After years of trying to get his rap career off the ground, Joseph Foreman (aka Afroman) struck gold with a cautionary tale about the consequences of excessive weed smoking. “Because I Got High” began gaining traction throughout the South but once it made its way onto Napster and the Howard Stern show, it became an unlikely mainstream hit. Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes starred in the iconic music video and featured the track in their film “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”, and the song eventually became a #1 hit in 11 countries. VICE meets Afroman to retell the story of his perennial stoner anthem and speak to Kevin Smith about his experience being a part of taking the song sky high.
Click here to subscribe to VICE: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE
About VICE:
The Definitive Guide To Enlightening Information. From every corner of the planet, our immersive, caustic, ground-breaking and often bizarre stories have changed the way people think about culture, crime, art, parties, fashion, protest, the internet and other subjects that don’t even have names yet. Browse the growing library and discover corners of the world you never knew existed. Welcome to VICE.
Connect with VICE:
Check out our full video catalog: http://bit.ly/VICE-Videos
Videos, daily editorial and more: http://vice.com
More videos from the VICE network: https://www.fb.com/vicevideo
Click here to get the best of VICE daily: http://bit.ly/1SquZ6v
Like VICE on Facebook: http://fb.com/vice
Follow VICE on Twitter: http://twitter.com/vice
Follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/vice
Follow us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vice?lang=en
The VICE YouTube Network:
VICE: https://www.youtube.com/VICE
MUNCHIES: https://www.youtube.com/MUNCHIES
VICE News: https://www.youtube.com/VICENews
VICELAND: https://www.youtube.com/VICELANDTV
Vice Life: https://www.youtube.com/Broadly
Noisey: https://www.youtube.com/Noisey
Motherboard: https://www.youtube.com/MotherboardTV
VICE Sports: https://www.youtube.com/NOC
i-D: http://www.youtube.com/iDmagazine
Waypoint: https://www.youtube.com/WaypointVICE
#afroman #musicvideo
source
WATCH NEXT: VICE meets Natasha Bedingfield to reflect on her uplifting 2000’s hit “Unwritten” and its viral moment during the peak of the pandemic. https://youtu.be/YJZUMX5PZ7U
Damn vice really dropped a masterpiece this time, hate this channel but lord afroman growing up was a trip and a half
"Im broke but im okay'. Man. That hits different.. We was so broke back in the 90's this kinda make me rethink my pasts.
The first time I heard this song, I was in juvenile hall locked up for smoking weed and now I'm 38 weeds legal and you have to be 21 now instead of 18 to buy it at the store. Most of my teenager days were spent in juvenile hall or the county jail for having marijuana and I believe I should be reimbursed for all of my time spent behind bars for smoking pot. For all my time being behind bars I was told not to smoke weed because it's illegal and now that the government figured out a way to tax it it's legal how is that supposed to make a person feel every day they wake up.
This came out around the time I was graduating high-school and not only does it always have a spot in my heart. Its also a album that can make you happy/change your mood. Everyone needs some afroman in they life!
Such an amazing dude
Imma cry
AFROMAN I LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUU
That whole album was 🔥 great breaking album👍
lol he hasn't changed
Yeah song changed my life in a way so wild
Timeless hit I remember being on vacation must have been 12 or 13 and herd the song on the radio in Florida and was like what is this had my mom hear it she like omg but it was funny I’m from NYC so Sep 11 always will be part of our lives but this song made everyone smile or laugh even if you didn’t smoke 💨 the lil things in life thanks for the documentary Vice
Hey man you met a friend of mine in Alaska, do you know Leah ?? I’m sure you won’t see this comment but maybe you will
They're talking about the specs of recording the track.
"We had a 'Dude You Got a Dell' Computer.." didn't matter. Out of engineer school I recorded on my HP desktop computer with Windows Me, using ProTools. The brand of the computer doesn't matter; the hardware matters. If I can use a Windows port of ProTools from 2002, anyone can use a PC to record and I go even further to argue that everyone who insist on using Macs are really in love with their laziness. I got it done.
What baffled me is how mention of going "through a small cable." Did that fucker use an 1/8"?! Like a headphone jack?
Normally you'd have an XLR cable or RCA if it's short. There is no getting around poor sound quality from equipment.
"It's like Billy Joel if he was stoned." Kevin Smith must have a Pollyanna view of the 1970s.
I have been smoking weed since 1987 and I grew up in Harlem NYC. I smoked on the sidewalks walking around and in parks like it was legal so I don't understand why those white people was scared when he was smoking making the video. I guess the white neighborhoods didn't smoke in public but I know for a fact the Spanish and blacks didn't give a f_(k and probably smoked in there hood. I never got arrested or even got caught because when I see a pig I would just put the blunt down by my side and keep on walking then keep on smoking. Weed should have never been illegal in the first place. There are still some states that is illegal but f_(k them if I'm visiting that state I still smoke. Like the saying goes," the question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me". Puff up and enjoy yourself and don't worry about any government official jealous that they cant smoke because of there job.
Do venga boys track ibiza or aqua babie girl which got 1.1b views
Hey, there's nothing wrong with a one-hit wonder. Afroman is one of many in the hip-hop world.
Looking back, i never really liked the song all that much. Now almost 40 and sober, i can appreciate how good of a song it is. Especially when he plays it on the guitar, it has a new life
I used to live just down the road from him in Mississippi. Although I don't believe I ever met him, he had a reputation for being an extremely nice and down to earth guy.
This man so COOL!!!
how can you not love this guy?
I had bc I got high as my first midi ringtone in 2002! It was easy to put it in.
if it sounds like a party its a party.
Afroman is awesome great dude
" Early 2000's there weren't any songs that talk about weed" Errrrrrrm, Cypress Hill + All other hip-hop etc etc…
BRO your song is still in my ride to this day. And I still sing my ass off to it!!!!!
Why's his mouth open like that on the thumbnail?
Shot I remember when this song became a hit in Sweden. It was 2000/2001 and damn it played on every party. Everyone sang it in school. Til this day, I love that song. Thank you Afroman!
One of my favourite series Vice has done in a long time! Keep em' coming!!
He is a top dude
we love u you Afroman.
Drink it fast, make it last, till you know it ain't no mo'
class of 01 bro!
Afroman X FuFops = Awesome
i was just about to finish sniper program in the army and than some ginger dude offer me a joint it was crazy , next morning i was sleepy sleepy and messed up with the course . later i was even kicked out from been a fighter and find my self in disappointment / one day as i was sitting down with the rest of the lame logistics solder smoking weed this album start to play, that stuff made me happy . i was the only white dude in the group, so what we sing with it all of us together / eventually they kick me form the army not even like me to do reserve duty .any way i have good memories listening to his album . la la la la la la la la