Wizkid Eyes A Legacy Like Bob Marley

wizkid-bobmarley
Wizkid, Bob Marley

Nigerian Afropop singer Wizkid says his recent viewing of the Bob Marley Musical Get Up, Stand Up has driven home the point to him that, in addition to “managing his ego,” the next phase of his life ought to be focused on creating a legacy similar to that of the late Reggae icon.

In an interview with The Guardian, the 31-year-old pointed out that for the new chapter of his life, his aim was to make his music live forever and become an icon whose name lives on, similar to Marley.

“I was like: ‘Yo, we’re watching a Bob Marley play and this guy died decades ago.’ I didn’t even know that he died at 36. He did so much at a young age. It just reaffirms what I do; I have to keep taking this to the highest heights. Because I know one day they’re definitely going to create a play about me,” Wizkid told The Guardian.

However, he did not outline how he was going to reach iconic status, as unlike Marley, Wizkid told the Guardian that he would not make political music in the future, despite the Get Up Stand Up singer being known for his protest music.

In 2021, American rapper Jay-Z shared a similar sentiment about Marley with The Sunday Times. 

When asked how he’d like to be remembered, Jay assessed his ego and responded: “I have no idea.  I’m not beyond ego, right? Hopefully, they speak of me [with] the names of Bob Marley and all the greats. But that’s not for me to say.”

Wizkid, who has been a longstanding lover of Marley’s music, visited Jamaica in 2019, where he was to have recorded music with Reggae/Dancehall stars including Chronixx and Buju Banton for three weeks. 

Last October, he described the island to Rolling Stone Magazine as “everything that I thought it would be and more…, an amazing place, the most beautiful place, amazing food, great people”.

“I was in Jamaica for a month to make music and I couldn’t because I was just so into it, enjoying myself…,” he said in The Guardian interview.

In the meantime, Wizkid has co-opted Skillibeng and Shenseea for the track Slip N Slide, from his fifth studio album More Love Less Ego, which consists of 13 tracks, and was released today November 11, by Starboy/Sony Music International/RCA Records. 

Prior to this, he collaborated with Damian Marley on the song Blessed, and with Projexx on True Love.  Both songs appeared on his Grammy-nominated fourth studio album, Made in Lagos, in 2020.

In the joint Rolling Stone interview with himself and Damian Marley last year “about spirituality, fatherhood, collaboration, and what connects Nigeria and Jamaica”, Marley had revealed that he became a fan of Wizkid’s after crossing paths with the Afropop star at a New York City hotel while promoting his 2018 Grammy Award-winning Stony Hill album.

Marley had described the Nigerian’s melodies as being “off the chain” and noted that when he received the call to be a part of Blessed, he was honoured.  

“As a Jamaican, as Rasta, we definitely have a great affinity toward his culture. We are definitely big fans of anything African.” The calm gratitude of “Blessed” permeates the spirit of both artists, in life and conversation,” the Welcome to Jamrock artist had revealed.

Damian had also said that the first night they met up to work on Blessed, he was so hoarse that he could not record properly, as he had been singing at a concert hours earlier, but indicated that they were both able to pen the lyrics, after which he later re-recorded his parts.

Wizkid, on the other hand, had said that recording with Marley, was “one of the most amazing sessions” he had ever been in.

“From the first time I heard it in the studio, I just went mad. I couldn’t believe it. It was like magic right before my eyes… I would love to say that I would love to make more music with you, boss man,” the Afropop star had said.