As much as we like seeing rappers obsess over snacks, there’s something to be said for a veteran weed-head who doesn’t draw a hard line in the sand. Isn’t that the true sign of a stoner, anyway?
Cue Jim Jones, the Harlem-born emcee and rap entrepreneur whose open-door snacking policy is something to which we should all aspire. “In my studio sessions, I used to get vanilla ice cream, crush up chocolate-chip cookies, and pour some Captain Crunch on it,” says Jones. Sounds fire, Jim. “It is fire! You gotta let the ice cream melt a little bit, and then swirl it around. I was doing Pinkberry before Pinkberry. Tell ’em that they owe me some money!”
Unlike other rappers we’ve chatted up, Jones is walking the talk by repping his soda line, Vamp Berry, which he released in 2014. But even before then, the Diplomats member and notorious kufi smacker was savvy about his snack maneuvers. On the track “Get Down,” Cam’ron references how the two “shared chicken sandwiches / they was $1.50.” Jones confirms the story: “Yeah, that was from the Chinese place up the block, near 115th and 5th Avenue. We’d get the dollar chicken, get our own bread, toast it when we’d get home, and cut it down the middle. I don’t know if it’s still there, but that shit was good.” That’s a pro move if there ever was one.
The question with all munchies is simple: Cop or nah? In the case of Jim Jones, the answer is mostly “cop,” but either way, we’re happy to hear him wax poetic about the iconic chopped-cheese sandwich, or explain why Lunchables is a stoner-snack staple.
Chopped Cheese
Jones says: “The chopped cheese originated in Harlem. My first one was on 110th and 1st Avenue at a place called Hajji’s. The last time I went there was probably ’03, ’04. They actually had a variety of sandwiches there: roast beef with cheese, turkey with hot cheese. That’s really a major food group in the hood. That’s not just a ‘get high food,’ it’s ‘I’m hungry, let’s go get some chopped cheese with fries.’ Back then, we didn’t know about a Philly cheesesteak. The original sandwich dude [behind the counter] was Tone—Tone Capone. He would fix you up the best sandwich in America.” (Photo: Andy Hur)
Verdict: Cop
Entenmann’s
Jones says: “Entenmann’s is good. I like the variety of doughnuts, like the ones that come with the plain, chocolate, glazed, or coffee. That’s dope.” (Photo: target.com)
Verdict: Cop
Combos
Jones says: “I don’t really fuck with the pretzel ones, but I like the pepperoni pizza. The cheddar is cool too.” (Photo: myquickmart.com)
Verdict: Cop
Beef Patties
Jones says: “We use to go to the Jamaican store and get beef patties with some coco bread. Can’t have beef patties without coco bread! That’d be like peanut butter without jelly.” (Photo: Facebook/Golden Krust)
Verdict: Cop
Cuchifritos
Jones says: “They have rice and beans, some chicken, stew beef, ox-tail. That’s a real situation right there. They got the empanadas with the beef inside. That’s a lot of protein.” (Photo: Angel Diaz)
Verdict: Cop
Instant Ramen
Jones says: “You mean noodles? That’s a meal right there, boy! Cut up some beef and put it in there, give it that flavor. You gotta know how to finesse it.” (Photo: thegrocerygirls.com)
Verdict: Cop
Pork Rinds
Jones says: “Pork rinds is good money. Ain’t nothing wrong with some pork rinds. I don’t want my mother to be mad at me, but I love ’em.” (Photo: kellisgifts.com)
Verdict: Cop
Jell-o
Jones says: “When you’re high, Jell-o is okay. Nothing wrong with Jell-o. I’m a snack freak! I’ll eat the red Jell-o, but I ain’t eating every flavor. The green shit is hella whack.” (Photo: jello.com)
Verdict: Cop
Lunchables
Jones says: “Hell yeah, I still eat Lunchables—I’m a rapper, I’m on the road. When you stop at these shops, Lunchables are one of the things you pick up. Lunchables, the travel pack of the tuna fish, or the Chunky Chicken Noodles with soup—you gotta make the best of that.” (Photo: lunchablesparents.com)
Verdict: Cop
Chinese Takeout
Jones says: “There was one on my block and we’d always go there to get the chicken wings and fried rice. We’d have them chop the wings up and put extra hot sauce with ketchup on it. That’s just food on the block, not munchies.” (Photo: Yelp/SS)
Verdict: Nah