Julian Marley Breaks Down Every Song On His Grammy Winning Album, ‘Colors Of Royal’
Julian Marley, son of Reggae legend Bob Marley, and producer Alexx Antaeus are the winners of this year’s Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album with their collaborative album, Colors Of Royal.
“This album is all about artistic freedom and exploration,” Julian notes. “We wanted to create something that was both true to reggae music and also pushed the envelope, and I think we’ve achieved that with Colors of Royal. It’s a journey through sound and color, and we can’t wait for people to experience it.”
Antaeus added: “I am thankful that Julian allowed us to bring him into new musical territories. Our electronic sound allowed him to step beyond traditional reggae, adding a fresh layer to his innate talent. Colors of Royal represents a fresh chapter in Reggae.”
To celebrate the album’s win, Marley himself takes us on a track-by-track journey, explaining the inspirations and messages behind each song.
1. Jah Sees Them
“We open the album with the song ‘Jah Sees Them’ produced by Antaeus and Sean Alaric, a Grammy winner, who has produced for Koffee, Teyana Taylor, Jesse Royal and Protoje. The song’s overall message is that Jah is always watching, and those who engage in deceitful or harmful actions will eventually face the consequences. Like we say in Jamaica, ‘Jah nah sleep.’ The song also highlights the destructive actions of those in power, such as feeding wars, building walls, and deceiving the people.”
2. Robbed
“Next comes ‘Robbed’ produced by Antaeus and Billboard-charting Notnice, whose credits include Vybz Kartel, Spice, Popcaan and more. This song asks you to ‘Open your eyes…’ to the injustices and lies in society. “What is a king without a kingdom, what is knowledge without wisdom” suggests that power and knowledge are meaningless without moral and ethical values. The lines ‘Watch the media as they’re feeding ya, whatever brings more views, Medication cause the sickness that’s killing most of you’ suggests that the media and pharmaceutical industries are complicit in perpetuating lies and causing harm to people’s health and well-being.”
3. Inna Mood
“‘Inna Mood’ is a girl song. It’s about love and the confidence that she will be my baby. The song’s upbeat rhythm and repeated lines create a sense of joy and celebration around the theme of love and attraction. It was produced by Antaeus and Prince Productions, who has also produced for The Game, Waka Flaka, French Montana, Kid Ink, Chris Brown and Gucci Mane. The video was filmed at Wicki Wacki Beach in Jamaica.”
5. Made For Your Love
“We continue the album with “Made For Your Love,” another girl song produced by Antaeus. The song’s romantic lyrics and slow, sensual rhythm create a sense of intimacy and closeness. ‘Your love was made for my love, your feel was made for my touch’ captures the song’s core message, which is the intense attraction and compatibility between two lovers.”
5. Roll
“‘Nuh matta how ruff the road, we’re still in control,’ is the core idea behind this uplifting track. We can overcome any obstacle and keep moving forward by remaining resilient and focused on our goals. ‘Jah is my cruise control’ because I draw strength from my faith and spirituality. ‘Roll’ was produced by Antaeus, and the video was filmed at Tuff Gong Studios in Kingston, Jamaica.”
6. The Tide is High
Originally a reggae song by John Holt and The Paragons, it reached No. 1 worldwide with the 1980 Blondie version. This song, also produced by Antaeus, is both a girl song and a commitment and determination song. ‘The tide is high but I’m holding on,’ and ‘I’m not the kinda man who gives up just like that,’ send a clear message of where I stand on everything in life. The video was filmed at Devon House, a Jamaican National Treasure, which was built by George Steibel, Jamaica’s first Black millionaire.
7. Roll (Rodando Mr. Sonic Remix)
“This remix is a collaboration with the great Argentine reggae singer and composer Bahiano. It was produced by Antaeus and Mr. Sonic, a multi-Grammy and Latin Grammy winner, whose credits include Santana, Shakira and Ricky Martin.”
8. The Tide is High (Pentagono Remix)
“This remix is a collaboration of Antaeus, Third World keyboard player Norris Webb and Dominican reggaeton producer Ch Produciendo.”