Jane West Shares 5 Songs for Your Next Smoke Sesh

Originally posted by Magnetic Magazine

Puff, puff pass and press play.

Ever since she was fired from her job in 2014 for consuming cannabis on CNBC and subsequently dove headfirst into the cannabis industry, Jane West has been a central figure in the legalization landscape. West founded professional networking organization Women Grow, dedicated to changing the perception of women in cannabis. She also launched the cannabis event company Edible Events, responsible for a series of groundbreaking marijuana-friendly symphony concerts that captured media attention worldwide. Now, as CEO of the eponymous cannabis lifestyle brand Jane West, West and her team are developing premium accessories and home goods for mainstream consumers, especially women. They are also breaking new ground in how they’re building their operation; Jane West is currently raising money through the innovative equity crowdfunding platform Republic, which allows anyone to own a share of her company for as little as $25. There’s only five days left to invest, so act now!

As someone who’s known for always wearing her headphones and listening to music all day, West is all about playing the right beats, whether it’s for a work session or a smoke session. Here are five musical selections she recommends for your work and play.

Welcome to Weedsday. Get blazed and bliss out to these tunes! 

Jane West Travel Collection’s The Compact

“Arigato” by Julie Bergan

I am spending all of my time this spring on investor calls raising my third round of capital. The lengthy conversations are draining and I need a serious pump-up after a few of these calls. That is exactly what “Arigato” by Julie Bergan does for me. In less than three minutes, her song acts as a reset button and I am ready to dive in again. Plus, the song speaks to the emotional rollercoaster ride of trying to raise capital. Trying to find the right investors for your company is a lot like finding love: you’ll go on a lot of bad first dates before you ever meet “the one.” But you can’t let a rejection or two deter you. Just say “Arigato,” and move on. Stick to your mission and don’t give up. The perfect match is out there!

“Smoke Two Joints” by Sublime

Sublime's “Smoke Two Joints” starts with a voiceover from the 1970 film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls: “She was living in a single home with three other individuals, one of them was a male, and the other two, well the other two were females, and God only knows what they were up to in there. And furthermore, Susan, I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to learn that the four of them habitually smoked marijuana cigarettes… reefers!” Cue the sound of a bong hit. This quote perfectly describes my sophomore year in college, living off campus on Mifflin Street in Madison, Wisconsin.

This was the age of the CD -- before iPods, before Napster. The most popular CDs were played in full, over and over and over, so even the sequence of their album tracks became indelible. When I hear “Waiting for my Ruca,” my brain goes straight to “40oz to Freedom,” and then “Smoke Two Joints.” My roommate Eli had massive speakers and would play this album on repeat from our front porch. In short, 40 Oz. To Freedom was the soundtrack of my 1995.

“Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” by Cage the Elephant

I have my headphones on all the time, especially when I’m flying and have just popped an edible. That’s why I like to make custom soundtracks for all of my trips. “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” is ALWAYS the song playing as I deboard red-eye flights like a walking zombie, making my way through the mirrored LaGuardia airport in New York City at 6 a.m.: “I got bills to pay, I got mouths to feed, and there ain’t nothing in this world for free, I can’t slow down, I can’t hold back even though I wish I could, you know there ain’t no rest for the wicked, until we close our eyes for good.”

“Still Not Dead” by Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson is the most successful stoner I’ve had the pleasure to smoke with. The first time I met him in 2015, we burned down a few expertly rolled joints on his tour bus and then he took the stage and performed live for more than two hours. Talk about stamina. At 84 years old, he is a dedicated entertainer, and he’s still putting out NEW music. His 2017 album has a song we should all be using as our morning alarm: “Woke up still not dead again today...” Because if you can hear Willie’s voice singing this tune to you each morning, it’s true: You’re still alive and kicking, and that’s something to celebrate. This video features the tour bus we puffed in and is a must watch.

“Down” by Marian Hill

Sometimes I just need to roll up a heavy indica joint, get horizontal in front of a good speaker with the volume way up, and bathe in the beats. Marian Hill’s album Act One is rich, sensual, and just so good. When it’s time for me to get lost in sound, I turn this one all the way up, light my joint, loosen up, and let my mind wander wherever the music takes it. When you’re as busy as my friends and I are, the right jam - and the right joint - is the next best thing to a vacation. This album takes me there.