Waka Flocka Flame stole the show during the American Music Awards with his Pine Brothers commercial but now cable networks have placed a ban on the weed-innuendo-filled ad.
In the ad, the Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta star, who offered $50,000 for his own personal blunt roller earlier this year, sits in the smoke-filled house from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Through the clouds of smoke he says: "Can't live without my Pine Brothers, straight up." As noted by Page Six, the rapper shoots a knowing glance at a plume of smoke and adds, "Next time you need some throat relief - for whatever reason - get your Pine Brothers."
According to reports, the ad was banned by NBC and CBS over the weed references, after it ran during the AMAs on ABC. The video sent social media haywire, trending on Twitter and Facebook.
As of Monday night he'd gotten 7.3 million impressions on his Facebook page and the ad was shared 45,000 times with an estimated reach of 11 million, according to Waka's team.
"I think it's pretty great that everyone is talking about Waka Flocka Flame's moment during the American Music Awards and I wasn't even at the show," the rapper said.
Waka Flocka Flame was selected to star in the commercial after the company dropped Martha Stewart as their spokesperson. Stewart reportedly stepped in at the last minute last year when Liza Minnelli canceled on the day of the ad shoot.
"We just like to change up our creative every year, and Waka couldn't be more different," Pine Bros. rep David Roach said of dropping Stewart.
Roach said the idea of casting Waka came from owner Rider McDowell's nephew, Warren Lotas, a marketing student who met Waka in a Boston club.
"We got a lot of pushback from NBC and CBS," he said of the ad's ban. "They're in the Stone Age, because there is nothing offensive about the ad."
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