Afroman, who became a hero to stoners with his comedic hit “Because I Got High,” is named in a lawsuit that was appropriately filed today -- 4/20 -- the unofficial pot smoking holiday.

The rapper, born Joseph Edgar Foreman, is being sued for allegedly missing a concert.

The lawsuit accuses Afroman of failing to appear at an April 9 concert scheduled at the Patio at the Continent in Columbus, Ohio.

“I understand the significance of the date. I went to college, but I’m not part of that culture,” said Matt Crumpton, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys. “We were going to file it Monday, it was just a matter of do we file it Monday or Tuesday? But we thought, if we were going to file it in the next few days, we might as well do it on the 20th.”

Crumpton said his client, Nathan Pettry, a concert promoter working with the Patio, paid Afroman a $1,000 deposit to secure the rapper for a performance.


Pettry and Wallace Entertainment, LLC, the owner of the Patio, are seeking a yet to be determined amount to compensate them for a deposit paid to Afroman, as well as promotional expenses, lost profits and the cost of ticket refunds.

Afroman’s representatives were not willing to settle, Crumpton said.

On the rapper’s official site, fans were allowed to bid on the city where he’d perform on 4/20, and Santa Clara, Calif., won; he’ll be gigging there tonight.

Since his debut in 1998, Afroman has released 12 albums -- most of which have a cannabis-related theme, including “Sell Your Dope,” “4RO:20,” “Drunk ‘n’ High” and “Waiting to Inhale.” His biggest hit, “Because I Got High,” was nominated for a Grammy in 2002.


Representatives for the rapper could not be reached.