5 Takeaways from “Ted Talk” from The Alchemist & Alien Labs in LA
By Shirley Ju
Music and cannabis go hand in hand… and that's exactly what happens when two legendary figures in their respective industries come together.
On Wednesday, September 25th, Ted Lidie, founder of Alien Labs, hosted his exclusive “Ted Talk” series in Los Angeles, this time joined by The Alchemist, one of rap's most respected producers and DJs. This is just one example of Lidie's extensive relationship rolodex.
For those who don't know, Alien Labs is a legacy cannabis brand known not only for its high-quality products, but also for its innovative approach in all areas. Her motto is “You are not alone” and is based on Lidie’s personal experiences of struggling with his mental health and finding his footing in this thing called life. They are also a lifestyle brand, with clothing available at stores like Zumiez and Hibbett.
The Alchemist, on the other hand, is considered one of the most influential producers and has worked with greats such as Eminem, Action Bronson, Freddie Gibbs and others.
Today's Ted Talk takes place on the roof of EP & LP on La Cienega Blvd and follows a series of successful events in major cities such as Sacramento, San Diego and San Jose, followed by Arizona to Los Angeles. The evening featured live music, food, drinks and of course Alien Labs flowers.
Here are five takeaways from the intimate conversation that sits at the intersection of cannabis culture and music.
1. The Alchemist grew up in LA in the 90s
Contrary to what people might think, The Alchemist grew up on the West Coast, specifically West Los Angeles, in the '90s. Given his ties to East Coast hip-hop, many people might assume he is from that side of the country.
“I have an older brother who's a year and a half older, so I always hung out with his crew,” Alchemist explained. “The west side of LA, it was a time. If you've been around, you know weed wasn't always around, so you had to know someone good. Sometimes it was here, then you had to wait for it. It's not there, you have to wait a month then you'll have some nonsense. They would wait and it would show up. But I come from a time when you had to know someone who knew someone.”
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Alchemist actually grew up with fellow West Coast rapper Evidence, who he met at the Troubadour. And because Evidence lived in Venice, they always had a neighbor or someone they could get weed from. One day, Alchemist decided to trade his baseball card collection for a quarter pound of weed… and the rest was history.
2. The Alchemist prefers small joints and coffee throughout the day
We all know that coffee and cannabis complement each other perfectly. Alchemist hilariously calls it the “poor man’s speedball.”
When asked how much Alchemist enjoys drinking, he reveals that he now prefers papers, but it all started with the bongs.
“I always went to the studio and brought the bong into the studio. People thought I was crazy.”
We all know how much Alchemist loves marijuana, as Lidie put it: “one of the true, rare smokers in the weed industry.” How often does he really smoke? All day long.
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“It depends on the day,” Alchemist explained. “When I make music in the studio, I smoke almost all day. I drink coffee and smoke, it's like the poor man's speedball. The safe option. All day, and I start early. I get up at fucking 7am. I make most of my beats early in the morning.”
But he doesn't smoke large joints, instead he rolls tiny personal joints. His friends call them “mosquito legs” and he smokes a lot of them.
3. The alchemist was caught with weed in Germany and his blood was taken
What started as an innocent story about how Alchemist was devastated because he couldn't bring weed to Dubai ended in a tragic story about how he was caught with weed in Germany.
“We got pulled over, we had some weed,” Alchemist recalled. “They had a problem. I left [to jail]paid a lot of money. They took my blood, it was fucking crazy. A German doctor, imagine. It was the worst possible scenario. I'm used to having my blood drawn by a doctor, so I'm like, “That'll be nice, right?” He's like, “Haha yeah.” Damn, that shit is broken. Then it was “not enough!” The other arm. Two arms. A whole lot of shit, paid $600.”
Alchemist also came with the jokes tonight.
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“God bless you, but now they have my damn DNA in Germany. Worst case scenario, they clone me.”
Lidie had a similarly traumatic experience when she was under the influence of alcohol in Reno and ended up in a Nevada prison. They also took his blood.
On the bright side, Alchemist reflected on his current blessing of having connections in every country, so he no longer has to worry about smuggling weed abroad.
4. The Alchemist's favorite smoking memory is with Wesley Snipes
Alchemist recalls his fondest smoking memory as a child when he went on stage at a show in Cypress Hill to smoke a six-foot bong. When asked who he has always enjoyed smoking with the most, he replied: Wesley Snipes.
The audience immediately applauded this answer as Alchemist continued with the disclaimer: “He smokes!”
Lidie also had a GOATed answer, sharing his story about being in charge with actor John C. Reilly (the other half of Step Brothers alongside Will Farrell).
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5. The Alchemist read The Alchemist after naming himself
Many fans may assume that The Alchemist named itself after the legendary self-help book The Alchemist. He clarified that he actually read the book after the fact and fell in love like everyone else.
“I definitely read it afterward, I was like, 'This shit is awesome,'” Alchemist explained. “I read it quickly, it's like a one-night read. Everyone can identify with it. When I read it, it's fucking crazy. Santiago and the whole journey, but anyone could relate to this book. Everyone loves it, it’s one of the best-selling books in the world.”
Lidie also explained why the name Alien Labs carries so much weight.
“I also lived in San Francisco, so I went to the Hemp Center,” Lidie says. “I would get the fiery Girl Scout cookies. When I started learning about this culture, all I knew was that it didn't represent me. Of course I loved hip-hop. I was interested in urban culture, but also in anime and horror films. Nerd shit, video games. When I came back and started thinking about what I wanted from a brand, the term “alien” was actually a double meaning for extraterrestrial life, but outsiders. That was us.”
“Making friends and forming a community is why we are so successful.”
Ted Lidie, Alien Labs
How Lidie saw herself in the cannabis community parallels The Alchemist's uniqueness in the rap space.
“Anyone who was different and didn’t feel like they had a place to meet in the culture of the time, we did that,” Lidie continued. “Everyone here who loves Alien Labs, you like the same shit I like. That’s what Alien Labs is really about: it’s the outsiders and people who don’t feel like they always belong.”
Alien Labs' slogan is: “You are not alone, driven by Lidie's own journey with mental health and depression.” This allowed him to create this brand for people to come together, celebrate the plant and celebrate each other.
“Making friends and forming a community is why we are so successful,” he concludes.
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