Christopher Martin Reflects On Bob Marley’s Legacy And His Own Path At ‘One Love’ Premiere

Reggae/Dancehall star Christopher Martin has offered a thoughtful perspective on Bob Marley‘s enduring influence and his own artistic journey.

“I stay true to myself and stay true to the topics that I do ‘cause at the end of the day that kind of music is going to stand the test of time. Bob Marley unfortunately passed away at a very young age, but his music still resonates,” Martin told DancehallMag at the premiere of Bob Marley: One Love at the Carib 5 Cinema in Kingston on Tuesday. “It’s his music that is responsible for all of us being here today.”

For Martin, staying true to his own voice and message is paramount.

“It all depends on how you view yourself, how you view your art, and what you want from it,” he explained. “You can be frivolous and want something that will maybe last a month… people will love it, but, it will be forgotten very quickly or you want something that will last?”

This question has reverberated throughout Martin’s career ever since his 2005 victory in the Digicel Rising Stars competition catapulted him to national fame at the age of 18. Since then, he has become a household name, delivering hits like Big Deal, Cheaters Prayer, Paper Loving, Mama, Mi Friend Dem, and more recently, Guaranteed, which featured a remix with Busy Signal and Bounty Killer.

Martin is pleased that a film to capture a fraction of Marley’s life was commissioned.

“It means a lot to me. It’s a very important time, a very important day… the man! The King of Reggae. He gets his time on the big screen not just for Jamaica, not just for the diaspora but for the entire world to see. I’m expecting great things. I’m happy to be a part of the chosen few that gets to see it before the world gets to see it,” he said.

The singer also revealed that his third album is brewing, slated for release through VP Records later this year. “The album will have like 14 tracks. We’re dabbling between three names so I won’t say which one we’re leaning towards,” he said.

When describing the forthcoming project, Martin said, “It’s mostly what I call ‘sugar Reggae’… it’s that sweet Reggae music… a my ting!”

His previous albums include Big Deal (2017) and And Then (2019).