Raekwon's Plans For New Jersey Cannabis Lounge Go Up In Smoke

Raekwon must head to court if he wants to open a cannabis lounge in New Jersey.

According to NJ.com, Newark’s Central Planning Board denied Raekwon’s application to open his Hashstoria shop on Monday night (March 27). The board rejected the Wu-Tang Clan member’s efforts to open the lounge in Newark’s Four Corners Historic District despite the approval of the Landmark and Historic Preservation Commission.

Raekwon co-founded Hashstoria, which launched three locations in Oregon. He aimed to bring his cannabis venture to New Jersey before facing blowback from church elders in Newark.

“I pray that you will put this somewhere else, not in the heart of Newark,” Rev. Doris Glaspy said at Monday’s board meeting. “We’re not against people smoking marijuana if they want to. But they can put it somewhere else.”

Josh Sanderlin, a representative for Raekwon’s cannabis business, tried to alleviate concerns about Hashstoria. He insisted the lounge would comply with rules adopted by the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission.

But Sanderlin was unable to convince the board to approve the application. The decision may force Raekwon to take legal action.

“If the board does not approve [the application] this evening, it goes to court and very quickly gets overturned,” Hashstoria’s lawyer Kelly Carey noted.

Raekwon released a new video for his song “Not Angry” on Tuesday (March 28). The video is available exclusively on his Patreon.