When I first laid eyes on The Game’s cannabis line, Trees by Game, I was confused. By “Trees by Game” did they mean West Coast rapper The Game? Or was the “Game” in that moniker some sort of Cannabis grower burning up the scene who I’d just never heard of? In retrospect, that latter idea seems… really dumb. What other Game is there? The man is an icon. It’s just that Jayceon “Chuck” Taylor has face tatts and lives like a goddamn John Woo movie, so you can forgive me for thinking his weed line would forgo using his image on their package and instead go the subtle route.
That isn’t a knock against Trees by Game by any means. The packaging is, in a word, elegant. Each flower jar comes in a white and blue box, with a clean font, some triangle patterning, and a black and a foggy black and white photo of the LA skyline as seen from Echo Park. Celebrity-branded weeds aren’t usually this pretty, the Game could’ve easily slapped his face on the box or edited a photo from Getty that made him look like he was laying in in a room of fresh cannabis like our un-subtle asses. But he didn’t, because The Game operates like a boss.
After some digging, I found that Trees by Game is one of seven brands currently owned by the California and Kentucky based Vertical. While the Game isn’t out on a farm somewhere caring for row after row of cannabis, he is personally involved in the selection process of each strain (this is often called “white-labeling” and probably comes with money upfront and a percentage deal for Jaceyon). If that makes you feel like Trees by Game is a simple cash grab, feel free to call it Trees Curated by Game. Or just shut up and smoke it because all that matters is whether or not it’s good weed. Frankly, I like my Game rapping and telling stories about his insane life than worrying about spider mites or whatever.
I digress. The point is that The Game is in the weed — ahem — game. Both strains I sampled from the line were sourced from Verticals’ Needles California grow house and packaged a month prior. They held up shockingly well. I generally buy weed in small batches because I like it to be as fresh as possible, but the glass flower jars that hold Trees by Game keep your weed pretty damn fresh. Each nug from both jars I received was sticky and pungent, just what you want out of your weed.
Here’s what I noticed in my smoke through.
Platinum Punch
Strain: Indica
THC: 19.74%
CBD: 0.00%
The Sight and Scent:
Platinum Punch lives up to its name thanks to the strain’s brilliant frosty trichomes, lavender-flecked buds, and dark fruity scent. Subtle notes of grape and blueberries blend with a dank piney overtone, resulting in an appetizing strain that you’ll love to show off at your next smoke sesh.
The Taste and High:
Platinum Punch tastes just as good as it smells, with notes of sweet dark berries lingering subtly under a dank pine that’ll make you want to hold the smoke in your mouth more often than not. I smoked Platinum Punch through both a glass-on-glass bong, and the PAX 3 vaporizer, and in both cases experienced milky thick clouds that made me feel more stoned just looking at them as they twisted in the sunlight coming from my window. Sound too stoney? Just look at the clouds that The Game gets lost in!
Anyway, if you’re smoking an Indica you want a strain that’s going to stop you in your tracks. Platinum Punch does just that. The onset of the high is quick, here. I felt significantly lifted just after my first hit, with a warm vibration settling over my forehead midway through the first bowl. By the end of my session, my eyes were heavy and bloodshot, and I was developing a severe case of munchies, which isn’t common with me.
At only 19.74% THC, Platinum Punch is far from the strongest weed I’ve ever smoked (It’s the weaker of the two featured here), but I felt knocked out and couch-locked after just one bowl (so you may want to go easy), though the high did fade faster than I expected.
Raskal OG
Strain: Indica
THC: 20.69%
CBD: 0.04%
The Sight and Scent:
Raskal OG is a strain for the type that don’t give in to the superficial trappings of weed. A far cry from the visual treat that is Platinum Punch, instead of densely packed frosty buds that reveal hidden lavender hues, Raskal’s flowers are scraggly and ashy green with orange hairs stained by dusty brown kief. Where Platinum Punch was inviting, Raskal has a menacing musty scent that dominates whatever room you smoke it in, even long after its gone.
The Taste and High:
Raskal OG tastes like a Game diss track — rough, rugged. The smell it gives off is going to be a major turn-off for anyone who doesn’t like the smell of weed, so if you share a space with someone who doesn’t partake, it might be a good idea to take a walk somewhere. The smoke it produces was harsher, so more often than not I went with the vaporizer here.
At 20.69% THC, Raskal is slightly stronger than Platinum Punch, but the high won’t make you feel as heavy and demotivated. The mental clarity I retained while stoned on Raskal might have had something to do with this strain’s .04% CBD content — though that sounds impossibly small to have any noticeable effect. Either way, you’re definitely going to be able to get a lot more done if you’re smoking Raskal, which makes it a good social weed despite the pungent, weed-y smell.
Bottom Line
At $40 for a 3.5 gram flower jar, both Raskal OG and Platinum Punch are priced pretty fairly, considering the celebrity connection and the decently high THC content of each strain. I probably prefer the Platinum, but I would recommend people trying to get something done take it a little slower than I did. Raskal definitely has its merits, but the aroma makes it more of a “day off” or lazy weekend strain for me.
If you want to track down a jar of Trees by Game, head to Weedmaps.
