Richard Prince’s marijuana brand Katz + Dogg to be distributed by MedMen

Artist Richard Prince revealed he had created his own brand of marijuana called Katz + Dogg in June 2019, and now it’s going mainstream after landing a distribution deal with MedMen. Coined the “Apple Store of Weed”, the cannabis company has 29 locations across seven US states, but will only initially launch Prince’s brand in its California outlets. Katz + Dogg will be available in flower, vape pens and pre-rolled joint format, with packaging featuring drawings from Prince’s conceptually related series Hippie Drawings and High Times. The brand’s name is drawn from one of Prince’s pseudonyms, John Dogg.

To launch the range, Prince has collaborated with Darren Romanelli, a fashion and furniture designer and artist known for deconstructing and repurposing vintage clothing under the label DRx – which he’s done for brands including Coca Cola and Beats by Dre. The Katz + Dogg apparel collection and furniture upcycles Grateful Dead T-shirts adorned with Prince’s Hippie characters.

Prince is often cited as a source of inspiration for all sorts of creatives, from Richard Turley to DR-ME. The 70-year-old artist became widely known in the 1980s for his series reimagining the Marlboro Man ads with the branding removed, and has since continued to cause controversy with work exploring appropriation, authorship and American culture. He declared his affinity with the cannabis community with his book Hippie Drawings in 2005, and Hippie Paintings in 2018.

Katz + Dogg will be available from a selection of MedMen dispensaries from 21 October.