The New Cannabis Power Play: B-Real, Tyson, Method Man Bet On Seeds

Forbes

23-06-2025

B-Real In A Cannabis Grow Operation
In cannabis, everything starts with a seed.
Before the jars, the pre-rolls or the sleek celebrity packaging, there's DNA. And in 2025, a growing wave of cultural icons is going straight to the source, getting their hands in the dirt and their names on genetics.
B-Real. Method Man. Mike Tyson. Each is moving beyond the typical endorsement formula, teaming up with well-known seed banks to release carefully selected cannabis genetics for home growers around the world. These aren't limited to U.S. states or temporary product drops: they're global plays, already active in Europe, the Americas and beyond.
'Selling flower is cool, but seeds are a different kind of legacy,' says B-Real, frontman of Cypress Hill and founder of Dr. Greenthumb's, in an exclusive interview. 'When we release seeds, we're handing people the source code. That means something.'
'It gives growers around the world direct access to some of the best genetics in the world,' he adds. 'We're not just dropping product: we're empowering cultivation, creativity and local expression. The more the game grows, the more important it is to stay rooted.'
While most celebrity cannabis launches focus on packaging, flavor profiles and retail placement, these projects are rooted in access, preservation and lineage, both genetic and cultural. Seeds, once a niche category, are now among the industry's fastest-growing segments. Legal frameworks are expanding. Home cultivation is gaining ground. And online seed platforms are connecting distant markets that flower never could.
For the artists leading this shift, it's not about a logo or licensing. It's about creating something that actually grows.
'When we release seeds, we're handing people the source code. That means something.'The Seed Shift: Why Genetics Matter
For decades, cannabis branding centered on the end product; what's consumed, sold or photographed. But with new laws rolling out globally and home grow regulations softening in key markets, the spotlight is shifting to the beginning of the supply chain: genetics.
In 2022, the U.S. cannabis seed market was valued at $567.76 million, with forecasts projecting it could surpass $2 billion by 2030, according to Data Bridge Market Research. Globally, Allied Market Research projects the market could top $6.5 billion by 2031, growing at over 18% annually.
What's fueling that growth? Home growers. Consumers looking for quality control. And regulatory quirks that make seeds, especially dormant ones, easier to ship across borders than the flower they eventually produce.
Unlike typical cannabis product lines, which are locked behind layers of jurisdiction, seed sales often fall under hemp rules. A 2022 clarification by the U.S. DEA confirmed that cannabis seeds are federally legal as long as they contain less than 0.3% THC. That opened the gates for both domestic and international commerce.
'When we release seeds, we're not just entering a market,' says Bryan Zabinski, co-founder of TICAL, Method Man's cannabis brand. 'We're offering people a chance to grow a piece of culture in their own homes.'
The medium is the message. And this time, the message comes with roots.
B-Real's Insane Blueprint
More than two decades after debuting his alter ego, Dr. Greenthumb, B-Real is releasing the real DNA behind his brand. His latest collaboration, developed with Amsterdam-based Barney's Farm, kicked off with a global release of the iconic Insane OG strain.
'I've known Derry [Brett, founder of Barney's Farm] since the early Amsterdam days,' B-Real says. 'We've talked about collaborating for years, but we waited for the right time. Now legalization's advancing, and people want genetics they can trust.'
'The more the game grows, the more important it is to stay rooted.'The seed drop was timed with B-Real's European tour and unveiled at Mary Jane Berlin, one of the continent's top cannabis expos. More strains are in the pipeline, along with international flower rollouts expected in late 2025 and early 2026.
'I've been around long enough to know what makes a great cut, and I only work with breeders I trust,' B-Real says. 'This version of Insane OG hits all the marks: flavor, structure, potency, yield. It stays true to the original but steps up to today's standards. It's dialed in for growers who want quality and consistency every time.'
And the global play isn't just a distribution strategy; it's a philosophical one.
'Seeds give us a head start,' he says. 'In a lot of places, you can't sell weed yet. But you can sell seeds. That opens the door.'
B-Real's Insane OG
'It lets us show up early, put roots down and build something meaningful before the regulations catch up,' B-Real continues. 'This launch in Europe is just the start.'
Still, he's quick to point out that this isn't about jumping into every market for the sake of reach.
'You keep it real,' he says. 'If it doesn't reflect who we are and where we came from, I'm not endorsing it… Legacy is about staying true, even while you grow. We've got a wider reach now, but we're still speaking the same language.'
For B-Real, the business of seeds is about more than expansion. It's about ownership.
'Genetics are the foundation,' he says. 'If you don't protect your strains, you're handing away your legacy. We've been shaping this space for decades. Owning our genetics means we control the story, the quality and the future of what we built.'
Method Man's TICAL Tactics
Method Man sees seeds as evolution, not extension.
The Wu-Tang Clan icon has always repped cannabis culture, but 2025 marked his official entry into the genetics arena through TICAL's first international seed drop.
'Entering the genetics space is a natural evolution for TICAL,' says Bryan Zabinski, co-founder of the brand. 'It takes time to get it right.' The team spent five years working with FreeWorld Genetics to develop a lineup that reflects both quality and purpose.
The debut line includes eight exclusive cultivars (Shaolin Spritzer, Sweet Morning Mimosa, 24K Gold Fangs and others) developed in collaboration with FreeWorld Genetics and distributed by Zamnesia, a leading European seed bank and cannabis marketplace.
Method Man
'It all started with the home grower,' Zabinski says. 'Getting these seeds into the hands of passionate cultivators, whether in the U.S. or Europe, means the spirit of TICAL lives beyond the shelf. It grows in people's homes.'
'This drop is as much about growing with the people and bridging cultures as it is about genetics,' he adds. 'If one grower plants a TICAL seed in their backyard, basement or closet, they're growing a piece of hip-hop history.'
From phenotype selection to naming, the TICAL team was involved in every detail. The goal wasn't just quality, but recognition and respect for the plant's lineage.
'Our team was very involved with the creative development of these strains,' Zabinski says. 'From the genetics used, to the profiles we like, to choosing the names as a nod of respect—recognizing the lineage and honoring the OG breeders who helped curate this cultural journey.'
'When cultural leaders engage at the genetic level, it creates a different kind of legacy.'While TICAL is rooted in Method Man's legacy, the seeds are more than merch. They're curated storytelling in living form.
'The standard is real or nothing,' Zabinski says. 'Potent. Stable. Created with care. If our name is on it, it better grow strong, smoke clean, and leave a mark.'
'When cultural leaders engage at the genetic level, it creates a different kind of legacy,' he continues. 'Not just influencing what people consume, but what they grow.'
Tyson's Knockout Genetics
Mike Tyson's cannabis brand, Tyson 2.0, has long focused on high-impact flower, vapes and edibles. But in 2024, the former champ entered the seed space with a rollout through Barcelona's Royal Queen Seeds.
'It's a no-brainer to collaborate with them,' Tyson told Forbes in 2024. 'If you're the best in the world at what you do, most likely, we're going to be partners.'
The first wave included six strains (Gelato 44, Dynamite Diesel, NYC Sour D Auto, GOAT'lato Auto, Punch Pie and Corkscrew Auto) with more expected over a three-year partnership. Tyson 2.0 seeds are currently available in the U.S., excluding Kansas and Kentucky, Europe, Thailand, and soon, South America.
'Growing cannabis at home has long been a pastime of this community,' said Adam Wilks, CEO of Carma HoldCo, which owns Tyson 2.0. 'Our collaboration makes it easy for consumers to know the seeds they buy produce the same high-quality cannabis that Tyson himself expects.'
Hispanics Have Joined The Chat
Outside the U.S., artists across Latin America and Europe are also releasing branded seeds, often in collaboration with local seed banks. In fact, they have been doing it for years, well before Tyson, B-Real or Method Man.
Others are stepping in, too. From Wiz Khalifa's breeding program with Compound Genetics to Berner's Cookies empire, long powered by genetics from collaborators like Seed Junky and Powerzzzup, the move to seed-level branding is gathering steam.
Each drop isn't just a product; it's a piece of identity. The message may be wrapped in marketing, but what's planted is personal.
What Comes Next
This didn't start in a boardroom. It started where most good weed stories do: in the shadows, in closets, in quiet corners of defiance and creativity.
Now, as cannabis spreads across borders and legal systems, seeds have become something else: an anchor, a message, a way to leave fingerprints on the future of the plant.
Celebrities stepping into genetics aren't chasing the next product. They're choosing the long road. The patient one. The one that starts in soil, not strategy decks.
Because the real flex in 2025 isn't just smoking good weed. It's growing it.