Marlon Asher

Who is Marlon Asher?

Marlon Asher is a Trinidadian reggae singer from Enterprise, Chaguanas. His first hit was "Ganja Farmer" and he later went on to release three more popular reggae songs, his latest being "Fit and Strong".

Marlon Asher grew up in Enterprise Street, Chaguanas. He was a member of the Mount Ararat Spiritual Baptist Church Choir and later converted to Rastafari.

Asher was a pioneer of the Trinidadian reggae movement and his first song Ganja Farmer sparked controversy in his country despite being a run away hit. In an exclusive interview with the Trinidad and Tobago Express, he answered his critics by explaining what the song meant to him.

"I was never a farmer, but I have friends who are and seeing what they have to go through when police burn their fields inspired me to create the song. People must understand that planters have mouths to feed and this is how they earn a living to do so. Putting aside the fact that herb is life and everything else about that, when you think about the work and money a man puts into his field and then see it being burnt, it's not easy,"

"Herb is not for everyone. It have people who will smoke and trip. My music is not about promoting hate and violence, it's about uplifting people. I may not be able to change the world, but I can lead people into thinking differently about life and living with each other. Also, the lyrics in the song that tell about the rocket launcher, does not mean that people should kill police. I am showing the anger that a farmer has inside when he sees his field being burnt. That anger and frustration is real,"