Burna Boy Samples Marlon Asher’s ‘Ganja Farmer’ On New Album

Nigerian superstar Burna Boy has breathed new life into one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most iconic reggae anthems. On his new album No Sign of Weakness, the ninth track, 28 Grams, samples Marlon Asher’s 2005 hit Ganja Farmer .

Released on July 10, the 16-track album has been praised for its genre-blending production and high-profile features. 28 Grams, a nod to a full ounce, serves as both a tribute to cannabis culture and a metaphorical take on fame. The track was produced by Nigerian hitmaker Niph Key.

First released in July 2005, Ganja Farmer became a global anthem for marijuana rights and personal freedom. It was crafted by Asher, producer Carl “Beaver” Henderson, and co-writer Geron “Big Gee” Woodruffe.

Asher told the Trinidad Express newspaper that the song has endured because of its message of struggle, healing, and connection to the land. “It speaks to freedom, to the bond people have with the herb and the earth,” he said. “Whether you’re in the Caribbean, Africa, or Europe, people relate to oppression and healing. The vibe, rhythm, and story make it timeless.”

“When I first made the song, it was personal—it told a story that needed to be heard. But over time, it’s grown beyond me. It’s the people’s song now,” he added.

Asher shared that he was humbled and excited by Burna Boy’s rework of the song.

“Burna Boy is a massive artiste with global reach, and for him to recognise and respect the roots of a song like ‘Ganja Farmer’—that meant a lot. It showed me the message is still powerful. Real music crosses borders and generations,” he said.

The sample clearance was handled through Atlantic Records, which coordinated with the original creators and their publisher.

Woodruffe, who co-wrote and co-produced the song, said he had sensed something big was coming.

“I remember I started getting a feeling, like last year, that somebody huge will take the track, the original format, and use it to some degree,” he said. “So, I was pleasantly surprised when the call came in from Atlantic Records, first to start to negotiate, to clear this track, you know, and then to actually see it materialise, to see my name on the credits of a Grammy award-winning, and multiple award-winning artiste, such as Burna Boy…it was really a blessing.”

For Henderson, this was “the biggest moment” of his career.

“Ganja Farmer is my biggest hit globally, and having it sampled and credited on an album of one of the biggest A-lister artistes in the world takes it to a whole different level,” he said.

He credited the seamless clearance process to their legal and publishing team, adding: “We worked closely with our publisher Jack Russel Publishing until completion.”

Asher sees the collaboration as part of a larger movement connecting Africa and the Caribbean. “We share so much—culture, rhythm, history. When Afrobeat meets reggae or soca, magic happens. Collaborations like this are bridges—linking Africa and the Caribbean through music. This is just the beginning of something powerful,” the singer concluded.

Ganja Farmer was previously sampled by Renard on Ganja Massive (2009), and covered by George Dekker (2006) and J Boog (2023).

Burna Boy’s previous Reggae and Dancehall samples include Times Flies (2020), which sampled Musical Youth’s Pass The Dutchie (1982), Bank On It (2020), which sampled Super Cat’s Nuff Man A Dead (1992), Ph City Vibration (2017), which sampled Chronixx’s Spanish Town Rockin (2016), Smoke (2013), which sampled Bob Marley’s Stir It Up, and Don Gorgon (2014), which sampled Shabba Ranks’ Ting-A-Ling.