A Cultural Voice in Cannabis
MJBizCon 2025, the cannabis industry’s largest and most influential gathering, returns to Las Vegas December 3-5, with pre-show forums on December 2. The annual event will once again bring together more than 200 speakers, 70+ sessions, and eight different content tracks, all designed to chart the path forward for a growing but complicated industry. Yet this year’s spotlight moment belongs to a figure who has already proven his ability to shape culture on a global scale: Vic Mensa.
The Chicago-born musician, actor, activist, and entrepreneur will take the main stage on December 3 to headline with a keynote fireside chat about his company, 93 Boyz—Illinois’ first Black-owned cannabis brand. Mensa’s presence is more than celebrity name power. It’s a signal that culture and commerce can share the same platform and that authentic stories are vital to the future of cannabis.
Why 93 Boyz Exists
The name 93 Boyz comes from Mensa’s own roots: he was born in 1993, and the brand pays homage to that beginning. His entry into cannabis was never about attaching his name to a product and stepping back. Instead, Mensa has been deeply involved in research, strategy, design, and branding from the very beginning.
He studied branding as carefully as he studied music. Books like The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding by Al Ries and Laura Ries, and Donald Miller’s Building a Story Brand, shaped his understanding of what it would take to stand out in a crowded market. These lessons guided him to create a clear narrative for 93 Boyz—one rooted in culture, equity, and community impact.
That preparation set him apart from celebrity brands that stumble. Mensa knew that great packaging only works if the product inside matches the promise. He built 93 Boyz around quality flower, community givebacks, and a narrative that goes beyond hype.
From Hustle to Strategy
For Mensa, cannabis was personal long before it was legal. As a teenager on Chicago’s South Side, he took two trains across the city to track down the best strains like Master Kush and OG Kush, then brought them back to his neighborhood. Those early experiences taught him both the value of quality and the importance of trust.
When Illinois launched its adult-use market, Mensa applied for cultivation and retail licenses. None were approved, highlighting the challenges equity applicants face even when legislation promises inclusion. Instead of giving up, Mensa found another route: he partnered with an established cultivator to bring 93 Boyz to shelves. That pivot exemplifies the resilience required in cannabis—finding entry points even when doors remain closed.
This journey echoes lessons from his mentor, Dan Pettigrew of Viola Brands, who stressed that the key is simply getting a foot in the door. Once inside, leverage and experience follow.
Building a Brand With Purpose
Mensa’s keynote at MJBizCon, From Rhymes to Roots: Building a Cannabis Brand With Purpose, will outline how 93 Boyz became a case study in intentional branding. Unlike celebrity drop-ins, Mensa’s leadership is hands-on. He’s involved in everything: design choices, cultivator partnerships, dispensary sales strategies, and marketing campaigns.
That commitment extends beyond business. Through the brand’s Books Before Bars program, 93 Boyz funds shipments of transformative titles—works by bell hooks, Eckhart Tolle, Alex Haley’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and others—to incarcerated people. For Mensa, it’s about giving others the same knowledge that shaped his journey.
93 Boyz also reinvests in communities harmed by the War on Drugs, employing returning citizens and supporting mutual aid projects. These efforts prove that equity can be more than a talking point—it can be a business model.
Lessons From the Transition
Mensa is transparent about the steep learning curve in cannabis. Music and the traditional market gave him credibility, but they didn’t prepare him for the realities of cash flow management, vendor negotiations, and the tax pressures of legal cannabis.
“I’m constantly realizing the rules of my old life don’t apply here,” he’s admitted in past interviews. Instead of old frameworks, Mensa leans on new tools—books, mentorship, and business strategy—to navigate the industry with grace.
That humility is exactly why 93 Boyz has staying power. It’s not built on ego; it’s built on learning, adapting, and putting in the work. His MJBizCon session promises to give attendees both inspiration and practical lessons in resilience.
The Significance of the Main Stage
MJBizCon has always been known as the place where deals are made, insights are shared, and trends are set. Yet criticism has lingered about diversity on its stages. By placing Vic Mensa front and center, MJBizCon acknowledges that the cannabis conversation must include cultural voices.
Mensa’s story embodies the very equity many states claim to pursue. He represents a generation of entrepreneurs who are reshaping the market through authenticity and perseverance. His main stage appearance is more than symbolic—it’s a reminder that cannabis is inseparable from the communities that built its culture.
Beyond the Keynote
While Mensa’s session will draw headlines, MJBizCon 2025 offers much more. Attendees will gain insights from global operators, regulators, financial experts, and innovators tackling the challenges of a still-maturing industry. The State of the Cannabis Industry Update remains a signature highlight, offering forecasts and policy outlooks that shape strategic decisions for the year ahead.
But this year’s event will also feel different. By blending Mensa’s voice with traditional business expertise, MJBizCon is widening the lens. It’s not just about compliance and capital anymore—it’s about storytelling, branding, and equity.
What Comes Next
Vic Mensa’s journey is still unfolding. 93 Boyz continues to grow, pushing past barriers and carving out space for equity in Illinois and beyond. His main stage presence at MJBizCon 2025 is both a milestone and a launching point. It challenges the industry to rethink how it defines success and who gets to be part of it.
For Mensa, the formula is simple: purpose plus product equals longevity. If the cannabis industry listens, it might just find its own blueprint in his story.
Black Cannabis Magazine is your go-to platform for cannabis culture, news, and lifestyle content with a focus on diversity and inclusion. For more information, visit www.blackcannabismagazine.com.
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