LA Pop Rocks by Fade Co: A Strain So Photogenic It Practically Lit Itself

Maryland Connoisseur
2 days ago
5 min read

Premium Indoor Flower with Rockstar Vibes

Some strains hit your senses. Some hit your lungs. LA Pop Rocks by Fade Co hits your camera sensor like a damn runway model. I shot this beauty for the upcoming issue of Maryland Leaf Magazine, and honestly, it turned into one of those rare shoots where everything just worked. The bud was loud, the lighting snapped, and the vibes in the studio? Immaculate.

Fade Co.’s signature look — minimalist, bold, and clean. Premium indoor flower for those who know.

Fade Co., if you're not familiar, is one of those West Coast brands (licensed to sell in Maryland!) that somehow nails both boutique appeal and mass-market swagger. Their LA Pop Rocks strain doesn’t just look good—it performs. Both in front of a lens and in a blunt.

"This isn’t just cannabis photography. It’s glam for ganja."

Inside the Shoot at Maryland Connoisseur Studio

Let’s start with the photography setup. We’re not talking about your buddy’s iPhone with a ring light taped to a Red Bull can. No—this was a full-on macro shoot at Maryland Connoisseur Studio, with Sony G Master glass on the Sony a7R V, AD200s bouncing light through softboxes like controlled lightning, and a jet-black set splashed with red that looked somewhere between a Tarantino frame and a Basquiat canvas.

Fade Co. black cannabis flower pouch with LA Pop Rocks buds in a black dish, staged on a red-splattered black background in a dramatic studio setup. — Fade Co.'s LA Pop Rocks under the spotlight — premium indoor flower meets high-concept cannabis photography at Maryland Connoisseur Studio.

Yeah. We went there.

The result? A cinematic crime scene where the only victim was your self-control. The LA Pop Rocks nug sat there glistening in a little dish like it knew it was hot. And honestly, it was.

LA Pop Rocks Strain Review: Smoke with Style

This isn’t some anonymous jar of dry shake from the corner dispensary. LA Pop Rocks is a cross of Zkittlez and Animal Mints—already two heavy-hitters in the terp game—and what you get is a hybrid with a profile so delicious, it should come with a nutrition label.

Aroma: Like you just burst a pack of grape Pop Rocks in your hand, then sniffed it while walking through a lemon grove with a Jolly Rancher in your pocket.
Flavor: Sweet, tangy, a little minty. It’s like candy from a parallel universe where dentists are chill and weed is currency.
Effects: This one creeps in with a slow burn of focus and floaty creativity, then melts into a body high that makes folding laundry seem optional. (Spoiler: it is.)

Close-up of a dense LA Pop Rocks cannabis nug showcasing vibrant trichomes, orange pistils, and hints of deep purple and green against a black background. — LA Pop Rocks up close — frosted trichomes, fiery orange hairs, and purple undertones packed into a tight, terp-rich nug.

"This is that strain you don’t pass. You fake a cough and keep it."

Takeaway: It Smokes as Good as It Looks

Don’t let the glam fool you—this flower delivers. It doesn’t just sit pretty. It performs like a headliner. Ideal for evening sessions, deep convos, or letting three hours vanish on YouTube rabbit holes you’ll never speak of again.

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Terpenes & Effects Breakdown

Here’s the juicy science behind the flavor and high:

Limonene: Bright citrus flavor with mood-lifting properties. Think "happy lemonade stand in space."
Caryophyllene: A little spice, a little funk, and a whole lotta chill. Great for unwinding without losing your edge.
Linalool: Floral notes that help calm anxiety and put your mind in a velvet armchair.
Humulene: Earthy and grounding—like rolling through a forest in a lowrider.

Terpene symphony — limonene citrus, floral linalool, and spicy caryophyllene swirl around a candy core in this surreal terpene portrait.

Effect Profile:

💭 Head: Uplifted, creative, slightly spacey
🛋️ Body: Warm, relaxed, couch-friendly but not couch-locked
🎨 Best Use: Painting, beat-making, joint-rolling, vibe-enhancing

A surreal painting of a peaceful woman with eyes closed surrounded by swirling blue and orange clouds, a crescent moon, and a galaxy spiral, representing the dreamy effects of LA Pop Rocks cannabis. — The LA Pop Rocks effect visualized — a dreamlike float between galaxies, calm minds, and cosmic creativity.

Where to Buy LA Pop Rocks in Maryland

If you’re in Maryland and want to get your hands on Fade Co.’s LA Pop Rocks, check these spots:

Gold Leaf (Annapolis) – Top-tier selection and usually one of the first to get West Coast drops.
Storehouse (Baltimore) – Funky atmosphere, solid flower curation, and yep—they’ve carried Fade Co. before.
Culta (Federal Hill or Cambridge) – Always worth a look for elite cuts.
Liberty Cannabis (Rockville) – Tends to carry Fade Co. drops when they land.
Remedy (Columbia) – One of the more consistent Fade Co. partners in the state.

📦 Tip: Call ahead or check Weedmaps/Leafly listings to confirm stock—these batches don’t sit on shelves for long.

Why Fade Co. Deserves the Hype

Fade Co. has been steadily making its way from “up-and-coming” to “can’t-miss.” They’re not pumping out mid in fancy bags—they’re putting out fire with consistency. Indoor-grown, hand-trimmed, terps dialed in, THC clocking in where it matters (but never sacrificing flavor just for bragging rights).

There’s something very LA about them too—but in a good way. Think: streetwear collab meets neighborhood plug who always has the freshest cuts.

Four young alt-rockers with light skin sit atop a red vintage car smoking joints during golden hour, with a rural landscape in the background and smoke curling into the amber sky. — Golden hour rebellion — a group of alt-rockers soak in the sunset and a joint on the back of a vintage car, where style meets serenity.

And when they sent over LA Pop Rocks for the shoot, it showed up ready for its close-up. Dense. Sticky. Loud. I’ve photographed hundreds of strains—this one styled itself.

Maryland Meets LA: A Studio Crossover Episode

I love when worlds collide. Shooting a West Coast strain for a Maryland cannabis magazine at my Baltimore studio felt like a hip-hop remix that actually makes the original better. It’s not just about the flower—it’s about the culture. The visual language. The fact that even 2,600 miles apart, the real ones recognize each other.

Black and white photo of four young Black hip-hop connoisseurs smoking blunts in a gritty urban alley at night, lit by a single streetlamp with thick smoke in the air. — Streetlight sessions — Connoisseur heads in their element, blunts lit, bars brewing, deep in the smoke and soul of the city.

Fade Co., if you're reading this: next time you’re on the East Coast, swing through. I’ve got light stands, fully charged strobes, and maybe even a jar of something special to share.

Final Thoughts: A Shoot Worth Smoking

There are shoots where you clock in, frame up, and hit the deliverables. Then there are shoots like this—where the light hits different, the flower sparkles, and you know what you’re capturing isn’t just a product… it’s a moment.

Fade Co.’s LA Pop Rocks showed up ready to be remembered, and we gave it the treatment it deserved. From macro lens to magazine spread, it’s one for the portfolio—and the ashtray.