Rapper Xzibit’s marijuana company Napalm Cannabis has been hit with an accusation of racism due to it being named after the chemical weapon used in firebombs during the Vietnam War, according to a report by TMZ.
One Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph taken during the Vietnam War has informally dubbed South Vietnamese-born Canadian woman Phan Thị Kim Phúc OOnt “Napalm girl,” who was a child at the time of the war. The United States also used during World War II against Japan.
Nick Ut, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer known for "Napalm Girl" photo from Vietnam War, is retiring from @AP https://t.co/zPZX0ftTBr pic.twitter.com/dUS6f82qzO
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 13, 2017
Customers were offended by the name of the rapper’s company, as well as a product known as “The Grenade,” reports TMZ.
The Higher Path — a cannabis store in Los Angeles, California — says the product line ended up on digital shelves in the first place due to ignorance and a lack of diversity on the company’s marketing team.
“As an entirely white marketing team that lacks knowledge or trauma surrounding this weapon, we didn’t realize how violent and ignorant it was to promote such a brand/product. That’s on us,” said The Higher Path, according to TMZ.
Meanwhile, Xzibit said naming his company “Napalm Cannabis” was not meant to be “a nod to the devastation” the chemical has had in its past, but that it was simply a play on his 2012 album, titled, Napalm.
“The word ‘napalm’ is definitely synonymous with war, and being used as a weapon,” Xzibit said. “And if you know anything about me, and my body of work — I got albums called ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction,’ and ‘Man vs. Machine,’ so on and so forth.”
“So this album here is called ‘Napalm.’ I put this album out in 2012,” the rapper continued, holding up a CD copy of his album, and pointing out that the font and “flame” used for the album’s branding is the same used for his cannabis company.
“My intention for naming the cannabis company Napalm was by no means affiliated or a nod to the devastation that it’s had in its past,” Xzibit added.
The rapper said “as a black man,” he understands “discrimination and hatred.”
“I understand what that does to communities, how it affects communities, and I’m not tone deaf to that,” Xzibit said. “So just to clarify the position that we have at Napalm Cannabis: we by no means acknowledge, justify, or feel as though that we are promoting violence towards the Asian community. We stand with the Asian community.”
Nationwide rallies in support of Asians, apologies for past jokes about Asian people, and attempts at canceling content that refers to Asians, have increased in the wake of a fatal shooting spree at Atlanta-area massage parlors last month, which left eight people dead, six of whom were Asian women.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, on Parler @alana, and on Instagram.
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