With recreational marijuana use being legalized in various states seemingly on an annual basis, it’s hard to imagine what the United States’ thoughts on weed was back only 50 years ago. Leave it to hip hop legend Fab 5 Freddy and the folks at Netflix to remind the new generation of smokers about the turbulent, racist past that finally paved the way to the acceptance in 2019, with the new film “Grass is Greener.”
In the doc “Grass is Greener,” Freddy and various experts and musical icons talk the history of marijuana, from its “Reefer Madness” beginnings to its more socially acceptable times today. The documentary isn’t just some sort of typical educational tour through history, however. No, considering this film is marks the directorial debut of Fab 5 Freddy, you better believe that plenty of attention is paid to music’s influence on the weed subculture, as well as the impact of criminalization on the Black and latino communities.
Freddy interviews a variety of people for his film, including Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill’s B-Real and Sen Dog, DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Chuck D, Damian Marley, Killer Mike, and many more.
Netflix is expected to release “Grass is Greener” on April 20…as if it could be any other day.
Here’s the synopsis:
Weed. Marijuana. Grass. Pot. Whatever you prefer to call it, America’s relationship with cannabis is a complicated one. In his directorial debut, hip hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy (Yo! MTV Raps) presents an unparalleled look at the racially biased history of the war on marijuana. Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill’s B-Real, and Damian Marley join a range of celebrities and experts who discuss the plant’s influence on music and popular culture, and the devastating impact its criminalization has had on black and Latino communities. As more and more states join the push to legalize marijuana, Grass is Greener dives deep into the glaring racial disparities in the growing cannabis market.
