For RAW Rolling Papers founder Josh Kesselman, not all smoke sessions are created equal, especially when they involve hip-hop heavyweights.
During a recent interview, Kesselman compared the smoking styles of Chief Keef and Snoop Dogg.
“Chief Keef will smoke more in a sitting… he’s lighting one after the other,” Kesselman said. “In the short term, like if you’re doing a sprint, Keef’s gonna win. But in the long run… Snoop would win.”
The moment speaks to Kesselman’s deep ties to both cannabis culture and music. It’s something that’s been core to RAW since day one.
raw origin
Long before building a global brand, Kesselman was a rolling paper obsessive. In 1993, he sold nearly everything he owned and moved into a friend’s storage shed in Florida to open his first smoke shop. His fascination with natural, unbleached papers eventually led to the creation of RAW.
“I thought about everything I’d ever seen in the history of rolling papers, and realized that we smokers had never made the paper that I was envisioning,” Kesselman said.
He launched the brand in 2005 after years of trial, learned lessons, and persistence.
“I even knew what I wanted to call it, ” the High Time publisher says. “After a Big Daddy Kane song where he’s thinking about how he’s gonna give it to you raw… “‘24/7, chilling like a villain. The meaning of raw is ready and willing.’” We named it raw after raw life 247, after Big Daddy Kane and we went at it.”
Today, that same passion has expanded beyond products. Josh Kesselman recently acquired High Times Magazine, a legacy platform he credits with helping RAW rise early on. His vision is to rebuild it into a cultural staple for a new generation, starting with its March 2026 issue featuring Rick Ross, designed as a collectible, coffee-table-style release.
Kesselman’s impact continues to ripple across music and culture, including unexpected moments like the viral “4RAW” shoutout from Timothée Chalamet and EsDeeKid.
“We always wonder if music inspires the smoke or if smoke inspires the music… with ‘4 RAWS’ it’s BOTH,” Kesselman said. “It’s genuine culture… you can’t script that and you can’t buy it.”
Kesselman is set to appear at the upcoming High Times Cannabis Cup on May 1st in Atlantic City, NJ. The event will be hosted by Smoke DZA – with performances by Beanie Sigel and Kur.
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