Today's election marks a potentially monumental day for our state. With Amendment 64 on the ballot, Colorado is on the cusp of being the first state to regulate marijuana like alcohol. In honor of what could be a historic moment in the legislative annals of the Centennial State, we've compiled ten overt odes to Mary Jane.
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10. Cam'Ron - "Purple Haze" Killa Cam is known for his signature flow and cadence. Here he expresses his affection for Mary Jane in the opening lines saying, "Glad I got you, baby," a sentiment bolstered by the chorus, which features a sped-up sample celebrating his dependency: "You were my crutch/You were my crutch when I fell."
9. The Luniz - "I Got Five on It" Yukmouth and Numskull made up the Luniz, and while they're not together anymore, this song is a classic, appreciated by anybody who is tired of being the sole provider for their crew's smoking habits: "'Cuz I'll be damned if you get high off me for free/Hell, no, you better bring ya own spliff, chief."
8. Redman - "Pick It Up" The cleverness and originality of Redman is often understated. This track is filled with signature Redman punchlines, punctuated by a funky, uptempo beat and a masterful hook in the chorus that drives the song: "If you see a bag of weed on the floor, motherfucka, what you gonna do? Pick it up, pick it up."
7. Three Six Mafia - "Where Is the Bud" This 1996 song has a heavy, bass-driven beat, accompanied by Lord Infamous's nasal vocals. In an almost staccato fashion, the rapper brags about how much he smokes, even though he's looking for some product. If he was in Colorado, he probably wouldn't have to look too far.
6 - Devin the Dude - "Doobie Ashtray" Over a DJ Premier beat that is smooth, slowed and funky, Devin waxes on a subject that almost any marijuana enthusiast can empathize with: The MC wants to smoke, but he can't because someone has cleaned out his doobie ashtray.
5. Styles P - "Good Times" The chorus revolves around the line "I get high, high, high, high every day." The beat is slow and simple, over which the L.O.X. member laces it with lyrics like, "I smoke like Bob Marley did/Add to that, I smoke like the hippies did, back in the '70s." The Swizz Beats-produced track is perfect for stoners to blast out while prepping for their favorite pastime.
4. Scarface - "Mary Jane " The dark, brooding beat here is seductive and smooth -- so smooth, in fact, that Ashanti took it and remixed it for her debut album. Scarface, a veteran in the game, released this track on his 1996 release Untouchable. With lines like, "Happy when I hear your name/Do your thang, Mary Jane," the song is laced with the reasons that Scarface loves the merry little plant. A wonderful ode to marijuana.
3. Afroman - "Because I Got High" This song launched Afroman and remains his only hit. The song is fun and memorable, with lines like, "I was gonna go to class, but I got high/I could have cheated and I could have passed, but I got high." Throughout the song, Afroman lists the things he would or wouldn't have done if he hadn't gotten high, then details the aftermath. This is definitely one of the most memorable songs about the chronic ever.
2. Bone Thugs N Harmony - "The Weed Song" The catchy song starts off with Krayzie Bone singing, "Take me higher, higher, baby." Melodic with an interesting piano riff, the song caps off each verse with a soulful drop followed by Bizzy Bone singing, "The weed can't get no better." Each member goes through their tales of how they came to love weed or an interesting tale of their day-to-day relationship with Mary.
1. Cypress Hill - "Hits From the Bong" & "I Want to Get High" It was agonizing to choose between these two songs from Cypress Hill's album Black Sunday, so we ended up picking them both. The first Latino group to go platinum, Cypress Hill is also one of the first to make blatant references to Mary Jane in their lyrics. Both cuts are bass-heavy, with plenty of lines devoted to the magical plant. This is the epitome of weed songs, and Cypress Hill is surely the king of weed anthems.
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