Wasp gives behind-the-scene details of the making of Bob Marley

Dancehall artist Wasp released a tribute to the King of Reggae, Bob Marley, to show his respect and love for the legend and his music. The song was released on all major streaming platforms in early February, just before the Reggae Month celebrations. The “Unfair Officer” deejay details his love for Bob Marley’s music, how he became inspired to make the song, and more in our interview.

When was the first time you recognised that Bob Marley was a legend?

I grew up hearing him song dem but way after Bob Marley passed, me hear “Iron Lion Zion.” Is long after him dead dah song deh release and it mash up the place. Me seh “Yow, dah man deh music coming like seh it cya dead.” So I start paying attention to him and listening to him song dem again. While me a listen to dem, me realise my favourite Bob is “Africa Unite.” I played that song everyday.

What made “Africa Unite” your favourite song from Bob Marley?

There’s something about that song. It just have a vibe, you know. It just have a sound. I couldn’t even tell you seh is this element or is that element but sumn bout that song. Me just have it pon repeat. The song a seh Africa unite and me wah see Africans unite pon a level. So it might be the message, the music behind the message, the voice and how it deliver that makes it my favourite.

Outside of being inspired by Bob Marley, what made you decide to write and release the song?

Well a just me a seh me ago give Bob his flowers even though he’s not here to receive it. Me think overseas endorse him more than Jamaicans. Me know seh Jamaica love him. He’s the face of the music but more time when me hear the yutes dem reason, me nuh hear dem talk bout Bob enough. When me watch some a the documentary dem, me see how much work Bob Marley put in so just as how we heights Marcus Garvey, we affi heights Bob Marley too. All a dem great man deh, like Bob Marley, Marcus Garvey, Selassie, we need fi talk bout dem more. My son come fi know bout Bob Marley true my music. That’s a next reason why me tek on dah challenge yah of doing a Bob Marley song and use some references from his music to give him his respect.

How did you end up linking up with DJ Jahmar for the song?

So Jahmar is a good friend of mine. Me do a song fi Jahmar name “Lose Control” and the song a gwaan good overseas inna Russia and other places. We get videos everyday from different girls all over the world a dance to the song so Jahmar seh we need fi do another track.

I’m sure you have seen the TikTok dance for the song. How do you feel about people recognising the song and being inspired to create an entire dance routine?

Yeah man, is a wonderful feeling fi know seh great work nuh go unnoticed cause I cuda do the song and nobody nuh look. That wuda mek me feel like dem nuh get the picture or energy wah me a bring forth. So when me see the dance movements, it really uplift my spirit fi mek me know seh me deh pon the right path. Me know wherever Bob is right now, him supposed to a smile within himself fi know seh a Dancehall artist start a vibe and couple people well a dance to it you know. It mek me feel great.

What other outcomes would you want for the song?

My dream for this song is to get Junior Gong on the remix. I would really love for any of the Marley dem to be able to do a remix for the song. I would really appreciate it because me respect all of dem. Me a put it out there in a di atmosphere.