This 420, we’re dropping something special: a 4:20-long mixtape curated by two Grammy winners, Ricci Riera (producer for Kendrick Lamar, Drake) and Keefa Black (formerly at Atlantic Records, Roddy Ricch). Each sound selector hand-picked 2:10 of tracks, creating the ultimate smoke session soundtrack that spans hip-hop, electronic, folk, and instrumental.
The playlist reflects on how weed shapes our experiences across musical boundaries. No matter how you celebrate 420 — lighting up, hitting an event, or chilling with friends — this expertly crafted collection embraces the deep connection between cannabis and music that continues to evolve and inspire us.
More on our emcees below the playlist.
Hit play, listen high: The playlist
The minds behind the music
Meet Ricci Riera: A record producer, DJ, and songwriter who produced tracks on Kendrick Lamar’s 2017 Grammy-winning album “DAMN.”
Meet Keefa Black: A Grammy-winning record producer and manager who most recently worked as VP of A&R at Atlantic Records.
Riera and Black understand music and weed on a fundamental level. Both producers realized early on in their work that cannabis can be a tool to inspire, create, and even spark up collaborations.
When it comes to the playlist, their decades of experience, deep knowledge of music production, and passion for the plant are clear in their unique and undeniably flawless selections.
“I’m constantly saving tracks either that I love or that I plan on sampling or, like, new shit that I never heard before,” says Riera, who has worked closely with the likes of Drake, Travis Scott, and A$AP Rocky. “So I have such a wide variety of genres that I listen to and I think people need to be exposed to.”
But Riera’s creative process behind curating his half of the playlist involved more than simply picking songs he likes. It was about finding the right sound and considering the numerous ways a single instrument can be played.
“You might hear one drum and bass song and be like, ‘I don’t like that.’ But you don’t realize there’s so many subgenres of drum and bass. There’s the jungle, there’s the atmospheric jungle. There’s all these different angles that you can play with drum and bass — old school, even rock songs, like anything, house.”
Black, who discovered Roddy Ricch and has worked with Nipsey Hussle and Ty Dolla $ign, also focused on the instruments and highlighted “different styles of artistry” rather than a single genre or type of artist.
“I love instrumental tracks, so making that a moment for people to enjoy was cool,” Black says.
Black also made sure his selections set the right tone for a smoke session.
“That’s why I think the instrumental part of the playlist is so important. Songs don’t need words to curate energy, and I think that people will really appreciate that.”
As for listening to the playlist, there are no rules.
The producers point out that the songs are all about vibes, noting that the playlist can be listened to in the car or at a party, thanks to the wide range of genres.
“Put this shit on shuffle. You won’t get tired of this playlist,” says Riera.
Riera, Black, and Weedmaps
Beyond their lines of work and shared love of the plant, Riera and Black have not only been long-time collaborators with Weedmaps but long-time friends of Weedmaps CEO Doug Francis and Weedmaps Senior VP of Markets and Culture Jonathan “JJ” Jones. Both producers have deep connections with Weedmaps that predate their current successes, and each credits Weedmaps with supporting their respective careers during pivotal moments.
Black is a former Weedmapper who created opportunities for emerging artists, such as bringing Roddy Ricch to Weedmaps when the rapper and songwriter had just 1,000 Instagram followers.
“Weedmaps has always allowed me to be able to use the cannabis culture as a vessel to bring new opportunity to a lot of my artists as well as producers, finding cool ways to collaborate, whether it be on events, brands, sponsorships, and now even long-term partnerships that we are currently developing.”
Weedmaps discovered Riera through his mixtape work and cannabis-friendly branding at THC Productions, creating opportunities for him when the music industry was “in a slump.”
“The alliance with Weedmaps was so crucial for us at that time because the music industry was really in a bad place,” says Riera. “Weedmaps had reached out because we were killing it in the mixtape world, and they were paying attention, and they saw that we were called THC, and I think they saw that we were like, you know, 420-friendly and all that. So they propositioned us to do a mixtape. That’s how it started,” Riera says.
Weedmaps and Riera went on to partner on “kickback” parties and musical performances, hosting cannabis-friendly functions with artists like Ty Dolla $ign and YG.
Riera also curated the music for Weedmaps’ 2017 Coachella party, which featured A$AP Rocky, Virgil Abloh, Tyler the Creator, and Kendall Jenner.
Riera attributes his ambitious nature to the support and work ethic of Francis, Jones, and former Weedmaps CEO Justin Hartfield early in his career. “It inspired me to continue pursuing my dreams, to see what they’ve been able to create. How big it became — it’s always an inspiration. It’s like we all inspire each other.“
Weed in the workflow
Outside of their ties with Weedmaps, Riera and Black have incorporated cannabis in their work from the beginning, drawing on the culture, politics, and literal highs of the plant to evolve their skills.
Black uses weed to help with his creative process, recalling how it’s inspired him in recent years.
“I would say during COVID, weed was definitely closer to me than ever, from just being stuck in the house alone. It helped me come up with a platform to discover artists … while I was smoking weed and drinking coffee for two to three hours a day.”
For Riera, the ever-changing weed space has allowed him to maintain strong working relationships with other cannabis-friendly businesses and artists. The producer recently opened a recording studio in Miami called Sound District 305, noting that he’s partnering with Weedmaps to establish the studio.
But on a more intimate level, Riera shares just how prominent weed is in his everyday work, indicating the positive influence being high can have on creative projects, leading to their success.
“We all smoke weed. Every last one of us. All the producers assigned to me, all the artists I work with, you know, it’s just, I don’t know, we just all happen to smoke weed. So it’s always there. It’s always there. It’s always in the room.”
Ending on a high note
While 420 is most certainly about weed and music, it’s also about much more.
Riera and Black’s playlist underscores the union between cannabis and music, offering a soundtrack that speaks to exploration, originality, and evolution.
Their work with Weedmaps and 420-friendly brands reflects how cannabis culture has become a legitimate and essential part of the creative world. It also nods to the cannabis community’s perseverance and the importance of championing the plant together.
So whether you’re celebrating this April 20 with Black at Coachella, hitting up the beach with pizza and drinks like Riera, or spending time with friends and fellow lovers of the plant, you can trust that weed and music will be wherever you are.
Need bud to go with the beats? Order cannabis products for pickup or delivery from a dispensary near you.
