Why Is Mary Jane Still Music’s Hottest Topic?
2:00PM ET May 19th, 2011
Contributor : Jecquea Howsie
A Rocky Williform Company

Ray Charles sang about her. The Beatles and Bob Dylan raved about her. Bob Marley was rarely seen without her. Rick James wrote his most infamous ode to her, the aptly-titled 'love' song "Mary Jane."

For the past 40+ years, marijuana subculture has gone from a taboo party favor in jazz circles to mainstream notoriety. It's been a subject of debate and ridicule and has popped up in the strangest of places; including the lives--and bongs--of everyone from Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps to Whitney Houston’s daughter Bobby Kristina.

Today’s biggest artists continue to applaud the high the chronic gives them. Exploding with glee as they trade stories of their first time experiencing the sticky-icky; many artists have risen from relative obscurity to superstardom by pronouncing their ganja love loudly and proudly.

We applauded Dr. Dre when he dedicated an entire album, The Chronic, to the joys of blunt-rolling. We rode Snoop Dogg's high as he rapped about her on his debut album DoggyStyle. But as the originators of the over-popularized ‘weed rap’ phenomenon reach middle age, have the stylistic sounds they provided cross over to the new generation?

Although Mary Jane will always loiter in the background while potheads sing and rap of the warm 'n fuzzy feeling she provides, will the hype surrounding an artist and album centered on smoking ever get old? And if it does, will the charm of a Wiz Khalifa or Kid Cudi fade with it?

Many of these bleary-eyed and giggling artists will eventually graduate from the high life, but what drug will take its place and become music’s next hottest commodity?