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
Album + Tour:
Berner is one of rap music’s most productive stoners, releasing countless albums and mixtapes and collaborating with the game’s best and brightest, bringing the same high level of quality to his music and his business endeavours. Today, the Bay Area rapper and Wiz Khalifa associate releases Hempire, his 22nd album and the first of three albums he is preparing to release this year. The 18-track Hempire is lush and expansive, with twinkling keys, syrupy bass, helium vocal samples, and wavy synths creating a stoner’s paradise for listeners and rappers alike. Berner is on top form throughout, boasting about his weed empire on “Best Thang Smokin’,” contemplating his mortality on “Murals,” and worrying about going to prison and leaving his son at home on “Next Up.” On Hempire, Berner rolls out the green carpet for a litany of all-star guests, including Khalifa (who appears on five tracks), Snoop Dogg, K Camp, Travis Porter, Mistah F.A.B., B-Real, Atmosphere, Juicy J, Project Pat, Young Dolph, and Lil Kim, who revisits the “Get Money” beat on album highlight “Still Rich.” Last week, Berner released “Home,” Hempire‘s opening track, on his Soundcloud page and earlier in March, Berner dropped the video for “Best Thang Smokin’,” featuring Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa and B Real, which has racked up nearly a million views on YouTube.
Hempire follows last year’s release of Berner’s Contraband EP, a collaborative EP with Cam’Ron. 2015 also saw Berner release three solo projects, 20 Lights and both albums in the Prohibition series, as well as a Drought Season 3, collaborative LP with the late Bay Area legend The Jacka. Berner signed to Taylor Gang in 2011 and quickly burst onto the national scene with “Yoko” featuring Wiz Khalifa and Big K.R.I.T. Though Berner is a prolific rapper, he is an equally industrious businessman. Berner is the founder and co-owner of Cookies SF, an apparel company that has sold more than 60,000 units, and in 2014 launched a new brand of organic herbal beverages called Hemp20.
Along with the release of Hempire, Berner announces the Best Thang Smokin’ Tour, which commences at Berner’s annual 4/20 show, this year at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. The 30-date Best Thang Smokin’ Tour, presented by FlavRx and Cookies SF, features fellow Bay Area emcees Kool John of HBK Gang and Anonymous That Dude as supporting performers.
Purchase Hempire on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/hempire/id1089077452?app=itunes
Purchase Best Thang Smokin’ Tour Tix: http://www.bernermusic.com/tour/
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.
bandcamp | twitter | facebook | youtube | soundcloud
“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