NIGERIAN superstar Burna Boy (Damini Ogulu) has reignited one of T&T’s most recognisable reggae exports.
The self-proclaimed African Giant’s latest single “28 Grams,” produced by Nigerian hitmaker Niph Keys (Adebajo Adebanjo) and featured on the new album No Sign of Weakness, samples T&T’s reggae star Marlon Asher’s (Marlon Sobers) 2005 global hit “Ganja Farmer.”
Marlon Asher called Burna Boy’s Afrobeat rework of his breakout single a validation of the timeless nature of good music.
ALBUM COVER: Burna Boy—No Sign Of Weakness album cover.
“I was humbled and excited at the same time,” Asher told the Express via WhatsApp yesterday morning. “Burna Boy is a massive artiste with global reach, and for him to recognise and respect the roots of a song like ‘Ganja Farmer’—that meant a lot. It showed me the message is still powerful. Real music crosses borders and generations.”
A 20-year bud
Burna Boy’s team initiated the sample clearance through Atlantic Records. What followed was months of legal coordination to properly credit the track’s original creators Asher, producer Carl “Beaver” Henderson and co-writer and co-producer Geron “Big Gee” Woodruffe.
Speaking to the Express yesterday, Woodruffe said he had a feeling something big was on the horizon.
“I remember I started getting a feeling, like last year, that somebody huge will take the track, the original format, and use it to some degree,” Woodruffe said. “So, I was pleasantly surprised when the call came in from Atlantic Records, first to start to negotiate, to clear this track, you know, and then to actually see it materialise, to see my name on the credits of a Grammy award-winning, and multiple award-winning artiste, such as Burna Boy…it was really a blessing.”
‘A BLESSING’: Marlon Asher
Woodruffe added that the moment was even more meaningful considering how the song had taken on a life of its own.
“This is 20 years later from when I originally released the track, in July 2005. It just goes to show you that He’s (God) never finished with his works,” he said, referring to what he sees as divine timing. “I felt very proud to be a Trinidadian, who was credited on such a huge moment.”
Beaver, the veteran producer who built the track with Asher and Woodruffe in his studio two decades ago, called it the biggest moment of his career. Beaver, a co-founder of 80s soca band Firelight, has produced several calypso classics including the late Lord Kitchener’s (Aldwyn Roberts) “Soca Jean”, King Austin (Austin Lewis) “Progress” and Shadow’s (Winston Bailey) “Dingolay” as well as Francis Escayg and Ajala’s (Keith Sutherland) haunting “White Horse”, among others.
“‘Ganja Farmer’ is my biggest hit globally, and having it sampled and my name credited on an album of one of the biggest A-lister artistes in the world takes it to a whole different level,” Beaver said.
The clearance process, he explained, was handled with precision.
“We were contacted by the record label Atlantic Records for clearance on the use of ‘Ganja Farmer’ as a sample on the then-upcoming Burna Boy album,” he related. “We immediately put it in the hands of the legal team of our publisher Jack Russel Publishing, who is one of the top publishers in the UK and Europe. We worked closely with them until completion.”
Roots that keep growing
More than a weed anthem, “Ganja Farmer” has grown into a protest chant, a rally cry for herbal rights and a meditation on freedom. With Burna Boy’s version looping through international playlists, the song is once again connecting with a new generation.
“It’s the truth in the message, bredrin,” Asher said when asked why the song continues to resonate. “‘Ganja Farmer’ speaks to struggle, to freedom, to the bond people have with the land and the herb. Whether you’re in the Caribbean, Africa, or Europe, people relate to oppression and healing. The vibe, rhythm, and story make it timeless.”
That truth, Asher said, has evolved over time: “When I first made the song, it was personal—it told a story that needed to be heard. But over time, watching people connect with it, seeing it become a kind of anthem for liberation and herbal rights—it’s grown beyond me. It’s the people’s song now.”
The fact that Burna Boy, a Grammy winner and one of Afrobeats’ leading voices, saw value in that message only amplifies its reach.
“For a long time, we’ve been overlooked compared to other regions,” Asher said. “But this shows the world that our sound, our message, and our talent can’t be ignored. It’s inspiring for the youth—proof that a Trini voice can make a global impact.”
Woodruffe echoed the sentiment but stressed the importance of being business-ready.
“The business of music is to me of more importance than the music itself, right?” he said. “If you don’t do your business properly, meaning your copyright, meaning protecting your copyright and your intellectual property…you could end up in problems in the future.”
Sow good seeds
Woodfuffe credited the Copyright Music Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT), along with international partners like BMI and ASCAP, for helping secure long-term gains.
“Imagine you didn’t have those things protected and registered, you’ll be losing out, you will definitely lose out,” he mused. “So, my advice is always to make sure when you finish your stuff, go and register it.”
Beaver hopes the success of this international placement will be a reminder to young local producers of what’s possible with preparation and persistence.
“Where the quality of your work is concerned, always go that extra mile knowing that your product can stand up anywhere in the world,” Beaver advised. “Surround yourself with a solid business, management and legal team that you can depend on.”
Asher, looking ahead, sees this Burna Boy moment as the beginning of a larger movement linking Africa and the Caribbean through music.
“We share so much—culture, rhythm, history. When Afrobeat meets reggae or soca, magic happens. Collaborations like this are bridges—linking Africa and the Caribbean through music. This is just the beginning of something powerful,” Asher concluded.