Carmelo Anthony is a 10-time NBA All-Star who has played 19 seasons in the league. He previously played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Portland Trail Blazers, and has since reinvented himself as a cannabis entrepreneur by launching the business StayMe7o.
His involvement in the cannabis market began when he began using cannabis in recovery for sports, emphasizing that cannabis has always been a part of his lifestyle. “I was always into the benefits and the science and education of cannabis,” Anthony told Forbes.
He said that he used tinctures, CBD, and topicals, trying to find out what was the right product for healing and soreness.
“As I started getting out of the NBA, I started studying and realized how important it is to understand all of the cannabinoids in the plant, as well. What is the cannabinoid, how does it affect the body? I dove into ways we could create this flower, let’s create seeds that are really effective. We can test these seeds out as well. Starting in Portland, we can talk directly to the consumer to the community, they respect us,” he told Forbes.
Anthony launched his pot brand on April 20 through Grand National, a cannabis-focused agency founded by Lowd Cannabis CEO and Founder Jesce Horton and Chief Creative Director Brandon Drew Jordan Pierce. Anthony met Horton, an advocate for black businesses in the cannabis market, through a mutual friend after moving to Portland.
According to Forbes, Anthony collaborates with the growing team and analyzes genetics for his cannabis brand, StayMe7o.
“At Lowd, we practice a mix of traditional hydroponic and organic methodologies to help our plants reach peak performance,” said Horton. “This includes beneficial teas, organic foliar sprays, and clean inputs using the industry’s most efficient equipment. All of this focused on consistently premium and potent flowers.”
Anthony’s cannabis line is available at two Native-owned and Black-owned shops in Oregon: Natural Wonders and Green Muse. According to Forbes, these stores are the first to stock StayMe7o Cannabis after its initial introduction.
Furthermore, StayMe7o is cooperating with NuProject to donate a portion of its revenues to Jeanette Ward’s nonprofit organization, which helps communities affected by the War on Drugs. Anthony wants to work to represent and encourage black businesses in the cannabis industry. According to Forbes, non-white-owned cannabis businesses will account for 19% of the market in 2023.
“This is a space with a long history of black entrepreneurs getting penalized and judged, arrested, and locked up for cannabis,” said Anthony. “Now for it to be legal, it’s only right to open those doors back up for those who want to be in this game. Who are already in this game. Instead of it being so singular, how do we come together and work together toward a common goal? Everyone has cannabis out here, what separates you?”
He plans to go to every state as part of his plan to build a nationwide brand.