King Inkosi uses Cannabis to spotlight Jamaica's herb farmers

King Inkosi used Cannabis to do more than fill a release slot. The Manchester-raised reggae artiste turned the single into a conscious statement, putting Jamaica’s herb farmers and the politics around cannabis at the center of the record.

The song lands as a direct response to what King Inkosi sees as uneven treatment after decriminalisation. In his view, the country’s upper class has gained the most from policy change while ordinary people connected to herb farming and possession still face pressure and prosecution. That gives Cannabis a sharper edge than a standard topical tune, because the issue is tied to class, law and lived experience, not just studio inspiration.

King Inkosi said the track grew out of what he witnessed firsthand, and that grounding matters. He pushed the argument that cannabis should be treated as a herb, not a drug, and said any legalisation should benefit all Jamaicans instead of a narrow set of interests. That outlook places the single squarely inside reggae’s long run of music as commentary, with roots-style concerns about justice, identity and spiritual life carrying as much weight as the hook.

He also linked the record to Rastafarian practice, describing cannabis as cultural, medicinal and recreational. That framing broadens the conversation beyond politics and makes the song feel built for listeners who still expect reggae to carry a message, not just a groove. Produced by King Inkosi himself, Cannabis is meant to sound authentic too, with clear influence from Garnet Silk, Ini Kamoze, Peter Tosh and Burning Spear.

King Inkosi did not sound rattled by the possibility of backlash, though he admitted the single could stir controversy. For now, his attention is on visual content, live performance and digital promotion, with a possible EP still under discussion later on. The release gives him a clear lane in the current reggae landscape: not novelty, but substance, with Cannabis positioned as both a song and a public argument.