The Godfather Of Sour Diesel Pot Returns To New York

Joe Murray, the legendary grower behind the cult chronic Sour Diesel, made his name in the black market 20 years ago. Now he’s trying to find sweet success in a chaotic legal cannabis industry. The man known in New York’s weed scene as “Asshole Joe,” a semi-affectionate moniker for the silver-haired, craggy-voiced 50-year-old pot legend Joe Murray, grew and sold cannabis in the city when it was really illegal. And he has the stories to prove it. In 1994, a few years before Murray would popularize the cannabis varietal known as Sour Diesel, one of the most-sought-after strains of marijuana that fetched as much as $15,000 a pound back in the day, his best friend was brutally murdered—his head was bashed in with a hammer while trying to collect money owed to him. In the years that followed, Murray set up multiple cannabis grows in apartments in Manhattan, warehouses in Brooklyn, and one inside a Chinatown bordello. Whenever Snoop Dogg came to New York, Murray always had a special stash of the hip-hop mogul’s favorite bud called RBK. Read the full story on Forbes: Forbes Daily Briefing shares the best of Forbes reporting on wealth, business, entrepreneurship, leadership and more. Tune in every day, seven days a week, to hear a new story. Subscribe here: Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more: Stay Connected Forbes newsletters: Forbes on Facebook: Forbes Video on Twitter: Forbes Video on Instagram: More From Forbes: Forbes covers the intersection of entrepreneurship, wealth, technology, business and lifestyle with a focus on people and success.