Marijuana Magnate Berner Rolls Out the Green Carpet on Packs, His New Album Out Today
The Cookies SF Entrepreneur Shares “Addict,” a Tropical-Flavored Visual That Provides a Glimpse Into Berner’s Lifestyle
12.19.2016
Critical praise for Berner:
“[Berner’s flow] now rolls off his tongue in a more effortless legato. His lyrics have also deepened in both his attraction to arresting imagery (“I can see my stones glowing in the limousine tint”) to an emotional potency that seems The Jacka-inspired in its multiplicity of meaning” – Pitchfork
The Announcement:
With 25 solo and collaborative albums since 2009 and numerous successful marijuana business ventures, Berner is one of the world’s most productive stoners. Gliding over glistening beats, Berner lives the high life on Packs, his latest album, released via Taylor Gang and Bern One Entertainment. On Packs, Berner creates a pothead’s paradise, with deep reverb-heavy bass, airy vox, and liquid keys creating an ideal atmosphere for a smoke session. Featuring appearances from Wiz Khalifa, Quavo, Young Dolph, French Montana, Paul Wall, Mozzy, Chevy Woods, and others, Packs is a family affair, with each guest seamlessly integrating into Berner’s blissed out world. Last week, Berner released the vibey, exuberant “Niice,” featuring Paul Wall and a typically excellent hook from Quavo, the first single from the project, which has already earned over 116k plays on SoundCloud.
Explains Berner: “While Hempire was a fun album and Prohibition with B-Real had classic stoner vibes, Packs is more street oriented and sample-heavy. It’s a throwback to my older sound for my core fan base. The album cover of me sending money in the mail explains the title. A lot of fans got mad at the cover, saying that it’s ‘too real’ and that I shouldn’t be so overt about how drugs are bought and sold on a large scale. The truth is, anyone who does this stuff for real knows that’s not how it really goes down.”
Packs closes out an exceptionally productive 2016 for Berner, who released two additional albums this year. In March, Berner released the lush and expansive Hempire, a lush and expansive effort that reached #4 on the Billboard Hip-Hop Album Chart and garnered over 20 million streams on Spotify. More recently, in November, Berner teamed up with B-Real, the legendary Cypress Hill veteran, for Prohibition Part 3, the duo’s third collaborative release in the past three years. Released the day after the U.S. Elections, Prohibition Part 3 responds to the legalization of marijuana in Nevada, California, Maine, and Massachusetts in the 2016 election and passionately advocates for marijuana legalization across all 50 states. Beyond music, the San Francisco native is a serial entrepreneur in the weed industry, building an empire founded on marijuana and related products. Berner is possibly most famous for reating popular cannabis strain Girl Scout Cookies, and founding apparel company Cookies SF, and he recently partnered with Jungle Boys to launch Exotikz, a home for the biggest “designer” marijuana strains and a legit platform for production & distribution.
To accompany the album’s release, Berner shares the visual for “Addict,” an ethereal rider’s anthem with Berner shouting out his hometown over a brilliant saxophone sample. The video finds Berner blazing up in a tropical villa, shooting pool and popping champagne as he enjoys a fine meal with a fine lady. A highlight from Packs, “Addict” is a great example of the album’s sample-heavy style. Packs is available to buy on iTunes and stream on Spotify.
Buy Packs on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/packs/id1186402688
Watch “Addict”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwQmIgy-TUc
Listen to “Niice” ft. Quavo & Paul Wall: https://soundcloud.com/berner415/niice-feat-quavo-paul-wall-prod-by
Packs Tracklist:
- Intro
- Halfway
- Talk Is Cheap (ft. Young Dolph)
- In The Mix (ft. Wiz Khalifa & Chevy Woods)
- Float
- 20K (ft. Mozzy)
- Niice (ft. Quavo & Paul Wall)
- Problems
- Slow Down (ft. Wiz Khalifa)
- Addict
- T.K.I.L (ft. Yung Lb & Joe Ski)
- Hurry (ft. Quez)
- Clockin’ (ft. French Montana)
- Fork in the Road
- Twenty One (ft. Smiggz)
- Chilled (ft. Wiz Khalifa)
- Strains (ft. Kobe)
Please contact Michelle or Dharmic for more info.
Berner Background:
For almost 10 years, Berner has been hip-hop’s most trusted source. His track record not only in producing marijuana mood music, but also steering the most discerning of smokers to the latest new strains and products in the marijuana industry is unimpeachable. The founder/co-owner of popular apparel company Cookies SF, Berner has used his green power to strengthen his music ties, and he’s dropped a whopping 14 albums to date. During high school, the budding entrepreneur born Gilbert Anthony Mano had begun playing around and battle-rapping for fun. In 2006, he dropped his first mixtape Dirty Sneakers. His first solo album, Weekend at Bernie’s, arrived in 2009, along with four other albums. He’s worked with numerous legends in the game, from Cypress Hill’s B-Real, Project Pat and Tha Jacka to Ty Dolla $ign, DJ Mustard and Chris Brown. This year alone, he will release another three projects: Contraband with Cam’ron, Drought Season 3 with the recently deceased Bay Area legend Tha Jacka and his solo album, Hempire. He boasts 417,000 Instagram followers, who turned out in droves for his sold-out Under the Influence of Music Tour alongside Khalifa, A$AP Rocky, Trinidad Jame$ and Joey Bada$$–and his 4/20 shows in the Bay are one of the highlights of the year.
Links:
cookies official site | facebook | twitter | instagram | youtube
Packs: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/packs/id1186402688
“Addict”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwQmIgy-TUc
“Niice” ft. Quavo & Paul Wall: https://soundcloud.com/berner415/niice-feat-quavo-paul-wall-prod-by
“FTB”: https://youtu.be/vuiX0PqX45U
Prohibition 3: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/prohibition-pt.-3/id1169776757
Hempire: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hempire/id1089077452?app=itunes
“Gunplay” (Remix) (ft. Wiz Khalifa & Hollywood): https://soundcloud.com/berner415/gunplay-remix-feat-wiz-khalifa-hollywood/
“Marijuana Mania”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4jA3kuQ-Rk
“Bern One”: https://youtu.be/LslhP0tcaPY
“Home”: https://soundcloud.com/berner415/home
“Best Thang Smokin'” ft. Wiz Khalifa, B Real & Snoop Dogg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJok3W0CENU
Bio, pics, and more here: http://www.audibletreats.com/berner