain” singer opened up about being a mom to two boys, gushing, “It’s fun, I literally, I enjoy it so much.”
“I am just looking at them and living through them, and I’m amazed by every new discovery of theirs, even their boundaries,” she added at the time. “They’re teaching me how to be their mom as much as I’m teaching them how to be in this world and guide them as best as I can.”
Ri’s new “snoccer mom” snack tutorial comes shortly after she enjoyed a mom’s night out at Mariah Carey’s final 2024 holiday concert Dec. 17 at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. While there, the “All I Want for Christmas Is You” vocalist stepped down into the audience to greet her famous friend, who asked Carey to autograph her chest in a hilarious moment captured on video.
“Mariah Carey is signing my t-t y’all,” Ri hilariously said into Carey’s microphone at the time. “This s–t is f–king epic! … Look at that s–t, y’all!”
Benny Blanco has had a week to process his engagement to Selena Gomez, but he’s still in disbelief. Seven days after the couple announced that the producer had popped the question — to which the singer-actress, of course, said “yes” — Blanco said he’s still reeling from the news. Reposting Gomez’s week-old Instagram post about […]
Kygo‘s work has long been the musical equivalent of a waterfront resort, and now he in his team have created the real thing.
Palm Tree Club is a hotel and restaurant project by Palm Tree Crew, the sprawling company created by the Norwegian producer and his manager Myles Shear. Set to open in Miami on Dec. 21, the property is in the former Shuckers Waterfront Bar & Grill, a 150-room hotel that’s been entirely remodeled to reflect Kygo and Palm Tree Crew’s laid-back, tropical aesthetic.
Built in the 1970s, the building reflects the Miami Modern (or MiMo) style of architecture common in the city and South Florida at large in the post World War II era. The hotel also embraces Art Deco with rooms styled in the aesthetic and also features a restaurant, a 24-hour fitness center, a 20-ship marina (so guests can cruise up in their boat for dinner) and other amenities.
See exclusive images of the property below.
Trending on Billboard
“Hospitality has always been at the heart of the live experiences produced by Palm Tree Crew,” Shear tells Billboard. “We’re thrilled to extend this ethos to a Palm Tree Crew venue, offering a curated year-round experience that combines exceptional hotel, dining and entertainment. Having grown up visiting Shuckers, I’m excited to honor its legacy while creating an elevated experience for both the local community and visitors.”
The resort opening also marks a new expansion the Palm Tree Crew empire, which also includes its ongoing Palm Tree Festival (which takes place in luxe locations like the Hamptons and Aspen), along with an artist management division, a record label and other food and beverage projects.
A resort has long been part of the plan, with Kygo and Shear telling Billboard in 2022 that they’ve taken inspiration from the late great Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville empire of music, resorts, restaurants, events and other lifestyle offerings.
“He created so many areas where [his fans] can come together — it doesn’t even need to be at his shows. It can be at his hotel or a Margaritaville bar,” Kygo said in 2022. “That’s what we’re trying to create: something that’s bigger than the music. A community, a movement.”
Palm Tree Club Miami is a collaboration between Palm Tree Crew, Miami-based management firm Think Hospitality and the Miami and New York City-based real estate development firm Continuum Company.
Palm Tree Club Miami
Courtesy of Palm Tree Club
Palm Tree Club Miami
Courtesy of Palm Tree Club
Palm Tree Club Miami
Courtesy of Palm Tree Club
Palm Tree Club Miami
Courtesy of Palm Tree Club
Palm Tree Club Miami
Courtesy of Palm Tree Club
Palm Tree Club Miami
Courtesy of Palm Tree Club
Palm Tree Club Miami
Courtesy of Palm Tree Club
Jelly Roll is off the grid — and his phone is somewhere at the bottom of the Cumberland River. In an effort to reduce stress, the country star recently chucked his cell into the water and has no plans to replace it, he revealed on the latest episode of Bunnie XO’s Dumb Blonde podcast.
On the episode posted Monday (Dec. 16), Jelly began by saying, “I can confidently tell people I’m not gonna have a phone all of ’25.”
The “Son of a Sinner” singer then recounted to Bunnie — whom he married in 2016 — a recent drunk night out that ended with him asking his driver to pull over so that he could get out of the car and lob his phone into the Cumberland, which runs through Kentucky and Tennessee — not that it was an on-the-fly decision. “I was determined,” Jelly recalled, laughing. “I talked about this in interviews all year. I was like, if this tour goes the way I want it to, I’m gonna throw my phone off the Shelby Street Bridge.”
Trending on Billboard
Jelly went on to explain why it’s more “healthy” for him to be phoneless, noting that he’ll probably downgrade to a simple flip phone in 2025. “I was getting to a point that I was getting hundreds and hundreds of text messages a day,” he shared. “And I just was overwhelmed. I would just feel like such a bad human for missing them. I was carrying a lot of guilt. This phone was causing me a lot of guilt.”
“I would use my phone as a way to avoid,” the Nashville native added. “I would be missing text messages and know there were so many over there that it was too stressful to go check. So I would avoid that by mindless scrolling or, you know, I had these news alerts on my phone, and then we become big news stories all the time. I started getting caught up in that. It doesn’t make me a better person.”
Jelly is currently on break from his Beautifully Broken Tour, which picks back up in Canada in March following a festival performance at Coors Light Birds Nest in Scottsdale, Ariz. In April, he’ll join Post Malone on a two-month joint North American stadium trek.
While on tour, the musician — who recently performed two tracks at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards — has been open about his weight-loss journey. On Dumb Blonde, Jelly explained why he’s stayed so public about the process, telling Bunnie, “I want to be honest about my struggles with it for people.”
“I think that people that become as big as I became, when they lose the weight, they’re so ashamed that they go and hide and lose the weight,” continued Jelly, who revealed he’s now lost 140 pounds. “I wanted to lose [weight] in front of everybody, I wanted to talk about it. I want to bring people along with me.”
Listen to his episode on Dumb Blonde below.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The Billboard Family Hits of the Week compiles what’s new and worth your family’s time in music, movies, TV, books, games and more. Forget the mind-numbing scrolling and searching “what to watch for family movie night” … again. The best in family entertainment each week is all in one place, in this handy guide. Isn’t it satisfying to cross something off your list?
Leading up to winter break, you might be looking for ideas on how to entertain your kids while they’re out of school. If shiny new gifts and holiday cheer start losing their shine as the days go on, let Billboard Family step in with suggestions for what to check out together in mid-late December.
Need to get out of the house together? On Friday, Dec. 20, Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King opens in movie theaters, featuring a superstar mother-daughter duo on the cast list. Among the voices lending their talent to the film is 12-year-old Blue Ivy Carter as Kiara, Simba and Nala’s daughther. Blue Ivy is the real-life daughter of parents Jay-Z and Beyoncé, who reprises her role as Nala in the franchise’s latest theatrical release.
Would you rather stay in? Gather up some holiday treats (maybe you’d like to try baking Taylor Swift‘s chai sugar cookies with cinnamon eggnog icing) and cozy up at the couch for the Inside Out spin-off Dream Productions, a miniseries now streaming on Disney+. At just four 20-minute episodes, it’s about the length of a typical family movie.
We’re always looking for contenders to add to our holiday season playlist, and Lady Gaga‘s new rock cover of “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” puts a fun twist on a classic.
Always here with a rec for the Swiftie in your home, I’ll say that if you haven’t watched them yet, this series of behind-the-scenes clips (just uploaded to YouTube on Swift’s birthday) are worth tuning in to with fans of any age. They give a glimpse at the work the singer puts in off the stage and behind the camera, in the less glamorous but just as creative role of director.
Find out more about this week’s top picks in the Billboard Family Hits of the Week:
Stream Pixar’s ‘Dream Productions’ on Disney+
Brian Austin Green is firmly on the side of Megan Fox — to whom he was married from 2010 to 2022 and shares three kids with — when it comes to the actress’ rumored split from MGK this week.
While out and about Thursday (Dec. 12), the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum reacted to the news of his famous ex’s split from the musician when TMZ approached him for comment. “I didn’t even know,” he begins in a clip on the outlet’s website, throwing his head back with a big sigh.
“How old is he? He’s in his 30s, isn’t he?” Green continued after the reporter suggested that something on the “My Ex’s Best Friend” musician’s phone had sparked the breakup. “In your 30s, grow up. She’s pregnant.”
Billboard has reached out to reps for the actress and musician.
The actor’s comments come just days after multiple publications reported that the Jennifer’s Body star and MGK had called it quits just weeks after announcing that they’re expecting their first baby together, with several reporting that the breakup had happened in November. Reps for both parties did not respond when Billboard reached out for comment at the time.
Fox and the rapper-turned-rocker had been in an on-and-off relationship since 2020, getting engaged in 2022, the same year she finalized her divorce from the actor. The following year, the pair called it quits before getting back together later in 2023.
Prior to her relationship with MGK, the Pretty Boys Are Poisonous author welcomed three children — 12-year-old Noah, 10-year-old Bodhi and 8-year-old Journey — with Green. The “Bad Things” singer is also a dad to daughter Casie, whom he shares with ex Emma Cannon.
While speaking to TMZ, Green added, “I just want the best for [Megan], I want the best for the baby, I want the best for our kids.”
“That’s a shame,” he continued. “I’m heartbroken about it. I know she’s been so excited, and the kids are so excited, for life and the change … I don’t know the facts of it, but if that’s the case, that’s a tragic situation.”
During a recent conversation, John Mayer and Shawn Mendes opened up about an experience not many others can relate to: having a high-profile ex write a hit song about you.
On the latest episode of the “Daughters” singer’s How’s Life With John Mayer program on SiriusXM, the two men — who, between the two of them, are believed to have inspired bangers by artists such as Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Camila Cabello and Sabrina Carpenter — got real about the “psychological toll,” as Mayer called it, of those songs opening up their personal lives to public scrutiny.
“No one’s gonna understand,” Mayer began, conceding that he and his friend are “handsomely rewarded for the stuff we have to deal with.” “You and I are both talking as people who’ve heard songs that — at least other people are saying — are references to us.”
Trending on Billboard
Agreeing, Mendes shared, “It sucks to feel like … It’s a funny feeling to feel like you’re being written about, and maybe the whole picture’s not being expressed.”
As Mayer pointed out, it’s also not exactly like the two musicians can talk about these issues to a professional who relates to the pressures of celebrity life. “You talk to a therapist and go, ‘You ever seen your ex-girlfriend on a billboard before?’” the “Your Body Is a Wonderland” artist said, laughing. “‘Let me tell you, it’s a weird two weeks.’”
Even so, the Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile star said he wouldn’t let that prevent him from falling in love with another songwriter. “The suffering that is from hearing a song talking about you in a way you don’t want to be talked about is not even close to the beauty of falling in love with someone for the first time,” he told Mayer.
Neither of the artists named names, but both have been in public relationships with very famous women in music. Between 2012 and 2015, Mayer dated the “Teenage Dream” singer — whom he bumped into at a recent Carpenter concert — and before that, he had a relationship with a certain Eras Tour headliner, whose scathing 2010 ballad “Dear John” is widely believed to be about the guitarist.
Speaking of the “Espresso” singer, Mendes is the long-rumored center of a love triangle with his “Señorita” duet partner and Carpenter. Cabello’s “June Gloom” and the Girl Meets World alum’s “Sharpest Tool” and “Taste” detail a love interest who’s still not over his ex, seemingly mirroring how Mendes was spotted with Carpenter several times in 2023 right before rekindling things with Cabello.
Without getting into details, Mendes did appear to touch on the situation with Mayer. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is no one gets out of this life without getting hurt, and no one gets out of this life without hurting someone,” the “Mercy” singer said.
Watch Mayer and Mendes talk about being the inspiration for songs below.
You better believe Nick Cannon knows all about the magic of Christmas. The host of The Voice was, after all, married to the Queen of Christmas, Mariah Carey, for six years. Plus, with a dozen children on his nice list, shopping for holiday gifts is probably a part-time job for the always-hustling radio/TV star. He […]
Taylor Swift is not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white-veiled occasion, but she’s very much ready to be a part of newly engaged Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco‘s wedding.
The “Anti-Hero” singer was one of the first stars to publicly react to her longtime best friend’s engagement to the producer, news Gomez shared Wednesday night (Dec. 11) via an adorable post on Instagram. “forever starts now,” the Only Murders in the Building star had written, captioning a carousel of photos that began with a close-up of her ring, and included a snap of Blanco kissing her on the cheek.
In the comments, Swift joked, “yes I will be the flower girl.”
Trending on Billboard
Numerous other friends also commented messages of congratulations on the post, including Cardi B, Jennifer Aniston, Lily Collins, Gordon Ramsay, Suki Waterhouse, Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Michaels and more. Blanco chimed in as well, writing, “Hey wait… that’s my wife.”
The news comes about a year and a half after Gomez and the “Eastside” musician started dating. The former first confirmed their relationship in December 2023, telling fans on Instagram, “He is my absolute everything in my heart.”
As the “Lose You to Love Me” artist’s friend of 15 years, Swift has been there for Gomez through it all. The two women first sparked a friendship around 2009, when both were dating Jonas brothers — Joe and Nick, respectively — and have stayed close ever since. The Wizards of Waverly Place alum attended multiple Eras Tour shows between its March 2023 kickoff and Dec. 8 finale in Vancouver, B.C., and both stars are quick to praise one another when given the chance.
“The most influential artist, for me, it is kind of Taylor,” Gomez said on SiriusXM in 2022. “Not because she’s my friend, but she has been an artist that can transition into so many different genres and she is able to do it seamlessly, and I admire that so much. And that’s so rare. I love her process, and I just admire all the work that she’s done. She’s definitely inspired me.”
That same year, Swift supported her bestie after the premiere of Gomez’s documentary, My Mind & Me. “So proud of you @selenagomez,” the “Karma” artist wrote on Instagram Stories at the time. “Love you forever.”