Berner: The Rapper Who Built The Biggest Brand In Cannabis History

Cookies is the biggest brand in cannabis history, and this video tells the story of Berner, the San Francisco rapper and budtender who built it. It covers how Berner spotted that weed had no real brands, how he teamed with the grower Jigga behind Girl Scout Cookies, how he used rap and clothing to build the Cookies empire, and the counterfeiting and legal battles now threatening the company. It is honest throughout about which parts of the lawsuits are allegations versus documented court outcomes, and it includes Berner's side. What's covered in this video: How Berner, real name Gilbert Milam Jr., grew up in San Francisco's Sunset District and learned supply and demand selling weed between Arizona and California. How his timing lined up with California becoming the first state to legalize medical marijuana, and his job as a budtender at a dispensary called The Hemp Center. The key insight that changed his life, that weed was sold in plain unmarked bags with no brand, and whoever branded it first would win. His line that breeders are like producers and brands are like artists. How Berner ran music and weed as one intertwined business, starting his label Bern One Entertainment in 2007. The friendship with Wiz Khalifa, who shouted out Cookies as he blew up worldwide and signed Berner to his Taylor Gang label in 2012. The grower Jai Chang, known as Jigga, the breeding brain who crossed Durban Poison with an OG Kush line to create Girl Scout Cookies. The back-to-back Cannabis Cup wins in 2013 and 2014, and the Cookie Fam's run of strains like Cherry Pie, Sunset Sherbet, and Gelato. How a cease and desist from the Girl Scouts organization led to the name being shortened to simply Cookies. The masterstroke of protecting a brand you cannot trademark, using a clothing line and the famous blue C logo as a legal fortress. The global expansion through a licensing model, growing to around seventy Cookies locations across America, Canada, Israel, and Thailand. The staggering numbers, the who's who of strains including Gelato, the Gary Payton strain, and Runtz, and Berner becoming the first cannabis executive on the cover of Forbes. The curse of being the biggest name in weed, with Cookies being the most bootlegged brand in cannabis, including fakes during the vaping health crisis. The investor lawsuits starting in 2023 alleging mismanagement and self-dealing, the honest note that these are unproven allegations, that one major suit was withdrawn, and Berner's denial. Berner's real battle with stage three cancer, which he beat into remission while running the company. The dangerous court order over a San Francisco store deal that could divert Cookies' worldwide royalties, and the store closings and appeals that followed. Mentioned in this video: Cookies, Berner, Gilbert Milam Jr., San Francisco, The Hemp Center, Wiz Khalifa, Taylor Gang, Jai Chang, Jigga, Durban Poison, OG Kush, Girl Scout Cookies, Cannabis Cup, Cookie Fam, Cherry Pie, Sunset Sherbet, Gelato, Girl Scouts, Gary Payton, Runtz, Forbes.