Leisure mogul Dame Sprint has made it clear that he’d like ‘Stoned’ to go down in historical past as one other nice stoner flick! He envisions viewers submitting it with motion pictures corresponding to ‘Half Baked,’ ‘How Excessive,’ and so on.
The movie stars Lucien Watson who occurs to be a former bandmate of Kanye West, as the 2 pals have been each members of the group State of Thoughts.
Dame and Lucien related at Kanye’s Wyoming ranch, and the remainder was historical past.
Captivated by Lucien’s hilarious nature and comedic expertise, Dame determined to instantly forged Lucien for the position after Lucien entertained Ye, Dame and different celebrities at dinner. Dame says it’s laborious to make him snort, however Lucien did precisely that!
‘Stoned’ is the right match for at present’s viewers with the quantity of hashish shoppers and as marijuana continues to be legalized for leisure use in a number of states.
Though ‘Stoned’ is a comedy, the movie additionally gives perception into the hashish tradition as each Lucien and Dame are additionally obsessed with Black folks moving into the hashish area.
‘Stoned’ is out now and accessible on Tubi, Peacock and the Dame Sprint community!
AllHipHop’s Rea Davis spoke to Dame and Lucien about ‘Stoned,’ getting extra African Individuals into the area, and recommendation for aspiring executives and entrepreneurs.
Dame Sprint: Nicely, it was a script that I had; we have been engaged on it, and after we have been on Kanye’s ranch, Kanye was doing what he was doing. And, , there was a collective of us that had nothing to do, so we determined to be artistic whereas we have been ready to, , kick it with Kanye. So, , Kanye flew my crew out on a personal jet, and we prepped for a day. I had met Lucien and his man, and so they have been, like, hilarious to me. So, within the midst of numerous chaos, , it was simply actually standing out as humorous, and so they have been making me snort, simply on a pure degree, and , I knew that they had like a pure sort of a rhythm and swag, so I used to be like, yo, I’m gonna put y’all in a film tomorrow. What’s your man’s identify? Nicely, I simply forgot his identify. James. So he was speculated to star within the film, however I suppose he thought I used to be f*cking round. He needed to go fly and feed the canine, so I used to be like, yeah, after which we needed to make a clutch audible, and we had the author star in it, and the remainder was historical past. What I hope folks get out of it, is that they snort and that’s actually it, , we simply had enjoyable. We shot it in six days, and we labored out with what we had, and we got here up with an amazing narrative; properly shot. And, , we captured the power and the spirit of what was happening, on that ranch, so it was like bottling up the funniness that was taking place whereas we have been on the market in a sure sort of manner. Additionally, it was cool to see the place Kanye got here from and his roots, , the folks that he grew up with that he retains round him when he’s, , could really feel like he’s going by it. And, , the truth that everybody has strengths in a artistic [way] and a humorousness, , being humorous, folks are inclined to assume that, , I’m critical more often than not, and that’s, , fairly the opposite. I get critical once I acquired to battle, however, , the identical sort of scenario occurred with Kevin Hart. You recognize, I noticed him on stage and stated, “Yo, I’m gonna put you in a film tomorrow,” and I did it.
So, , it’s sort of like, once I see humorous, I do know humorous as a result of it’s laborious to make me snort as a result of I’m a humorous man and, , Lucien is humorous; he’s straight up humorous. Then additionally, the chemistry between, , Lucien and Valor, , and a few like excessive white boy sh*t and a few excessive Chicago, , cultural distinction. I believe the widespread floor is absolutely humorous. So, it’s not similar to an city flick. I need to have like, one of many subsequent, , stoner flicks. I smoke, , I imply, so, it’s humorous; it’s a stoner flick. I need them to be speaking about it subsequent to ‘How Excessive’ and the opposite ones like ‘Half Baked,’ ‘Superbad,’ all that. So it’s considered one of them flicks that you just smoke some weed, you simply snort, and , have enjoyable.
Dame Sprint: Who truly stunned me? You recognize, the factor is, I at all times have a sense that somebody might present up, or else I wouldn’t do it. So I might say, the chemistry…. what was humorous was as a result of everyone knows Lucien is humorous, however each every now and then, Valor would catch him with a left hook, or a proper, like a humorous one that can ground us all. Whenever you referred to as him Tupac or no matter you name him. Whenever you referred to as him Vanilla Tupac. I believe the timing was.. the appearing collectively and the timing was stunning. Lucien added a superb…. he had a superb.. it nearly was like he was within the film earlier than. So we had good reminiscence, and we had good timing. However once more, I had suspected that he would, so I can’t say I used to be stunned, however you’d be stunned how many individuals that aren’t skilled in a standard manner which might be higher than folks which might be, first crack at it. You possibly can’t contrive humorous. It’s a pure factor. It’s a timing factor. They have been in a position to, on the finish of the day, write and make it possible for the script was tight and rehearse for the following day. So I used to be additionally comfortable about that; there have been numerous scenes as a result of I needed to cope with issues on the ranch that have been directed with out me, like, I’d be like, simply set the scene up, and so they did it, and I used to be pleased with sure scenes that I wasn’t there for.
Dame Sprint: Nicely, it’s literacy. It’s being educated. Trying on the states and the timing by which they’re going to get legalized and what it’s important to do, after which understanding the packages that might be arrange so that you can fail in the event you’re not ready. You recognize, my intention is for brand spanking new methods for us to become profitable. For us to not get disregarded; to make it possible for it will get translated into language that doesn’t set off us, [one] that we perceive. And make it possible for these alternatives, we all know them as a result of there’s nothing higher than a authorities contract, and so they’re prepared to assist as properly. However once more, that assist might be like, , a catastrophe and a blessing as a result of in the event you’re not ready, the one factor you are able to do is promote your license to someone or you find yourself simply giving it up.
Lucien Watson: Aligning your self and aligning your self with folks which might be doing it. You recognize, after all, , we all know the difficulties of, particularly, simply Black folks attempting to enter that trade, proper, so go outdoors of your circle generally. Make your self uncomfortable. Type of getting that data from individuals who’ve been doing it. There’s a bunch of firms out right here which might be doing it. Generally, , you simply acquired to sort of align your self with those that have been doing it.
Dame Sprint: Promoting weed authorized sucks. It’s not like promoting unlawful weed. It’s not constructed for somebody that did it illegally to have the ability to do it shifting ahead. It makes it difficult in order that the common drug seller can’t do it.
Lucien Watson: Proper, you’re not simply leaping within the weed trade straight from the road. This can be a complete bunch of…
Dame Sprint: It’s the microbes, you bought to be clear. It’s the seed to sale. You bought to purchase the whole lot earlier than you even get accepted. You recognize, it’s a 3-4 yr wait. It ain’t constructed for someone that’s used to a fast flip.
Lucien Watson: It wasn’t intense. It was six days. Intense within the scope of , simply always working, working, working. However I imply, in the event you’re doing one thing that you just actually love to do, there’s actually no depth, , what I’m saying? Whenever you’re put in a scenario the place there’s no pressure, then, , it doesn’t actually get intense. I imply so far as intense, , it’s within the scenes it was, , they informed me to behave like myself, and I requested them, “Are you positive? Are you positive you need me to do that?” And take off, and we simply took off, and , we like Dame stated, the alignment and characters and , simply in one another’s character. It was actually on level, and also you gotta assume that that is our first time assembly one another as properly. Not solely attempting to, , make it work on display. I imply, , we’re attempting to determine one another’s personalities out, , earlier than they even , similar rope, , so we simply thought, I imply, it was dope.
Dame Sprint: We didn’t have an excessive amount of time to consider it. It was like, shoot tomorrow and we began capturing. As quickly because the crew got here, we shot.
Lucien Watson: There was a enjoyable time like man, like he stated, tremendous enjoyable. I loved myself on-camera, off-camera, simply being with the , with the blokes, man, and I imply, hey, , we established a relationship, so man, I respect all people. I do. It was a enjoyable day. I had enjoyable.
Lucien Watson: I imply, what I’m saying, the rapper in me says, it is advisable to ask him what was it like being in a rap group with me, what I’m saying? However I imply, Kanye has at all times been artistic. We’re creatives, , and that is what we do. We’re artists. It was dope being round an artist. Initially, it was so younger, , simply so pushed together with his objective. It’s like Stevie Marvel. You recognize what Stevie Marvel was gonna be when he grew up, , so, it’s sort of like working with a type of. I imply, we have been pals, what I’m saying? I imply, we have been younger children. We simply didn’t have Hip Hop in widespread. We have been additionally rising up, sort of studying our manner world wide, navigating, , childhood and all that. I imply, he’s my buddy, what I’m saying? That’s about, , probably the most I can say. He’s my buddy, and I really like him, , so.
Dame Sprint: You recognize, I might say perceive that that trade is just not constructed for us as a tradition. It doesn’t behoove us, and normally in that trade, we’re checked out as a figurehead, however probably not truly the one that may make the selections. So, in the event you’re going to be in these conditions, just remember to take the rolodex. Just remember to get all poaching. Decide their mind, and when you’re doing one thing for them, have one thing tangible that you could additionally promote for your self after they’re executed. However the one cause for f*cking with them needs to be for them to hold no matter you’re doing, however don’t depend upon that as a result of in the event you assume that that’s going to make you secure, if that’s going to make you’re feeling unbiased, dependence on someone else is probably the most unsafe factor on the planet. It’s the worst type of safety. It’s the most important type of insecurity having to maneuver when somebody tells you to, or not having the ability to transfer when somebody says you possibly can’t, and never getting paid for not proudly owning it. Not having the ability to move something. You’re working on your kids. All that looks like a program, and if you wish to do or get a special outcome, the one manner potential is to do it totally different, interval. You recognize, so in the event you surprise why you continue to doing the identical factor and also you don’t be ok with it, and you’re feeling anxiousness since you really feel try to be additional, then, you bought to alter up your program, and the whole lot that you just do, you bought to do it totally different. I change up my program usually.
Dame Sprint: See the factor is, I believe I’m unbelievable, so I don’t imagine none of this sht I do. I do know I’m a superhero. I’ve acknowledged that I’m that man. Um, I believe being a single father, and elevating my son, Boogey, by myself whereas operating Roc-A-Fella was one thing that actually bugged me out. In hindsight, prefer it was regular to me. However being a single dad, and , selecting my son up from college, but in addition ensuring that the whole lot was going proper at that degree, I assumed was very fascinating. I believe the truth that proper now, it bugged me out that on this very second, I acquired a comedy, which is ‘Stoned.’ I’ve a drama, ‘The Prince of Detroit.’ I’ve a comic book ebook executed. I’ve a child’s ebook that Rocky did, a complete community, a brand new journal and I’ve the Dame Sprint Studios app all at one time. This isn’t like I’m about to do it. It’s all executed. So within the second, I’m amazed with myself as an organization, and I do all these various things utterly unbiased, and likewise having the ability to handle myself, to handle my kids and my household, , to eat the meals I kill and have sufficient to essentially nonetheless be sure that everybody else is full is an accomplishment. What actually bugged me out about me, is that I made a decision, fck the cash, I’m gonna do it for the artwork, and I turned a horrible businessman and an amazing artist. And having the ability to discover that widespread floor to do each. I amaze myself all day, so , day by day, belief me, I do respect the issues that I’m doing as a result of I do know I’m doing issues that individuals don’t, and I’m a reflector. I have a look at the issues I accomplish that I don’t make the identical errors twice, so I might do it higher the following time. I’m at all times properly, what does that appear like to the common particular person? Like once you hear Damon directs a film, it’s not an enormous deal. You recognize, some folks solely direct motion pictures, what I’m saying? I direct a film, act in a film, write a film, have a tv community, have {a magazine}, be in a rock group. That’s additionally fairly superb too that I’m in a rock group, and no one’s laughing. That’s bugging me out, what I’m saying. I assumed I’d a minimum of get some jokes, however all of the stuff, it’s simply enjoyable to me. To be present at 51 and nonetheless be impressed to nonetheless be related, to nonetheless be crispy, to nonetheless be doing new issues, just like the one factor I’ve at all times been fearful of is, and no disrespect to anybody that’s acquired there, however being that kind of a performer artist that when you hit a sure peak, you solely carry out your outdated songs. You don’t carry out the songs you made final week or final month. You carry out the songs you made 10 years in the past, and that’s your hit report. I like my hit data to be present. I don’t need to do my best hits. I’ve extra hits to return, so I simply like to be impressed and do new issues and be capable of acknowledge expertise. You recognize, once I put someone within the film, they normally blow up, and so they find yourself being a Kevin Hart or someone. Having the ability to uncover Lucien when he’s like 65, I’m simply enjoying. I’m nonetheless impressed, and I’m comfortable about that.
Dame Sprint: It’s like asking me who’s my high three children. I can’t do it. Hip Hop is like household to me, so I can’t simply inform you who I really like probably the most. I really like all of them equally. It invokes an excessive amount of dialog. I don’t need to argue with no one over that sh*t. Actually, numerous the folks which might be my favorites, I do know them personally, so, , I don’t need to miss out and be like, “Oh, yeah, I forgot this [person].” I can inform you so far as influence, so far as on a private degree, I believe the individual that I’m most impressed with, that I frolicked with, and that was my buddy, is Biggie Smalls. So the truth that he stated my identify in data, and the truth that I acquired to kick it with him. After I look again on rappers that I believe just like the time…, him and Pimp C, these instances that I acquired to spend with them. These have been like, these would be the most legendary moments of my life, hanging out with the folks that most individuals didn’t get to hang around with, that aren’t right here.