The History of ganja in Jamaica

This is a project by dj afifa. It was created for the Whitenoise mixtape in 2018. It was also featured on the Umbalembe project curated by Zanj Rracc in 2018.

Ganja (Marijuana, Cannabis) was decriminalized in Jamaica in 2015. Individuals are now been allowed to possess and grow limited amounts of the plant. The decriminalization has made way for the development of a medicinal Cannabis industry with a licensing authority, licensed growers, export arrangements and dispensaries called herb houses. There is now an even stronger demarcation between the legal and illegal trade in ganja. Ganja continues to be classified as a drug, which is regularly seized and destroyed by the Jamaican police.

Download the History of Ganja in Jamaica here

Listen to the History of Ganja in Jamaica here

Nu Jazz meets Jamaican djing and dub poetry

This track is a dj afifa remix of the I-I chant written and performed as a dub poem by Jamaican dub poet Iyunda. This version revisits the Jamaican djing and dub poetry chanting styles. In Jamaican music tradition, the dj chants lyrics over a riddim while the dub poet chants poetry to a reggae or dub riddim. Count Matchuki, King Stitt and U-Roy are highlighted as the early pioneers of the dj style in Jamaican music. Dj afifa’s production of the I-I chant is inspired by U-Roy’s Natty Rebel album released in 1976 under Virgin Records.
The I-I Chant fuses the djing and dub poetry chanting styles in Jamaican music with a jazz hip-hop riddim or Nu jazz track produced by Japanese dj, composer and arranger Uyama Hirato. The instrumental track Autumn is taken from the Freedom of the son album released 2014.
bless and love.