Jowell & Randy member Randy is expanding into cannabis with La Zaza, a brand built around Caribbean identity, premium positioning and legal compliance. With commercial agreements in Puerto Rico and Mexico and plans for South America and Europe, he wants La Zaza to compete internationally while proving that Latin urban culture can enter the corporate world without giving up its authenticity.
History is history. Urban music and the cannabis industry, particularly in Latin America, have shared a space of marginality and countercultural energy. That is how it has always been—probably less and less so now, but that was the momentum carrying it forward, with all this flow and all its twists and turns: somewhere in there lies a bond forged between the clandestine nature of the streets and the vibes of the rhythm—of that rhythm. However, because stories are never linear and perfectly neat, the current global landscape is undergoing a structural transformation in which legalization and the medicinal approach are redefining some basic rules.
And so, in this new scenario, figures who once embodied gestures and trappings of rebellion are now taking on more corporate roles. A clear example of this metamorphosis is Puerto Rican artist Randy, known as Randy Nota Loka and one half of Jowell & Randy, the duo that helped build reggaeton before it went global, with more than two decades of records and features alongside Daddy Yankee, Wisin & Yandel and Bad Bunny. Now he is formalizing his expansion: from urban music icon to cannabis entrepreneur.
What’s this all about? Well, specifically, Randy has just launched La Zaza, his own international brand. With this move, another chess play in its own right, yet another break emerges in the foundations of the traditional 420 showbiz narrative, making way for an approach in which sophistication, design and, fundamentally, the legal framework take center stage. Here we go.
Randy frames the project not as a marketing strategy or a celebrity-driven product line, but as a manifesto of cultural evolution and professionalism. Some context, just to calm the beasts: the high-end market has historically been dominated, almost exclusively, by brands from the West Coast of the United States, which went on to establish their aesthetic and quality standards globally.
So, faced with this kind of aesthetic and conceptual monopoly, the proposal seeks to challenge the sector’s established leaders by injecting Caribbean identity and some of the authenticity of the Puerto Rican lifestyle. The bet is that consumers in this market want an emotional connection. It can’t all be business. On that note, the singer analyzes the international 420 landscape and draws a clear distinction: “Many premium West Coast brands have quality, but lack cultural soul. La Zaza comes with a real story behind it. It comes with music, lifestyle, Caribbean creativity and a modern Latin vision. That creates a much stronger emotional connection with the consumer.”
The transition from underground culture to leading a project that is more, let’s say, corporate and legal requires a paradigm shift on both a personal and collective level. Looking back on his own journey, Randy reflects on how the years changed his perspective on the plant and the culture surrounding it: “Look, I grew up seeing cannabis as part of an underground culture, something tied to music, creativity and the streets. But over time I understood that there was a huge difference between disorder and evolution. Today the world has changed. Medicine has changed. The industry has changed. And we as artists also have to evolve.”
According to his vision, the development of his company is rooted in the need to transform a street vibe into a serious, legal and responsible platform, where cannabis use is no longer understood in isolation, but through the lenses of wellness, quality, experience and education. His underlying objective? To build a proposition that represents Latin culture while meeting strict international standards. There is a kind of territorial pride in this gesture, in this whole proposition.
In that sense, this maturation is galloping alongside the evolution of the urban scene itself, which gradually stopped being exclusively a musical phenomenon and became a larger, much broader stage encompassing fashion, technology, business and entrepreneurship. And, in parallel, today’s consumer is guided by far more conscious, demanding and sophisticated expectations. The argument from the brand’s side is that consumers no longer seek impulsive consumption, but instead demand premium standards, traceability and specific therapeutic experiences designed to care for their minds and their energy.
Riding that wavelength, the musician says today’s public has notably shifted its priorities compared with past decades: “Before, maybe everything was more rebellious. Now people want to know what they consume, how it’s produced and what kind of experience it gives them. That’s where La Zaza comes in. We want to represent that new generation. I feel urban music is entering another stage. And medicinal cannabis is too. Both industries are learning to coexist from a more professional, more elegant and more responsible place.”
To ensure the brand can carry its own weight in international dispensaries and not simply be perceived as promotional merchandise, something that often happens to celebs who poke their noses into the cannabis cosmos, the team has prioritized a balance between aesthetic discipline and technical rigor. From there, through strategic alliances with specialized firms such as Hannabis, Paradise, PNDA VAPES and TOPGROWSOLUTIONSPR, the company built a rigorous production chain spanning everything from genetic selection to the final packaging design, achieving a modern and elegant image.
That is why, far from limiting his involvement to licensing his likeness, another common path among famous people who lend their image to these ventures, the musician put his heart and guts into the operational side of the business: “As an entrepreneur, I got fully involved in learning about processes, laboratories, genetics, terpenes, manufacturing and legal compliance. Because when you put your name and reputation on a brand, you have to do it right. And for me that was important: to show that an urban artist can also lead high-level corporate projects without losing his essence.”
The corporate goal is clear at the point of sale: to establish a firm boundary between the music and the business: “The key is brand discipline. From the beginning we understood that La Zaza had to feel like an international brand, not like an artist souvenir. That’s why we worked so much on the design, the packaging, the visual experience, the color selection, the finishes and the communication. We want someone who sees La Zaza in a dispensary to say: ‘this looks serious, modern and exclusive.’ Obviously my identity and my story are present because that gives it authenticity, but the brand has a life of its own. It does not depend only on Randy Nota Loka. It depends on quality, consistency and credibility. We do not want to sell only an image. We want to build trust within the industry.”
The initial product offering reflects this meticulous search for balance between cannabis science and urban identity. Among the launches are one-gram distillate vapes and ten-piece fruit gummy bars. Each variety reflects a specific narrative and function that, the brand says, were exhaustively tested.
Regarding his role in the laboratory, the singer insists that his involvement is extensive and meticulous: “I get very involved. A lot of people think an artist just lends their image, but in my case I’m obsessive about details. I take part in testing, aromas, flavors, effects and experience profiles. With products like AkolatroniK Haze we wanted a more creative, more energetic and more futuristic vibe. A terpene profile with personality, one that would elevate you mentally without losing clarity. Something that connected with creativity, music and positive focus.”
And he continues: “By contrast, NotaLoka Blend has a much more personal identity. There we were looking for a more balanced, relaxing and immersive experience. Something that represented my essence, my story and my way of connecting with music and with people. We don’t choose names at random. Every blend has a narrative, an emotion and an experience behind it. And we work with professional teams because quality is the absolute priority.”
The ambitious main goal is to position Latin products at the forefront of the international market, demonstrating the potential of urban music figures to run top-tier companies. “La Zaza was born from a clear vision: to change the perception of cannabis and take it to another level, one that is more professional, more responsible and more focused on wellness and quality of life,” Randy says, arguing that medicinal cannabis is becoming less taboo and establishing itself as a legitimate global industry. And, amidst that tangle, he expands on his vision, saying that “this is not just about selling a product. It is about creating an experience, a community and a brand with real impact within this new generation.”
These days, the international expansion plan is being rolled out in stages to ensure a solid legal footing in each territory. Of course, every country is a world of gray areas, regulations and contradictions. With commercial agreements already consolidated in Puerto Rico and Mexico, the brand is planning its entry into markets in South America and Europe. Alliances with local partners allow the company’s growth to adapt to specific regulatory frameworks, capitalizing on the enormous global influence that, at this precise moment in history, is carried by the Latin spirit.
That is why, when considering the international direction of the business, the singer lays out the brand’s immediate geographic goals: “Yes, we see La Zaza as a global brand. Puerto Rico is the base, Mexico is a super important market and obviously we are looking at opportunities in South America and eventually Europe. The advantage of working with strategic alliances is that it allows us to grow intelligently and legally in each territory. We don’t want to rush. We want to build something solid and lasting. We know Latin culture has global influence. So we see a lot of potential in countries where Latin urban music already has a strong connection with people. That’s where La Zaza can enter not only as a product, but as a cultural experience.”
And so, looking to the future of the brand and the social impact of his entrepreneurial side, Randy concludes with a declaration of principles and, along the way, passes the baton to the new generations. Read: “I want La Zaza to represent evolution, discipline and vision. I want the new generation to understand that you can come from the streets, from urban music and from a strong culture… but you can also build companies, create jobs and leave a positive legacy. I want people to see that yes, we can professionalize our culture without losing authenticity. That yes, we can create a premium Latin brand that competes globally. And above all, I want La Zaza to inspire.”
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