While the public has been pitting Damian ‘Jr Gong’ Marley against Chronixx, the two entertainers are no enemies. In fact, Marley said a collaboration with the ‘Skankin’ Sweet’ singer is quite likely.

Marley told THE STAR that he is a fan of Chronixx’s Chronology, and that a collaboration with the singer is not out of the question.

“It would be cool. We’ve spoken about it before. I think it will happen, once the opportunity presents itself,” he said.

Marley’s Stony Hill nabbed Best Reggae Album category at the 60th Grammy Awards ceremony on the weekend, and many persons thought the award would have gone to Chronixx, whose Chronology album was also one of the front-runners. Like in the past, there were also suggestions that Jr Gong won because of his last name.

Still, there were persons like Freddie McGregor who insisted that Marley was quite deserving of the win.

Damian Marley

STILL SATISFIED

“I really celebrate the win because Jr Gong did not win because his surname was Marley, but because he had a really strong album,” he said.

“I would have liked if Chronixx had won because Jr Gong won before, but I am still satisfied with the result. Both Jr Gong and Chronixx put up a good fight.”

The other nominees in the reggae category were Avrakedabra by Morgan Heritage,Lost in Paradise by Common Kings and Wash House Ting by J Boog.

In 2005, Marley released the critically acclaimed Welcome to Jamrock, and followed with the collaborative, genre-crossing Distant Relatives in 2010.

Despite the years between releasing solo projects, the decorated reggae artiste does not feel like he was ever absent from the industry, but rather consistent in developing his work.

“I don’t feel like I left the space. I’ve been active, but not as active with more solo albums,” Marley told THE STAR.

“My appreciation for excellent consistency keeps me consistent. I make the kind of music I like to listen to. And that I appreciate that consistency in other artistes. I’m a fan of those people my father being one of them, and many others too,” he continued.

With Stony Hill, he explained that he was able to lay down new thoughts and ideas. Deviating from an established mode of production, Marley described the album’s sound as a “Wailers sounding product.”

PREVIOUS WORKS

“We didn’t sample this time around,” the artiste revealed.

Whereas his previous works relied heavily on interspersing dancehall, hip hop or drum machine samples, and sounds beneath Marley’s melodic rhymes, Stony Hill relied on very few.

“There’s one Dennis Brown (sample) and two Black Uhuru. There aren’t any other samples. This is the first time where I really had a few tracks that’s close to what my father’s music sounds like,” Marley told THE STAR.

Next on the agenda for the multiple Grammy award winner is more albums.

“I’m trying to finish up some albums as a producer with Third World and Kabaka Pyramid,” he said. Both albums have potential release dates scheduled for the end of February.

Following that, he plans to begin work on his next solo album.