Method Man Brings TICAL Cannabis To Staten Island

Method Man has been known as a marijuana connoisseur since the release of his first solo album, Tical, in 1994. As the Wu-Tang Clan legend evolved over the years, he transitioned into being a professional purveyor and eventually launched his own cannabis brand, TICAL. Now, four years after its inception, the brand is finally establishing roots in his home borough of Staten Island.

TICAL will be available through the delivery-based dispensary HighStone, which serves the New York City boroughs Staten Island and Brooklyn. According to TICAL co-founder Nathaniel “Nutta” Vereen, the brand will also be available in-store, "as long as all moving pieces fall into place."

The HighStone dispensary is expected to launch its first brick-and-mortar location next month in Staten Island, alongside the launch of the TICAL brand to the borough.

Since its launch, sales for TICAL have been fairly positive, with a deliberate slow roll-out due to the emerging market. The burgeoning powerhouse is currently available in 11 states including Colorado, California, and Nevada and currently stationed in 10 New York State dispensaries, with the addition of the Staten Island location bringing their New York toll to 11.

There is a strategic advantage to introducing the brand to the slums of Shaolin. Without a doubt, the starpower of Method Man is bound to attract not just marijuana enthusiasts, but ultimate fans of the Wu-Tang Clan who will gauge the purist effect of obtaining their cannabis goods from the legend’s hometown.

The act is also groundbreaking for Staten Islanders, particularly amid the sector of Black enterprise, as the motto of TICAL prioritizing Black, female and minority-owned partners continues to actualize. The presence of TICAL will serve as a trendsetter for entrepreneurial pursuits among members of Staten Island’s often overlooked Black population.

Vereen disclosed to me that TICAL has plans to establish its own branded stores nationwide. The company is currently in negotiations with a partner to create a retail licensing division.

Vereen stated, "We are working on developing a retail licensing division with one of our partners and potentially opening our own branded stores in Shaolin, New York City and beyond."

With the acronym TICAL standing for, “Taking Into Consideration All Lives,” Method Man has not only popularized the term as being synonymous with cannabis, but also established a lifestyle brand dedicated to hip-hop purists.

Throughout 2022 and 2023, which marked the 50th anniversary of hip-hop culture, Method Man was seen gifting various iconic figures in hip-hop such as Busta Rhymes, Pepa of Salt-N-Pepa, Rakim Allah, with goodie boxes filled with top products from TICAL. Not only did this give more visibility to the brand, but it was a testament to the expansion of the “Bring the Pain” emcee’s stance with cannabis.

Method Man's advocacy for cannabis goes beyond its simple use; it now influences the career paths of young men and women interested in entering the field. Since New York legalized adult-recreational use of cannabis in 2021, there have been efforts throughout the city to spark interest among enthusiasts looking to enter the industry legally.

Method Man, who openly rapped about his days as a troubled street dealer, now finds fulfillment in his cannabis brand endeavor. "The brand is growing rapidly. It's amazing that someone who used to get arrested for this stuff is now a proprietor... an owner of the substance that once caused so much trouble for him," he shared with Forbes contributor Javier Hasse during an exclusive interview in 2023.

This expansion for TICAL is a bold move for Method Man, solidifying his position as one of the most business-savvy figures from hip-hop culture's most prized era, the '90s phenomenon.