Raekwon accused his Newark dispensary’s landlord of deception after a judge ordered its closure over unpaid rent.
Raekwon says his cannabis venture in Newark never had a fair shot, claiming he and his team were “hoodwinked” by their landlord after a judge ordered the closure of his dispensary, HashStoria, over more than $500,000 in unpaid rent and fees.
The ruling came down after BMHC LLC, the property owner, filed suit alleging months of missed payments.
However, Raekwon’s crew says there’s more to the story. They argue they had a verbal agreement to pause or adjust rent payments during extended construction delays and permitting issues tied to the City of Newark, which left the business unable to generate income.
“We were hoodwinked, and while it’s a very sad outcome, we will have our day in court,” Raekwon told TMZ Hip Hop.
According to HashStoria representatives, the landlord not only ignored their rent arrangement but also allowed an unlicensed dispensary to operate next door.
That illegal shop, they say, attracted repeated police raids and damaged the reputation of their legal business, which had branded itself as “Legal AF” to make its compliance clear.
The team behind HashStoria, which marketed itself as a Black-owned business, says they faced constant regulatory hurdles that others in the market didn’t have to navigate.
Despite the eviction, Raekwon plans to take action against the landlord for allegedly misleading and damaging the business.
Meanwhile, BMHC LLC insists they gave HashStoria ample time to catch up on rent following the dispensary’s grand opening and are now looking for new tenants to fill the space.
Raekwon Returns With New Album
Raekwon’s legal battle comes just as he dropped his first solo album in eight years.
The Emperor’s New Clothes was released Friday (July 18) through Mass Appeal and features appearances from Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Nas, Conway the Machine, Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher, Inspectah Deck and Marsha Ambrosius.
The project is part of Mass Appeal’s 2025 “Legend Has It…” series, which also includes new music from Nas, Mobb Deep, Ghostface Killah, De La Soul and Big L.