| Let’s Take it Higher is a 25-minute documentary that portrays Skip Marley at home during the pandemic living life just like the rest of us — washing his hands, eating healthy, exercising, spending time with family and his pet dogs, and making music. The first-time Grammy nominee is up for two awards this Sunday — one for Best Reggae Album (for his debut project Higher Place) and another for Best R&B Song (for “Slow Down,” his chart-topping duet with H.E.R.). Produced by Boomshots, the official reggae and dancehall platform of Complex Media Networks, and premiering on VIBE.com, the film includes family movies from Skip’s childhood, and candid interviews with many of his collaborators on the project — H.E.R., Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, Rick Ross, and D. Smoke — as well as his mother Cedella Marley, and very special appearances by Skip’s aunt Marcia Griffiths — who toured the world with Bob Marley as a member of his backing trio the I Three and with Skip’s grandmother, the legendary Rita Marley. There’s also an interview with the members of the iconic reggae band Inner Circle, who recorded with and performed with Bob Marley in the 1970s, and who say that Skip has “nuff of Bob’s vibes.” The first day of production on the doc was January 6, the same day a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol Building. Skip’s performance of the song “Higher Place” took on added resonance and power in light of the horrific events of that day. He is very much carrying on his grandfather’s legacy, and doing so with his own unique musical style and spirit. The film was directed by Reshma B, who produced the acclaimed reggae documentary Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes. The film was produced by Rob Kenner, author of the forthcoming book The Marathon Don’t Stop: The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle. In his description of the film on VIBE.com, Kenner offered, “Skip reflects on the honor of being nominated for the prestigious awards and of carrying on a mighty legacy in his own unique style.” “Skip is doing what Bob did for his generation. He’s relevant to his time,” added Reshma B. “He is not only nominated for Best Reggae Album, but also for Best R&B Song, and as we all know, Bob Marley once sang ‘play I on the R&B, I want all my people to see.'” The R&B is on full display for the people to see here, as Let’s Take It Higher features a beautiful new acoustic rendition of “Slow Down,” recorded as a virtual duet between Skip in Miami and H.E.R. in Los Angeles. |
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