The
BWS
WHO WE ARE
Built on Culture.
Driven by Truth.
TheBWS is the premier Black cannabis media asset, connecting cannabis businesses to the Black community through authentic storytelling, rigorous journalism, and policy-forward conversation.
From the U.S. to the Caribbean, Canada to Europe, Africa to everywhere the diaspora lives — if it touches cannabis and Black people, TheBWS talks about it.
🌿
BUSINESS & POLICY
Licensing, compliance, equity programs, and legislative impact on the Black cannabis space.
🎙️
LEADERS & BUILDERS
Founders, growers, dispensary owners, and creators driving the industry forward.
🔬
SCIENCE & RESEARCH
Cannabinoid science, health policy, and medical developments without the hype.
✊🏾
CULTURE & HISTORY
Black cannabis history, legacy-to-legal stories, and the diaspora's global influence.
"We're building more than a show. We're creating an ecosystem — news analysis, political commentary, business education, real stories from real people. When someone wants to understand cannabis and the Black community, they come to us first."
JELANI LOCKS (MARK A. CANNADY), FOUNDER & HOST
OUR VISION
In 5 years, if you're a cannabis business trying to reach the Black community authentically, TheBWS is essential. Not optional. We'll have helped launch Black cannabis entrepreneurs, influenced policy, and built a sustainable media company that gives back to the community that makes it possible.
THE PROBLEM
There's a Gap in the Conversation
Black culture drives cannabis. But Black voices are consistently underrepresented in where the industry goes next.
WHO WE SERVE
Made for Everyone in the Ecosystem
Whether you're building a brand, shaping the industry's narrative, or simply part of the community, TheBWS has a seat at the table for you.
CONTENT FORMATS
Every Format. One Standard.
From long-form conversations to 60-second policy drops, TheBWS delivers education-first, professionally produced content across every platform.
LONG-FORM
Deep Interviews
In-depth conversations with founders, politicians, scientists, and thought leaders shaping the Black cannabis world.
ANALYSIS
News Roundups
Weekly cannabis news coverage with TheBWS' unique perspective, business, policy, and culture through a Black lens.
SHORT-FORM
Policy in 60 Sec
One idea, one stat, one fact, distilled into shareable clips that educate and drive conversation across every platform.
EVENTS
Convention Coverage
Behind-the-scenes reporting and live show recordings from MJBizCon, Hall of Flowers, and other major industry events.
LIVE
Community Q&As
Real-time watch parties, Ask a Regulator sessions, and expert roundtables streamed live on Twitch.
ENTERTAINMENT
Comedy Segments
Saturday Night Live-inspired 2-minute comedy sketches bringing cultural commentary and humor to cannabis conversation.
CONTENT RHYTHM
Consistent News and Entertainment.
PATRON EARLY ACCESS
Long-form episode drops on Patreon first. Members get early access 48 hours before public release.
CLIPS & SHORTS
Short-form clips distributed across all social platforms. Policy in 60, culture moments, and quotable highlights.
PUBLIC DROP
Full episode goes live on YouTube, free for the entire community to watch and share.
LIVE ON TWITCH
Live stream or Q&A on Twitch. Education-first with real-time community interaction and open discussion.
NEWSLETTER
LinkedIn newsletter with episode highlights plus an original editorial article written for the industry.
ALWAYS ON
News commentary, community engagement, and social amplification across all channels, every day.
VIDEO LIBRARY
The Full Archive.
Yours to Explore.
Every episode lives on our site with full transcripts, show notes, and resources links. A durable content library built to last, owned and not rented from any platform.
Free episodes stream on YouTube. Members on Patreon unlocks early access, ad-free versions, bonus minisodes, and monthly AMAs starting at just $4.20/month.
TheBWS Library
SPONSORSHIPS
Partner with The Black Cannabis Platform
When TheBWS co-signs your brand, you get credibility in the black cannabis community. You're not reaching consumers, you're reaching decision-makers: entrepreneurs raising money, executives choosing vendors, looking for deals.
Jelani Locks
Founder & Host
a.k.a. Mark A. Cannady
DMV-Based
Politics
Entertainment
HBCU Proud
Culture
Advocate
Jelani Locks brings a rare combination of political acumen, entertainment industry expertise, and community-first values to every episode of TheBWS. A Political Science graduate of Hampton University (HBCU proud), Jelani has spent 20+ years working across entertainment, politics, and now cannabis advocacy.
As a former political operative with the Virginia Democratic Party and DNC, and a cannabis GOTV organizer during the 2024 campaign cycle, Jelani understands the intersection of policy and culture in a way few cannabis media voices do.
He's not a heavy cannabis user, and that's a feature, not a bug. TheBWS isn't built on stoner stereotypes. It's built on expertise, credibility, and the authentic voice of industry professionals who understand the business, the policy, and the culture.
THE BLACK WEED SHOW
The premier Black cannabis media platform, centering authentic stories, policy analysis, and the leaders shaping the future of the industry. No cannabis products are for sale.
WATCH
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LinkedIn Newsletter →
CONNECT
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LEARN
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Community →
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