Rapper T.I. continues his push into the legalized cannabis market. The Atlanta rap star has teamed up with veteran NBA player Al Harrington, to serve as an ambassador for his cannabis brand Viola.
In his new role, T.I. will act as the company’s Social Justice and Reform Ambassador and will direct the community impact strategy for Viola.
TI’s new responsibilities will include supporting halfway houses in California, Colorado, Oregon, Washington, Michigan, and Oklahoma, in partnership with his Us or Else social justice non-profit.
The rapper will also grant HBCU scholarships while overseeing Viola’s initiatives to make the cannabis industry more diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
Tip will help convey the company’s core values as it continues to give back to communities most affected by the war on drugs.
“I have the utmost respect for Al and all the work he has done with Viola to increase minority representation in cannabis and help Black and brown communities who have fallen victim to the War on Drugs,” says T.I. Harris. “Together we will expand social justice reform by providing tangible resources for disenfranchised communities and opportunities to build economic autonomy within the cannabis industry.”
Harrington’s company Viola has quickly become the nation’s leading Black-owned and operated multi-state cannabis operator and #1 top cannabis license holder.
“As we continue to increase our social imprint within the cannabis industry, I am honored to welcome my brother T.I. into the Viola family,” said Al Harrington, CEO, and founder of Viola. “His work helping communities of color over the years directly aligns with Viola’s core values as we look to meet the needs of underserved communities by fostering new opportunities for people that look like us.”
The news of T.I.’s involvement with Viola comes weeks after he announced an investment in a brand called Harvest Connect. The rapper is also planning a line of cannabis sometime in 2021.