When Afroman dropped “Because I Got High” back in 2000, it wasn’t just a song; it was an instant anthem. For many, it was the song to blast while cruising around, windows down, maybe sparking up. Fast forward fourteen years, and Afroman has flipped the script. He’s released a new version of “Song Cuz I Got High,” and surprisingly, it’s got politics on its mind.
This 2014 rendition isn’t just Afroman going solo. He teamed up with Weedmaps and NORML, two big names in the pro-marijuana scene, becoming their “brand ambassador.” The music video launched with Afroman rolling through LA on a wheeled couch, his afro a bit grayer, eyes a little heavier, rapping about the unexpected perks of cannabis.
I had problems with glaucoma, but then I got high
Smelled a cannabis aroma, and I got high
Glaucoma’s getting better, and I know why (why, man?)
Because I got high, because I got high, because I got high
In his original hit, weed was portrayed as his comedic downfall, the culprit behind blue balls and even paraplegia. But this time around? It’s a total rebrand. It’s like Afroman is leading marijuana’s public relations charge, now highlighting how getting “high” can inspire college attendance, curb alcohol abuse, and even boost state school funding.
Kat Smith, Weedmaps’ CMO, explained the timing, linking the video release to crucial upcoming marijuana ballot initiatives in Alaska, Oregon, Washington DC, and Florida. “We’re seeing this as a ‘legalization anthem’ right now,” Smith stated, “hoping it motivates people to vote in November. Afroman’s spreading the positive vibes of marijuana, showing how it can spark inspiration.”
Sabrina Fendrick, NORML’s spokesperson, echoed this sentiment: “This song is a cross-generational anthem. We’ve all grown up with it. It felt like the perfect opportunity to challenge outdated stereotypes.”
But is Afroman the right face for a marijuana rebrand? A high school dropout who embodies the stoner image? Maybe that’s the point. Perhaps marijuana doesn’t need a squeaky-clean makeover. Even Martha Stewart knows how to roll a joint these days.
When asked if the issues in the new song (glaucoma, college aspirations) were personal, Afroman admitted they weren’t, calling the lyrics “research-based.” “I know marijuana’s personal effects,” he said, “but I wanted to learn what scientists and others discovered. It’s informative, educational. I learned a lot, and people need to learn too. Let’s ponder, let’s think.”
Back in 2000, “Because I Got High” was pure internet gold, a viral sensation before “viral” was even a buzzword. No major label, no radio saturation – just people sharing it online, Napster-style. Its mega-popularity led to a Universal Records deal and a re-release on the album The Good Times. The song went platinum, selling over 1.5 million copies, snagged a Grammy nomination, and soundtracked the summer of 2001. Afroman later told Rolling Stone the song took “two minutes and 11 seconds to write. Some chronic weed inspired it.”
“Because I Got High” undeniably launched Afroman’s career. “It put me on the map,” he reflected. “Suddenly, everyone knew me. It was surreal, like the Macarena.” He became a college crowd favorite, releasing albums like Waiting to Inhale, Drunk ‘n’ High, Marijuana Music, and Pot Head Pimp. Weed references saturated even his non-weed tracks. Despite a vast discography, “song cuz i got high” remained his undisputed hit.
Afroman performing live, highlighting his enduring stage presence and musical career.
The song’s success? It resonated with both pro-weed and anti-weed crowds. The lyrics, a relatable, exaggerated tale of stoner mishaps, ironically highlighted stoner stereotypes. The infamous line, “I messed up my entire life because I got high,” painted a comically dark picture of marijuana use.
Ironically, Afroman’s life didn’t actually fall apart. Weed’s primary consequence was fame. The lyrics, however, fueled the anti-drug narrative. In 2001, a Massachusetts judge sentenced a teen caught with marijuana to listen to “Because I Got High” and write a report on its consequences, calling it a “stupid rap song” and quoting the line: “Now, I’m a quadriplegic and I know why / Because I got high.”
Afroman maintains it was all in good fun. “I was just having a good time writing it,” he explained. “Young, having fun, ignorant that anyone cared!” In a 2007 Associated Press interview, he said: “I was just telling a story… like a campfire story, having a good time. It’s a stew, a gumbo.”
In 2009, Afroman revisited “Because I Got High” on his album Frobama: Head of State. This “easy listening” version featured smoother instrumentals and updated weed-induced woes:
I was gonna pay the IRS, but then I got high
Write ’em a check, I guess, but then I got high
They took off my underwear, and I know why
Because I got high, because I got high
This remake wasn’t any more pro-weed than the original. It showcased new weed-related disasters, opening with sounds of Doritos crunching and weed coughs, and nonsensical lyrics like “A E I O U and sometimes W, because I’m high, because I’m high.” Huh?
Lost in a haze of past fame, Afroman continued touring, riding the wave of his decade-old hit. Then, in 2011, booked for a Columbus, Ohio, concert, he was a no-show. The reason? (Do we need to spell it out?) Because he got high. The venue served him lawsuit papers on April 20th – 4/20.
A close-up of Afroman, capturing a moment of reflection and perhaps hinting at his public persona associated with cannabis.
But things seem to have shifted since then. Afroman now resides in Ohio, where marijuana is still illegal but legalization is gaining momentum. Life is calmer, allowing him to focus on music. His upcoming album, The N-Word, shifts away from weed, tackling broader issues. One track, “Call Me Something Good,” is a surprisingly academic history lesson on the N-word:
The N-word is traced to the Latin word Niger
The noun we know, the Spanish word negro
The southern mispronounciation occurred
And that was the birth of the N-word
A surprisingly insightful history lesson in rap form.
Afroman also mentioned a stockpile of 17 unreleased albums, ensuring a constant flow of music. With so much in the vault, we can expect years of Afroman’s music, all thanks to… well, you know.
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