Marlon Asher ADD
Marlon Asher - The 'Safe' Interview
06/30/2025 by Gardy Stein
His name is inextricably linked to the song that put him on the international map in 2004: Marlon Asher aka the Ganja Farmer. Still a crowd favourite whenever it is played, the tune is also more relevant than ever, as more and more countries decriminalise the use of cannabis, and there is an increasing demand for legally grown weed – farmers, rally round!
The singer has since proven to be more than a one-hit-wonder, putting out several releases over the last 20 years: starting with Unconditional Love in 2008, Marlon Asher released the Higher Learning Mixtape in 2013, followed by Illusion (2015) and Rebirth (2019). As with the latter, he teamed up with VAS Productions for his newest album, one that was produced by none other than Don Corleon. The title Safe combines the artist's deep devotion to Jah, in whose embrace he feels forever protected, and his wish for a more peaceful time on earth.
In our first ever Reggaeville interview with the Trinidad & Tobago offspring, he lets us in on the creative process, some anecdotes with the featured artists, and his life as a family man:
Greetings, it's my honour to do this interview with you, Mr. Marlon Asher! Before we start talking about your new album, maybe you can give us a quick wrap-up of the last 21 years. What happened after your big hit Ganja Farmer? How did your career develop after that was released?
Give thanks for the opportunity! Well, for the last 20 years, I must say thank God for the progress that has been made. From humbly working on a construction site to having a hit song that stands the test of time… you know, after that song I started touring extensively. I'm still touring today, and I had the opportunity to meet a lot of great singers that mentored me on the journey. The likes of Sizzla, Capleton, the big names! Meeting them as a fresh artist in the business back then was overwhelming for me at times, because I was a fan before I was a singer (laughs). So, I must say thank you to the entertainers that helped me along the way to perfect my career, my genre, my art form. Over the years I kept making music, because making music is very important to stay relevant. I got signed to a few companies like Heat of the Tropics, Clear Port Entertainment, and after that I got signed to my current record label which is VAS Productions. They really took the music to a different level in the fact that they really focus on creating albums that could stand the test of time and making music that can keeps Marlon Asher in the limelight. So, since then I've been keeping myself busy making music, touring and juggling family and stuff in between.
I read that you received several awards, too?
Yes, I received the COTT award in 2007. That's the collection company in Trinidad and Tobago, they recognised me. I just got an award from the government of Trinidad and Tobago for pioneering my genre and keeping Trinidad on the map. I got three awards from the Red Rocks in Colorado alongside Slightly Stoopid. You know, it's a huge venue, and when you get a sold-out show there, they give you an award with a little piece of the red rocks attached to it, so I have three of those. Also, I've just been nominated for the Caribbean Music Awards 2024. So, yeah, I've been trying to do the things that are right for the music and hoping that it gets acknowledged, and so far, by the grace of God, it's been on the right track.
Nice! You are now currently located in Costa Rica, right? When did you move there, and do you plan to go back to Trinidad at some point?
It's only transitional! We just got some property in Costa Rica and we're now trying to do some renovation in order for the move in a couple years to come. It's very beautiful here, very similar to Trinidad, nice weather, there is a lot of wildlife and nature, so it’s right up my alley! (laughs)
You mentioned family as well… on your Insta I saw a video of your son performing with you last year, and the caption said it was his first stage show. How old is he? Can you tell us about him?
My son is 17 and he likes to sing R'n'B. He's got a lot of talent, you know, so I invited him to come on stage and sing one of my songs with me. He blew the crowd away and he's now thinking about reggae music, let's just say that.
Also on your Insta I saw that you met this little boy called Lake last year. You mentioned a possible collaboration, is something coming out any time soon?
Well, I haven't been around him for a little while, but he's a phenomenal youth. His ear for music tone is like no other I've ever seen, you know, he's on point with every note that he hears, he knows it from just hearing it. So yeah, he's upcoming and he got his own producing studio and… he's a little magician I would say, because he thinks like a great producer already, so definitely in time something will come along.
Now, turning to your new release, in collaboration again with VAS Productions. The title of the album is Safe - can you tell us about the concept behind this?
You know, the world is a place that is quickly becoming more and more violent. A lot of things are going on in the world, and this was a reminder to people that there is safety in our creator. Doing the things that God said to do keeps you away from the things that happen randomly in the world. So, prepare yourself, be safe, prepare yourself for the times that are coming. And remember that there is one that will always try to keep you safe, which is the Almighty, you can always trust in him.
Right! The album was produced by Don Corleon, who is one of the biggest producers ever coming out of Jamaica. How was that link made?
I'm personal friends with Don Corleon, you know, he's a good mentor to me musically. We've been friends for a few years, and he has been out of reggae music for some time. When we asked him to do a song for the album, he was like "If I'm to come back into reggae and do it how I know it's supposed to be done, I just want to do it me personally, and not have all kind of different sound coming to the album!" He wanted the album to have one sound, one structure, not different producers with different ideas. He wanted to create the idea for the album and create the direction, so we agreed to that and he took his time and produced a well-rounded album.
Yes, big respect, it's beautiful, really! Let's first talk about the four songs which are out already. You have some great visuals out there, the first video was released a couple of months back, Strictly High Grade came out on #420, of course. Where was that video shot?
It was shot in Jamaica! I was in Jamaica for eight or nine video shoots at the same time. The company that recorded the video was from Jamaica, and they wanted it to be on the island, so I had to fly to Jamaica and get it done.
The song itself is another Ganja anthem, and in the video, the police persecute you. Is it still a problem where you live?
It's not a problem, but it's still hanging over a lot of people's head. There are a lot of people incarcerated, and this song was really to raise the awareness to the authorities in my country that the guys who are locked up for minor incidents are still doing time. I just wanted to raise our awareness so they can at least consider that, hence the idea for the video to show it could be nothing in the bag that you have, if you just look at it as medicine (laughs).
Is Ganja still illegal in Trinidad?
It's illegal, but it's decriminalised. So, you can have four plants, but people are still getting locked up because of it.
In Germany it was partly legalised in April 2024, so you can grow up to three plants and walk around with 25 gram on you. It's getting better slowly, the world is learning!
I think over the years a lot of musicians were strong about the position of raising awareness, so I guess it must continue in order for things to free up and get naturalised.
Another great song is Plastic Smile where you sing about the fake attitude of some people, and that was also shot in Jamaica, I guess?
Yes, it was shot in Jamaica, and this song is about a lot of scamming and a lot of stuff going on in the world that people need to be aware of. You know, the plastic smile could be a lot of different things, it could be a person, it could be some situation you're going through, but it's something that people need to understand. These plastic smiles are there to strengthen you, because we can learn from things that confront us.
Also released already is an amazing feature with the one and only Sizzla Kalonji. You were on tour with him in Japan recently. Can you give us some ideas how that was?
It was a most wonderful experience! Sizzla has been my biggest mentor in reggae music. He often call me and say "Yo, come to the Judgment Yard to hang out!" My last album was recorded in Judgment Yard, so whenever I'm doing music, you can always find a song with Marlon and Sizzla because we hang out together a lot. Last year he call me up and say "What you're doing?" and I said "I'm here, I have no shows." And I thought he wanted me to come to Jamaica, but he said "I'm sending you a ticket, we're going to Japan!" I was overwhelmed because I've never been to Japan! Getting there was a blessing for me, I had a great time, the people received the music with love and singing, it was a wonderful experience. I thank him for that, and I thank God for the opportunity!
And now you have another great song with him called Never See Us Fall which is empowering and talking about personal strength…
Yeah, it's about personal strength and growth, because a lot of times we tend to think that the other person is the reason why we’re not getting by or not getting to where we need to go. But it's not wise to lean on things that bring you down, it's always wise to never let your problems get you down. When we say we never let us down, we're trying to improve our lives, something that will empower us from our own voice and our own words. I guess the way we receive it is how we want the world to receive it. Your inner strength is phenomenal, there is nothing stronger than the inner strength that you have, and you can always use that to enhance and elevate yourself.
The last one of those which are out already is Diamonds And Gold, and this features Tarrus Riley and Capleton, two other amazing artists. When did you contact them and invite them on the song?
The thing about Capleton and Tarrus Riley… you know, these are people that I look up to, and they appreciate the way I carry myself about when they are around. Me asking them to do a song with me wasn't that difficult I would say, because from when they heard that it's with Marlon, they immediately said "Yes, when is it happening?" This song has been nominated for the best collab for 2024, and I think this is the best collaboration song for 2024, so it's always a pleasure to be amongst the greats, and I appreciate it, I must say thanks to Capleton and Tarrus Riley for showing the love!
The video looks like a lot of fun, too!
The energy level of Capleton is… it grows on you, because he has a lot of energy and whenever he performs, he gives that energy. If he's shooting a video, that energy comes out, so everybody just had to feed off of his energy and it was a success.
I can imagine! In the video, you see some youths who rob people, who take away money and jewellery and everything, so that's the theme of the song, right?
Yeah, this is actually something that is happening extensively in my country. I mean, it's happening all over the world, but extensively in Trinidad and Tobago where the youths are craving that gold and diamonds, and it's not that they're working for it, they're acquiring it from other means. We wanted to highlight that you have a soul to think about, and there is judgment and there is karma… We wanted to just try and reach out to the youths to let them have this awareness that you can't just do that. You got to acknowledge the good in people, you got to acknowledge the good that God do for you so that you can get by in life. This is what this song really wanted to portray, as the people in the country were kind of being in unrest with the violence and stuff.
And which of the four songs would you say is getting the most attention right now? I saw that you already did some radio interviews and everything, so which of the songs you would say is out there the most?
Well, since Strictly High Grade came out, it's been rocketing when it comes to views, so I would say that's the one that is doing really good right now. But also Diamond And Gold is a song that I think would carry on for a while, because of the message and the concept.
Those are not the only features on the album, though, there are some other great guests. The first track for instance, the introductory song is with Luciano, the Messenger! That's a beautiful acoustic piece, Nyabinghi kind of vibe, called Give Praise. How was that created? How did that song come about?
Most of the songs were created in Don Corleon's studio. Don made the music and he also had a writer jotting down ideas for the song, so that when the artists get the music, they would also get an idea of the song. So, the collab was made by me going to Luciano in Jamaica and asking him to be on the album. I wanted to show my growth and my success over the years, and also the friends that I made, so I went and he was like… he's full of energy, he's a much younger guy than his age, you know, he's young at heart. It was a blessing to get that track, because Luci is… let's say he's a personal guy, he is not too much out there, he's more up in the hills. So, it was a blessing for him to leave his quarters and come down to actually do a recording with me, and after the song was recorded, he was like "When is the video being shot?" and I said "Tomorrow!" and he was like "I'll be there!" (laughs) This video is coming out soon, so watch out!
Okay, great! So, Give Praise is the first song of the album, and the last song called King's Highway and then Safe, the title track, is in the middle of the album. All of them sing about Jah in one way or other – was that a conscious decision to put one in the beginning, one in the middle and one at the end?
Yes, it was a conscious decision to keep that God-thought in people's head throughout the album. We wanted people to really acknowledge what God had in them, in the people, that reason in mind that you have, that extra love that you feel for something that is happening… just that God is in people, we wanted to keep that throughout the album.
Then there's another feature you already mentioned in the beginning, Slightly Stoopid, they join you on a song called I&I. How long have you been in touch with them?
They made me an official member of the Slightly Stoopid group. So, wherever they play, I could just show up and they will have me perform.
That's so cool!
They were instrumental in me getting my work visa for America, so they are like brothers from different mothers to me.
You also did a track with Masicka called In The Hills, which is a bit surprising because he is more on the Dancehall side of things normally… How was that link made?
That link was made by VAS Production. After Masicka heard the song, he was like "I'll do this verse in 20 minutes. I just gotta eat first!" (laughs) The song is called In The Hills, you know, and Masicka told us that he would show a different side of himself that people, that the world has never seen. He said people know him for Dancehall and they don't know that he can do conscious music, so he wanted to show a different side of himself. We kind of choose that song so he could show his versatility.
Nice! In the song you say that in the hills is your happy place. Is that really where you find happiness?
Yes! Even in Costa Rica, I'm up on the mountains now (turns camera to show surroundings). This is where I find peace, you know, with nature all around.
Yes, I can relate! I like to be at the beach too though…
The beach is where I go to have some recreation with the family. I like the beach cause I could always listen to waves crashing and relax. It's a different kind of relaxing on the beach. So yeah, I do love the beach too.
The last feature on the album is with J Boog on Call Me, which is a love song. Can you take us through the creation process?
Well, we wanted to have the album well-rounded and we realised that we didn't have a love song on the album, so we contacted J Boog and asked if he would like to be there. He was sick at the time, so we couldn't record him right away, but one day he got up from his sick bed and said "I'm doing the recording today!" I applaud him for that because the vocals came out good, although he was sick, so I do appreciate him taking that time.
You mentioned you shot several videos in Jamaica, so which of the other songs will have a video?
There'll be a video for the Luciano combination, there is a video for Safe, we have a short interlude to preview the album, it's called On My Way and I've got a video for that, too. Revolution has a video as well… I think there's only three or four songs that don't have video right now.
Speaking of Revolution, the lyrics say that it's time to plan it, that we have to step up. What are those plans you're talking about?
We all look at the news these days and we see injustice going on around the world. The real revolution is the reconstructing of the youths' mind and their thinking, you know. We could always think that we can rebel against stuff, but I think the best way to rebel against stuff is to ensure that the next generation don't fall into the same brackets or category that we are in. So, the revolution is really the education of the next generation. Let's revolutionise them and get them prepared for what might be.
And what do you think is the most important lesson that the youths of today have to learn or become aware of?
I think the most important is self-awareness, cause the youths don't know of their power, they just abuse it, you know? The most thing the youths have to know is self-worth and self-awareness. Because they're giving away their lives, like they're worth nothing, and that's an issue because the youths are the future and we don't want a future where everyone is afraid of themselves.
You also mentioned this interlude, On My Way, and I think it's a great way to wrap up this interview. Where are you on your way to, what future plans do you have?
Well, I think the way that I'm on is keeping on that path of righteousness. The way that I want to be on is the way of a messenger, bringing those important messages to the people that may keep them safe. Not by my will, but by the grace of the Almighty, and this On My Way is a song that speaks to my family as well. You know, I'm a family man and I'm always away from the family, always talking to them by phone, but I'm always coming home. Music is something I love dearly, and I love my family dearly, my wife, my children, you know? So I keep it real. I'm on my way, I'm coming home.
I really hope to see you in Europe again soon. We miss you! Would you like to add anything?
I just want to say, give thanks to the Almighty for the opportunity to make good music. Thanks to VAS Productions, Don Corleon, Keely Keys, all the people that were vital in the creation of this album, all the artists too. And I want to say to the world to live in love, there is a need for love in the world, and if we have a little extra that we could share with someone that is in need, that would be much appreciated.
True. Thank you, Marlon! All the best for your album, for your family, for the people that surround you. Keep it up!
I appreciate it. It was a joy talking to you. Have a blessed evening!
The interview was conducted in 2024 and was first published in Festiville Magazine in June 2024!
