We're excited to premiere the latest song from Keznamdi, "Bun Di Ganja," featuring Jamaican dancehall star Mavado. It's from Keznamdi's second full-length album, Blood and Fyah, due out in June. His first, Bloodline, came out in 2019.
Born in Kingston, Keznamdi was raised by Rastafarian parents, both singers in the band Chakula. They also lived in Ethiopia and Tanzania. The above video was shot in Jamaica and Northern California.
The Lyrics
Mavado opens "Bun Di Ganja" with the chorus, which is repeated twice:
High grade from west
Strictly indoor
Cuh man haffi smoke the best
Marijuana bring mi joy and happiness
Good fi mi nerves
And it tek weh mi stress
That’s why mi bun mi ganja
Every night and day
That’s why mi bun mi ganja
Keznamdi follows with the first verse:
Mi use to bun it
Now mi steam it
And mi crush it
And mi clean it
And mi load it inna di kutchie
And mi puff it and mi puff it
And mi love it when mi cough so til mi high
And mi laugh until mi cry
We slap the chalwah couple times
Pass it to patner
Praise to the father
Slap the chalice
Chant a prayer
Nyahbinghi order
We Holy sacrament a herb
So we puff the zaza
This a sum weh we proud of
This a fi wi culture
Gully God
And then the second:
Big up to the farmer dem
That grow this weed wid a science
Got the plants lookin like giants
Gully god him wah di highest
Haffi satify your clients
With the herb
From we suppliers
And maybe I am bias
But this herb must be the finest cah
When we go the hydroponic store
Get some LED and couple two by four
Build some beds upon the floor
And plant the plants dem up indoor
With water pump and reservoir
Haffi try dis strain for sure ya never seen like this before
Gully God
The Interview
Keznamdi answers our questions:
The focus of Bun Di Ganja is indoor cannabis. Is it better than outdoor?
Not always. I’ve seen outdoor growers produce better quality than some indoor setups. It really comes down to the grower’s knowledge, consistency and how much care they put into the plant.
That said, properly grown indoor cannabis can produce incredible results – clean, potent and flavorful. The problem is, a lot of indoor herb out there is grown with heavy chemicals just to boost yield or looks, and that’s where the bad reputation comes from.
Isn’t most of the ganja in Jamaica grown outdoors?
Yeah, it is. And there’s something special about herb grown naturally under the sun – it’s strong, full of energy and hits different.
Do you have experience with growing indoors?
Yeah, I’ve been involved in many indoor grows – both small and large. From two-light setups to 40-light rooms. Some were successful, some didn’t go as planned. But every grow taught me something. That’s how I built real understanding of the plant and the process.
What are your favorite Jamaican cannabis strains?
Jamaica has a very gassy strain that i like. But there is no real official name to it, at least to my knowledge. But once you smell it, you just know that familiar smell.
What are your favorite U.S. strains?
OG Kush has always been my all-time favorite. The smell and the smoke, there's nothing like it. It’s in a lane of its own.
How is decriminalization going in Jamaica?
Very slow. We’ve taken some steps, but overall I feel like we’re missing out on a major opportunity – not just economically, but culturally. Jamaica should be leading the way in the global cannabis space. We’ve influenced the world through Rasta, reggae and herb, yet we’re still treating ganja like it’s an illegal substance. The laws are unclear, access is limited and the people who have been part of the culture for generations – especially traditional farmers and Rastafarians – are being left out.
It’s even more frustrating when you look at the tourism industry. Resorts and businesses love to market the image of Jamaica – Rasta colors, Bob Marley tunes and slogans about “One Love” – but they don’t want to acknowledge the real culture behind it. They profit off the aesthetic, but not the roots. Herb is a sacred part of Rasta culture. It’s spiritual. It’s indigenous. It’s a way of life.
Marijuana is just one piece of a rich cultural legacy. People don’t fly to Jamaica just for beaches – they come for the energy, the roots, the music, the herb and the culture. We should be protecting that, celebrating it and building an industry that reflects that truth.
Catch Kezmandi at the Mercury Lounge in New York on May 12 and at Hotel Café in Los Angeles on May 22.
MORE REGGAE HIGH TUNES
• "Medication" – Damian Marley
• "Pass da Kouchie" – Mighty Diamonds
• "Light It Up" – Root of Creation
