Fifty-five candles are a lot to blow out, but if anyone has the lung capacity, it is definitely Snoop Dogg. The rapper, entrepreneur, Olympic host, and familiar face to seemingly everyone’s grandmother celebrated his birthday on October 20, and he has plenty on his mind, including what’s getting rolled up next.
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For someone whose name has become practically interchangeable with cannabis, selling weed might seem like the easiest business move imaginable. Put Snoop on the bag, put the bag on the shelf, and watch it disappear. But after a conversation with the CEO of Death Row Records Cannabis, it turns out selling Snoop’s weed isn’t quite as easy as flipping the switch on to the electric chair.
The Ultimate Blunt Rotation: Intern to CEO
Before Tiffany Chin helped Snoop build a cannabis business, she followed a career path that looked much more like what her parents and others had envisioned. Business school led to actuarial accounting consulting, where her most interesting client was the Department of Labor, a note that seems almost comical at this point in her career.
Seeking a change, Chin moved from actuarial accounting consulting to Target’s corporate offices, where she worked in buying and retail planning for entertainment. Wanting to get further into that world, she took an internship in Los Angeles in 2012 that didn’t even cover her expenses, but put her in the building with Snoop and his team. Her business experience caught management’s attention, along with something she hadn’t realized was common knowledge around the office: she smoked weed every day.
Living one of Snoop’s most famous lines, Tiffany’s understanding of the product goes beyond what is printed on a package. Her experience growing, trimming, and working with cannabis herself provides a sharp contrast to your typical corporate head and still informs how she evaluates potential partners.
After becoming a mother, Chin considered stepping away for a job that would let her work remotely. Snoop reached out just before she was due to start, and the Doggfather made her an offer she could not refuse.
Death Row Records, Death Row Cannabis
Snoop’s connection to Death Row Records goes back to his debut album, Doggystyle, released in 1993. In February 2022, he acquired the Death Row Records brand, bringing a defining part of his career back into his own hands.
While the music and cannabis businesses operate separately, that familiar man-in-the-chair logo carries plenty of history between them. Chin pushed to retain the Records name and imagery, which is displayed proudly in the SWED (Smoke Weed Every Day) dispensaries in California and Tha Dogg House coffee shops in Amsterdam. Keeping the logo was important for the brand recognition that came with the music label, although it also brought headaches and legal issues because of its association with death and capital punishment.
One question that came first to mind when talking with Chin was if we might see the music and weed come together in a release? I brought up Cheech and Chong’s Big Bambu, complete with its oversized rolling paper, and apparently the team had already been thinking along those lines.
Something customized and in the space had been discussed for an earlier Doggystyle anniversary release, but the timing didn’t work out. Chin did say something else was coming in conjunction with the album, although exactly what that would entail was still under wraps. A blunt wrapped album? We will have to wait and see.
In the meantime, the flower has been getting plenty of attention. Chin explained that the team has more control over quality now than during the earlier ventures, when she felt the emphasis leaned too heavily toward large-scale production.
Having tried both the earlier line and more recent Death Row offerings, I told her how much better I thought the flower had become. With Snoop’s name attached, I’m going in with expectations, and it has been exciting to see the product catch up and surpass them with every new release.
Premium Flower Without the Celebrity Tax
Celebrity cannabis comes with an obvious question: does the person on the package actually smoke the product? With Snoop, that question means a lot more to your average smoker. His reputation sets expectations before the budtender even starts talking.
Chin was direct about the answer; Some of the flower they sell comes from the same batches delivered to Snoop, just in smaller quantities. At the time we spoke, she said her team had recently delivered the artist a pound of OG that was also going into their retail bags.
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That doesn’t mean every strain in the lineup is his personal favorite. She recalled a trip to Colorado where Snoop tested roughly 30 strains, along with edibles, a memory they both fondly share. After years of working with him, the team has a good understanding of what he likes, so it’s mainly hit after hit now, but every once in a while, something misses the mark.
“If he comes back to us and, like, gives us trash can emojis, we know we f***ed up,” Chin said.
That product standard is only half the equation. The other half is making sure the people who love Snoop can afford to join in on the party. Chin pointed to flower priced around $35 to $40 an eighth in their lineup, a deliberate choice even though his name alone could command a higher price tag.
Another comparison came from outside cannabis: Snoop’s Adidas collaboration. The Snoop Seeley was a real extension of the footwear brand, with its own campaign and his personality built in. As Chin remembered it, the idea was to take something accessible and make it premium while still keeping it within reach of the same people who could afford the original.
“Snoop has always wanted to be attainable, but aspirational,” she explained.
Which makes sense for someone she describes as an everyday kind of man. Fans might want a little of his style, his taste, or the feeling of being part of his world. They shouldn’t need a luxury budget just to participate.
The Next Episode: Wellness
Da, da, da, da, da, is wellness important to the D O double G?
According to Chin, their conversations about longevity have gotten personal, particularly when it comes to his grandchildren. Being around for graduations, weddings, and eventually watching them have families of their own gives him plenty to look forward to. She said he exercises, makes some healthy food choices, some not, and values his mental well-being.
However, Chin recalled one instance when she tried to convince Snoop to stop smoking a particular product because she knew how it was made. His response was about as Snoop as it gets.
“If this doesn’t kill me, something will,” he told her.
For Snoop, smoking is something he enjoys, and he considers that enjoyment part of his mental well-being.
“I know this sounds interesting, but there has to be a balance in physical and mental health, right?” she said.
That interest could also influence what comes next for the business. Chin discussed exploring medical applications of cannabis, including research into individual compounds and combinations that might support future therapies. Clinical trials and potential patents are among her longer-term ambitions, but she still needs research to establish what those products could actually do.
Snoop’s reach could also help get people thinking about their own health. Chin mentioned her mother, who isn’t fluent in English but still knows him as “Snoopy Dog.” That familiarity extends well beyond regular cannabis consumers, potentially reaching people who might otherwise put off looking for support.
Still the Life of da Party
When I asked Chin what she hoped we would be talking about by Snoop’s 60th birthday, she flashed a grin and said, “more physical spaces.” She carefully called them “brick and mortar concepts,” leaving room for ideas beyond a traditional dispensary or consumption lounge.
“People want to experience it, and people want to feel close to him,” she said.
I had seen that enthusiasm at the S.W.E.D. opening, where the turnout and spectacle made it feel like far more than a trip to get some weed.
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Different spaces also create different opportunities. Chin described the Amsterdam locations as places where people can stay, spend time with friends, and enjoy music, food, and drinks alongside their visit.
Building that kind of experience and keeping it uniquely Snoop-coded means thinking about everything from seating to the menu, and carefully curating a space where people feel comfortable while also getting to experience a little piece of the Doggfather.
By his next milestone birthday, there may be more places to visit and new ways to experience what Snoop, Tiffany, and his team have built. For now, the birthday wish is fairly easy: good health, more time with the family, and flower that never gets a trash can emoji.
*This article was submitted by an unpaid guest contributor. The opinions or statements within do not necessarily reflect those of GreenState or HNP. The author is solely responsible for the content.