Higher place.
Skip Marley has proven to be living a choice. In a previous interview, he stated that he did not choose music but music choose him. With a 2021 Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album for his work on the Higher Place EP, an award that was won by Toots and Maytals to make them two times Best Reggae Album Grammy award winners, Skip has a mark at the higher place.
‘oh, I’m lost I need a map, though I slip back on track. See the future, clear your path; cause we go forward, never back(yeah). Little weary boy, don’t run up. Listen to the voice in your heart. I gotta fess up, no hesitation. It’s a vibration, ready with my arms up.’
When I heard this intro to his track; Higher Place which features his grandpa, the legendary Bob Nesta Marley, I had my arms hard up in the air feeling the vibration and nodding to every sequence of the beat waiting to go to a higher place and be in a higher state. The mellow-laced vocals on the song gets you ecstatic without hesitation to a higher place with little personal vexation and self-pride and right into the Rasta vibes.
Make me Slow
We thank Jah for the love we share despite the pain many people go through. For all the lessons, blessings and beauty; satisfaction should be the reaction for every beautiful day that you are near that heart that you can feel. This is a message that Skip derives as he goes on to get a backup verse from Rick Ross to mark one of the best cross-over collaborations on the album. However, the best cross-over collaboration in the album for me is on the RnB styled Slow Down which features H.E.R.
Slow Down brought me to the music world of Skip Marley. Before Slow Down, I had only listened to That’s Not True Which Features his uncle Damian Marley and displays the lyrical prowess of Skip Marley as he laces your mind with hard hitting self-reflection questions and wise sayings from a wise man from old.
‘I wanna see you tomorrow, not just the thrill of today. Don’t let our love just be borrowed, no. This is the choice that we make.’ When I first heard this song, I figured out that my girlfriend would vibe with it once I sent her my new playlist addition but I was single. I added it to my dedication list; when she comes along, I will have a full playlist and all she will need is a pair of earphones. (sic)
That faith
Sometimes life can kick you when you are down. What do you got? We got that faith, that stargaze in our eyes and the willingness to try. Faith, a Kel P production, is one of the most inspiring and uplifting songs in the album that has not achieved the popularity and airplay that it deserves. It’s a difficult task whenever we try chasing hope in the hope that we will stay honest. Similarly, we get problems that we did not see coming but at the bottom we need someone to hold us close. Despite all this, we need to keep moving, make our way, make our history and dance when we are the stars again because we got the faith.
Stepping on the Lions.
Why do we try to put each other down and take the crown? What’s the remedy? Stepping on the enemies as we search for a remedy with a melody, Skip Marley is slowly taking the throne as he creates a recipe that will feed your mind and soul. A recipe that no one can thief.
Hate has been winning but the lovers aren’t done. Yeah. Not on my watch. Did you know we are the lions? This generation. ‘Some said fire when the ‘fire’ was ice and sold a lie. Some may buy it but I’m not paying the price. No, not in this life.’ This is one of the lines that inspired me to view myself as a lion. You will never hear me roar but you better believe you are a lion too. We are the lions. We are the chosen generation and movement that will shine out the dark. You better know who you are and who we are. Deep down in everyone, there’s a little fire. Let me get higher, I’ll fuel the fire.
By Calpas
