Afroman

Blame the success of Afroman’s juvenile debut CD and its first single, “Because I Got High,” on pop radio’s relentless pursuit of really young audience “demos,” or chalk it up as yet another pop-culture phenomenon à la Baha Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Out.” But there’s no denying “High” has become one of the year’s biggest hits. Think Biz Markie, Cypress Hill, Beck, Beastie Boys and James Brown all rolled together and the ensuing head rush might be comparable to Afroman’s whimsical style. The tongue-in-cheek anthem, also on the Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back soundtrack, extols the virtues and perils of smoking weed. Other tracks—the sexually explicit “She Won’t Let Me …,” “Let’s All Get Drunk” and the ridiculously silly “Tall Cans”—lack the catchy, feel-good vibe of the single. Afroman has arrived, but will the reefer madness he’s created extend his 15 minutes, or will his career go up in smoke?