MIDZOTICS: THE SHOTWELL CHRONICLES

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MIDZOTICS: THE SHOTWELL CHRONICLES

THE BEGINNINGS

Before memes and parody packaging, Matt Greenwell—better known today as @shotwellmidzotics—was a serious operator. As founder of Greenwell Collective in Vallejo, he managed a full Prop 215 storefront with roughly 9,000 registered patients. Jars were always stocked, and his dispensary quickly became a local hub for medical access in the Bay Area.

RAID AND REDEMPTION

In February 2012, Vallejo Police and the DEA stormed Greenwell Collective, arresting Greenwell and seizing his cannabis inventory. What seemed like the end became a turning point. By 2013, the case collapsed, all charges were dropped, and in an unprecedented twist, the government returned his seized cannabis. The moment solidified Shotwell’s outlaw identity.

WEED COUNTRY STAR

That same year, Greenwell’s notoriety caught the eye of television producers. Discovery Channel cast him in Weed Country, a reality series that documented Northern California’s cannabis culture during the Prop 215 era. Overnight, he became one of the first dispensary operators broadcast to a national audience, giving viewers a raw look at the industry’s gray market.

MIDS MADE MYTHIC

Instead of chasing “exotics” like the rest of the industry, Shotwell doubled down on the insult. He transformed “mids” into a badge of honor, launching Midzotics as a brand built on parody, self-awareness, and persistence. The mascot—a souped-up Geo Metro—embodied the underdog ethos, part satire, part statement.

RAPPER CO-SIGNS

Midzotics gained cultural lift when rapper Riff Raff (Jody Highroller) partnered with Shotwell to launch Riff Raff Exotics. Their debut strain, Boysenberry Bobcat, came with a matching anthem, “Smokin’ on Midzotics,” blending cannabis with music and internet culture. The collab pushed Midzotics from Bay Area circles into national attention.

CARS AND CATS

The brand expanded beyond cannabis into lifestyle imagery: Geo Metros turned into Lambos, Boysenberry Bobcat branding, American flags, and tongue-in-cheek redneck humor. Midzotics blurred parody with reality, embracing meme culture to build a brand identity that was both irreverent and memorable.

MIDZ EMPIRE

What began as a Bay Area operation scaled far beyond California. Today, Midzotics products and branding appear in Michigan, New Mexico, and New York City, with plans for a Washington, D.C. dispensary. Pop-ups, podcasts, and merch drops have kept the momentum alive, proving parody doesn’t mean unserious—it means agile.

CANNACELEBRITY CIRCUIT

Shotwell’s voice became part of the post-Prop 215 archive. He appeared on podcasts and panels such as Dr. Phil, James Loud’s podcast, and Ispire Sessions, sharing his experiences with raids, legal battles, and the power of reframing the “mids” narrative. These platforms cemented him as a unique voice in cannabis culture.

LEGACY FLIP

From running a raided dispensary to building a brand celebrated in memes, music, and markets, Shotwell flipped failure into foundation. Midzotics showed that even stigmatized “mid-grade” cannabis could be mythologized through humor, grit, and storytelling.

OUTLAW, MARKETER, MEME MACHINE

Shotwell represents a hybrid role in cannabis culture: outlaw legacy, marketer of parody, and meme-driven innovator. He turned raids into recognition, insults into identity, and a dispensary bust into a national brand. Midzotics proves that mids don’t just survive—they multiply.

YOUTUBE VIDEO

Presented by Nugg Notes

sources:

(ongoing brand/activity): @midzotics profile + @shotwellmidzotics profile for bio, brand voice, cars & cats theme, tour/pop-ups. 
• Greenwell beginnings / 9k patients: Coverage noting Greenwell had ~9,000 clients before the raid; contemporaneous photo of Shotwell inside Greenwell (Aug 2011).   
• 2012 raid & 2013 dismissal: News reporting that charges from the Vallejo raid were dismissed in Solano County.   
• Police returned seized cannabis ~18 months later: Follow-ups on VPD returning product after the case collapsed; local TV clip. 
• ‘Weed Country’ TV (Discovery) / on-screen role: Discovery’s show page; Wikipedia cast listing (lists “Matt Shotwell a.k.a. Matt Greenwell”); IMDb entry.   
• Midzotics brand identity (mids flipped to lifestyle; Geo “Lambo Metro”): Brand bio on @midzotics; posts featuring the “Lambo Metro Geoghini.” 
• Riff Raff collaboration (Boysenberry Bobcat + song “Smokin on MiDZOTiCS”): Midzotics collab product page; Spotify single/track pages; drop promo via @midzotics.   
• Markets / expansion (MI, NM, NYC/DC activity): @midzoticsmichigan account + reels announcing Michigan launch/tour; @midzotics_nm; DC retail posts (Greater Goods/Georgetown). 
• Podcasts / panels (“cannalelebrity circuit”): James Loud Podcast episode with Shotwell; Ispire Sessions episode + page.   

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