Music

An Interview with the Only Person Ever to Nail the “Smoke Weed Every Day” Line from That Dr. Dre Song

Surely, this has happened to you. You’re cruising down the boulevard in your car with friends, listening to Dr. Dre’s classic album 2001. Midway through, a certified D-R-E jam comes on, “The Next Episode.” You’re enjoying yourselves, singing along to Snoop Dogg’s verse, then Dre’s, then Nate Dogg’s. Then it approaches. It. The quiet before the storm. That all-too long pause before the track’s iconic closing four words. You wait patiently for your moment, and suddenly… you strike. “Smoke weed ever—” but you’ve jumped the gun. You’ve started a millisecond too early and ruined the whole song, and possibly even the whole day. You try again from the top. You wait, and wait, and wait. “Smoke wee—” but it’s too late. You’ve dragged. You’re a millisecond behind this time. Song ruined again. You try, and try, and try again, repeatedly setting yourself up for failure.

Friend, you are not alone.

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Since the song’s release in 1999, fans across the world have routinely tried and failed to nail the elusive “smoke weed every day” line. For 16 long years, it has been one of music’s greatest enigmas—a feat that seemed unattainable by mere mortals.

That is, until now.

On the surface, Rob Whisman is your average 26-year-old. But this self-described “hip-hop head” has accomplished something no other human has. On July 20, 2015, the year of our Lord, just before 7 PM, Whisman filmed himself absolutely nailing the “smoke weed every day” line. The video is remarkable. There is a look in his eyes belying his laser-like focus, his gaze fixed on achieving the unachievable. It was a moment of sheer perfection, one that may never happen again in our lifetimes.

We recently caught up with Whisman about this milestone, and what it’s like to bask in the kingdom of glory.

I can’t thank you enough for taking the time, Rob. Tell me, how long had you been training for that moment?
I’d say for the better part of 15 years. I bought a cassette of Dr. Dre’s 2001 shortly after its release in 1999, though my parents confiscated it within a month.

Wow. And what goes into preparation for something like that?
Meditation. And lots of it. Also, vigorous timekeeping exercises and a diet steeped in vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids—nuts and salmon, respectively—to ensure optimal brain dexterity.

Incredible. You make it look so easy. Tell me about the stumbles on your path to greatness.
Yeesh. Well, in one of my more embarrassing runs, I nailed the timing but flubbed the lyric (“smoke weed every other day”). I also had to scrap a take in which I forgot to wear a shirt.

Walk me through those historic moments, Rob. What was going on in your head?
It’s hard to say. There’s a brief, calming blindness in the moments prior to achieving glory. Prior to that, your life flashes before your eyes—your shortcomings, your failed relationships, Mrs. Hurwit, your 11th grade civics teacher who said you’d never amount to anything. Prior to that is a full minute of crippling self-doubt. Prior to that is Snoop Dogg’s verse.

Inspiring. What’s life been like since pulling it off?
Pretty incredible. I’m getting numbers left and right.

Do you get recognized on the street a lot now?
I’m rarely on the street. I did catch a “hey, you’re the ‘smoke weed every day’ guy” pumping gas yesterday, which was a refreshing change of pace from the usual “hey, you’re the guy who got stuck in a toilet at Bonnaroo.”

Has Dr. Dre contacted you?
He hasn’t. I think it would be cool if he did though, or if he gave me money.

Rob, would you say you’re a hero?
Hero? Hardly. Soldiers are heroes. Firefighters. I’m just a guy who, if anything, deserves the Presidential Medal of Freedom or possibly knighthood.

Agreed. What advice would you give to young people out there also hoping to nail the “smoke weed every day” line?
I’d prefer not to disclose my finely-tuned modus operandi, but I’ll say this: following “hey-ey-ey-ey” there are exactly 3.31 seconds of quiet, which is roughly three Mississippis and then one Missi. “Silence is a source of great strength” is a good quote by Lao Tzu that sort of applies here.

Truly a remarkable story, Rob. Any last words?
I miss Nate Dogg.

Follow Rob Whisman on Twitter for more adventures in bravery.

And follow Dan Ozzi, who reports on the stories that matter.