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First Smoke of The Day

Craft Cartel: Kenji & Art on Bubba Kush, DJ AM & Industry Legends

It’s time to get familiar with a new brand run by two of the most decorated OGs in the game, one of whom is responsible for the creation of Bubba Kush and the genetics behind Dr. Greenthumb’s empire, while the other is responsible for building multiple grow tech empires, dipping his fingers into every aspect of the industry along the way.


Blackleaf is joined in the FSOTD studio by the legend himself, Kenji Fujishima, and his partner Art, to discuss all things Craft Cartel, CraftCo Direct, as well as their legacies in the industry, countless unheard stories surrounding celebrities like B-Real, DJ AM, the REAL story behind Bubba Kush, how Kenji got the original Bubba back from Trap Jesus after 15 years, where the industry is at right now, and so much more.


If you haven’t seen our first interview with Kenji, we highly recommend going back and soaking in even more of this guy’s insane backstory. To give a brief synopsis, Kenji grew up with BReal, and as soon as Cypress Hill hit it big, Kenji was touring with the group, picking up genetics at Sensi Seeds’ shop in Amsterdam, blowing out BReal’s garage in Hollywood with plants, collecting seeds from BReal all the years Cypress Hill touredessentially providing the genetic backbone for what would become Dr. Greenthumb’s.


Art has spent more than 25 years working across every part of the 🍃 industry, from its legacy roots in the late 1990s around the San Fernando Valley to today’s regulated market. He specializes in providing cultivation supplies and consumables to growers and operators, helping sustain the backbone of the industry with essential tools and resources. Art will weigh in heavily on the strength of his hometown connections, and how they played a huge role in the success of his grow store, and really all of his endeavors.


Throughout the podcast, you’ll notice that Art’s calling card is blending business insight with cultural influence to help cultivators get their set-ups and crops dialed to the max. You’ll also hear about Art’s partnership with Kenji on Craft Cartel and CraftCo Direct, and how they’ve gone back to the basics to tailor-make a connoisseur brand that redefines “craft weed.”


If you’ve been wondering what Kenji’s been up to since parting ways from being the head grower at Dr. Greenthumb’s, what his relationship with B-Real and the company is like these days, as well as the significance of his focus on Craft Cartel now, you can’t miss a second of this episode.


Did we even mention the genetics? There are countless strains that Kenji and Art produce for Blackleaf to smoke throughout this pod that’ll have your mouth watering, ESPECIALLY if you have a taste for the classic flavors. Real Bubba, Thai, and unheard of OG varieties are showcased by Kenji and Art, even an OG x Gushers x Mai Thai #4 pheno that has Blackleaf fiending for more.


Between the crazy stories of running around the Valley and LA during the mid-to-late 90s into the early 2000s, touring with Cypress Hill, discussions about growing techniques such as HPS vs LED, different hydro setups, building empires alongside your childhood best friends, and how the wrong grower can ruin the perfect facility, this episode is so jam-packed it’ll have you on the edge of your seat.


Subscribe to our channel and the FSOTD.com site to keep up with other key figures and enjoy conversations with trailblazers from the culture you can’t find anywhere else.

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