Amidst raging fights over HB2 Snoop Dogg and Whiz decided Charlotte was the still the place to make it cloudy

MERRY JANE Presents The High Road Summer Tour ft: Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa w/ Kevin Gates, Jhené Aiko, Casey Veggies, and DJ Drama

Snoop and his buddies kicked off the 33-city-tour last week. Charlotte was the fifth stop and anticipation for the show was high as fans could scour the internet for a preview of what was to come. The blazing summer set the tone in an imaginative puff of smoke; the stage was lit for a night of getting totally inebriated and lounging while enjoying a dope set with the coolest cat/dog around, our fearless leader: Snoop. The scene opened with an inflatable joint (the size of a human), which crowdsurfed the night away with fans swaying and singing while keeping it afloat.

Amidst raging fights over HB2, seventeen-time Grammy nominated artist Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa decided Charlotte was the still the place to make it cloudy. Possibly they were so high in a cloud of crunk-kush-zen, but it seems they’ve been open about their beliefs for a long time. “Humans are humans,” Khalifa said at a recent show, “Gay or straight, we got love for you all.”  

Those who know Snoop know about his legal troubles, there’s a section on wikipedia dedicated to this… (most notably is his coming out on-top-of a press nightmare for a murder rap.) Snoop came around in the times of real gansta rap, the formation of the true hip-hop days, his friends, his mentor’s in arms. (The Underground, De La, Fushnikans, Dr. Dre, Eazy E, N.W.A,, Tupac – who he still repeatedly sends love to during performances, Biggie, Rah,….). He has housed, dare I say dog-housed (#cheesyAF), the careers of many artists you know and love today.

Without a doubt one of the most recognizable rappers in the world, this man has shook hands with nearly every star, royalty, actor, politician, and kept the humble attitude to his life of the following: love is love, people are people, chill, enjoy life, and smoke weed EVERY day. When others are being taunted for the lifestyle, he is living it.

There is not an of-age person alive who did not bump to his now 23-year-old debut album Doggystyle for an entire summer. Regardless of if you even enjoy rap, you could not escape the grooves he was bringing. From the moment he stepped out among the mic, the limelight choose him – not the other way around.

These are just small highlights of a career that has spanned decades. The godfather of rap – the top dog of riff – the chief keef of tokes. Who would not want to catch this tour? Just for a highlight reel.

Each show starts the same – openers, DJ’s, announcements, fresh new beats, blast offs, some fans can’t feel their face, some get a contact high for the first time, and some girl loses her shirt. The bass drops and the OG himself comes out, blunt in hand, and sparks a fatty the likes most will never possess. The beat picks back up and you experience music the old way – making the new way still relevant and still entertaining everyone properly. If you don’t go for nostalgia you go just to say you experienced it live. It will not disappoint–hell, it will exceed all expectations.

Wiz Khalifa himself has been busy – you can hear some of his new material on the upcoming soundtrack for #suicidesquad. The buzz on the socials for this night was talking about Amber Rose side-stage for the set in Charlotte. Talent was a back-and-forth play of raps, hits, and new singles from Wiz and Snoop making this tour unlike most you’d see. Many hip-hop shows are an utter snooze fest and have interaction problems. All you have to do is scroll through their Instagram and fan’s ‘grams to see this is not your typical tour. Snoop does a few songs, then Wiz, then they do a song together — rinse/repeat. Most you get lost in the monotonous sounds of a DJ trying to trump the next artists up instead of making it, like this tour, a seamless display of artistic unification. This tour marries the release of Snoops new album Coolaid featuring Wiz on several tracks – like his new single “Kush Up’s,” we’ve previously spotlighted.

The High Road Summer Tour is riffe with Snoop’s kickback works such as “The Next Episode,” “Nuthin’ But a G Thang” and “B,— Please” and somewhere by the end of things you’ll hear “Gin & Juice.” While everyone passes around some of the largest blunts you will encounter, just getting stoned on stage publicly is not something many artists get to do – and he’s been arrested for this before and I dare say it will probably keep happening regardless of if people get it’s a lifestyle for him. He’s not glamorizing anything, he’s just being true to himself and he’s one of the luckiest around to have it translate and elevate him being the most notable stoner celebrity, right behind Cheech and Chong and possibly Willie Nelson. His business ventures include all weed related things — Including:

-He and brand manager Nick Adler released an app, Snoopify that lets users plaster stickers of his face, joints, or a walrus hat on photos.

-His first investment venture Eaze is a weed delivery start-up that delivers medical marijuana to your doorstep with 10 minutes.

–Leafs by Snoop is his new line of  cannabis flower, edibles and concentrates that came out March, 2016.

We are sure to hear more high-news ventures soon. Other notable acts on this tour :

Kevin Gates – Debut album Islah available now at –  Google Play | Amazon | Spotify Jhené Aiko -Latest release – Twenty88 (2016) (with Big Sean as Twenty88)

Casey Veggies  –Customized Greatly Vol. 4: The Return of The Boy

DJ Drama – Quality Street Music 2

To have Snoop back on the road after so many years with a new album, Coolaid, gives the fans some more tunes to digest, and a reason to spark at a show and get freaking lost. Is that not what music is about anyway?

It’s a lifestyle.

Get blazed and relax Snoop, Wiz, and the whole gang are rolling thru your town soon : Tour Dates

Side note: If you’d like to see just Snoop outside this tour he will headline the Democratic National Convention’s ‘Unity Party’ for donors in Philadelphia, according to a statement from the Senate Majority PAC sent to Billboard. The event will be held at the Electric Factory on July 28 and will also feature rock band Los Lobos.

View the FULL GALLERY by clicking here!

Date: 7/24/16
Venue: PNC Music Pavilion
Photographer: Richard Thigpen
Performances by: Casey Veggies, Jhene Aiko, Kevin Gates, Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa