PATIENT OF THE MONTH
Greg Myers
“Cannabis and music go hand in hand.”
18
leafmagazines.com
DOUBLE G CANNABIS FOR CHRONIC PAIN
When Stevenson University ace Greg Myers finished his career in 2014, he had a choice – try his hand at professional baseball or find his way in the world. The Parkville High graduate had just completed an impressive collegiate showing, compiling a record of 15-6-1, racking up 130 strikeouts in 149.2 innings, and earning back-to-back honors on the All-Commonwealth Conference team. “I had a few offers from a couple independent leagues,” the Baltimore native recalled. “I had to think about whether I wanted to ride on a bus until I’m 30 … 33. Maybe I make it, maybe I don’t.” In time, history may show Myers’ best move was a pitchout, throwing his athletic career to the side and walking towards a musical career in hip hop.
aug. 2021
Myers – better known to fans as Double G – has successfully accumulated over 19,000 followers on Instagram and earned over 6 million views on his Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud. One of his top hits, appropriately named Batter Up, racked up nearly 500,000 listens.
Before the global pandemic struck, Myers played 25 shows in Maryland, including at Ottobar and Soundstage in Baltimore. “I love being out there and performing for the fans,” the 30-yearold said. “[The stage] is like a second home to me.” Contrary to what he perceives as a hometown love for trap music, Double G brings a different style to the city – rapping about his life, as well as social issues such as race, politics and medical Cannabis. “I would say my style is conscious hip-hop,” he said. “I’m not really into rapping about girls, money or drugs. I like to talk about real world issues – social issues, and things that mean a lot to me and my family.” Myers has been a patient since 2017, treating chronic pain that has plagued him since 2011 when he survived “a head-on collision” at the hands of “a drunken junkie” – a topic he revisits in a song called “My Story.” “Cannabis and music go hand in hand,” said Myers, who began his musical endeavors as a hobby in middle school with friends. “You’re not likely to get behind and crash into somebody on Cannabis. But you will on alcohol. And yet, one is legal and the other is not. That bothers me a lot.” Myers admits to using Cannabis as a young teen, escaping the stresses of the world through the plant – a pastime he enjoys to this day. He prefers to smoke a blunt or a J, and also takes pleasure in making his own edibles. “I try to teach people through my music that marijuana is not as bad as people think it is,” he said, adding that Cannabis lessens his stress levels. Ironically, the artist abstains from medicating before delivering live performances in an effort to maximize his vocals, and more importantly, his lung capacity. “I have sports-induced asthma,” Myers can be found on Instagram, Myers said. “My lungs back up if I Facebook, Twitter, and Soundcloud smoke, so I try not to do anything as @DoubleG410. He is also on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora for a full week beforehand.” and YouTube as Double G. He has supplemented his blossoming career by working in the Maryland Cannabis industry for three years, starting as a budtender at Starbuds in 2017. Myers has been with Blair Wellness Center for the past year and a half, holding the title of assistant inventory manager. He is set to release his third studio album July 30 entitled “Straight Outta Coronacation.” For the third strike, Myers is hoping to hit fans with a change-up. “This one is much different,” said Myers, explaining that he tied multiple genres into this particular production, including pop and rock influences. “A lot of my songs are personal and I like to keep it that way. That way people can relate to me more. I like it that way.” When asked what the difference between Greg Myers and Double G is, the budding rapper replied, “I’m still me.” “To all my friends, I’m still Greg,” he laughed. “A lot of my friends who’ve known me for a long time knew I was writing music and poems since the eighth grade. I’m pretty transparent. What you see in real life is me.”
STORY by BAXSEN PAINE @BAXSENPAINE for MARYLAND LEAF | PHOTOS by DOUBLE G
