MR: Why do you think Legalize It and his other popular works resonated with the public?
NM: First, with Legalize It, it is important to understand that marijuana grows -- both cultivated and in the wild -- just about everywhere in Jamaica, and every day of the year. Hemp is a very resilient plant! And on top of his Rastafari beliefs, he also saw that, as he also saw other medicinal and other qualities and benefits from and in this organic herb, and also saw the sad state of the Jamaican economy. So why was -- and is -- this organic plant classified as a "dangerous drug," and so many other truly dangerous substances are not? And he also then saw how politicians and organized criminals were profiting from the laws that classified that herb as illegal, and realized there was something even larger and darker than mere ignorance at work, so he used his gifts for music and songwriting to create the all-time classic song for legalization of marijuana -- as is still recognized, even today, by Rolling Stone and other modern journals.
On the second part of your question, in addition to writing repetitively on his three different powerful messages of which legalization of marijuana was one, see my descriptions above. Throughout his career, he further toyed with other songs as well -- I again remind you of Peter's sense of humor and whimsy. Peter wrote wonderful melodies, was an incredibly versatile and accomplished musician, as Eric Clapton saw fit to mention in his recent autobiography, and had an extraordinary voice and always worked along with the very finest musicians, whether in the studio or on the road.
MR: What do you think of the state of reggae?
NM: Reggae continues to grow and evolve. The level of popularity for reggae -- and sometimes it becomes hard to define what may be classified as "reggae" -- may ebb and flow, but there is definitely a global fan base, that is becoming more globalized all the time. And I must point out that at the Earth Strong Celebration for my father's birthday, in Belmont, Jamaica, on October 20, we saw some of Jamaica's very finest talent, some new and some familiar, and they are artists who are definitely world-class!
MR: Are there any artists out there who seem to either emulate Peter's approach to music or have the same musical or topical approach?
NM: There are many, many artists who have similar, but different approaches to my father. Peter was around for the first streams of Afro-Pop music, like King Sunny Ade, Fela and Lucky Dube. Many rappers clearly were influenced by Peter and some, if not all, of his messages. Musicians, like Dead Prez, Nas, Lauryn Hill, Black Starr are a of fraction of them
MR: Regarding Peter's material, is there something about it that separates it from the rest of reggae?
NM: He was a pioneer, and a rebel, but above all else, he was hugely talented, and also was "a character." People would go to his concerts, or line up to buy his latest record, not knowing quite what to expect. But his music showed you could be cool and tough, without being violent or a hoodlum. That resonates with me as a teacher of inner-city students. He sang that you could be "The Toughest," and that swagger really still hits home for so many teens, but then he sings of righteousness: "Stop from doing wrongs; Change your foolish plans; Stop from doing wrongs; Live up like a man."