During filming for the documentary Grass is Greener at Pinnacle in December 2017, singer Asadenaki was inspired by the location that holds a special place in the annals of Rastafari and ganja.

So inspired, he co-wrote a song for the film which is directed by hip hop pioneer Fab5 Freddie. Also titled Grass is Greener, it was part of the documentary’s April 20 premiere on Netflix.

Grass is Greener, which features singjay and co-writer Blvk H3ro, was officially released on May 3 by DubShot Records. Getting exposure on a giant medium as Netflix is a big career move for Asadenaki.

“It’s a great milestone for me as I have never been in a film that has a global viewership like Grass is Greener on Netflix. The song adds a new flavour to Asadenaki with its crossover sound,” he told the Jamaica Observer last week from Montreal, where he was doing a show.

Fab5 Freddie and his crew interviewed Asadenaki’s father, Bunny Wailer, during the shoot at Pinnacle, which was a hub for early Rastafarians in the 1940s .It was while there that he and Blvk H3ro began writing Grass is Greener.

“The song came about organically while being on the set with Bunny Wailer and Fab5 Freddie. We started freestyling and Fab5 overheard us and actually had us in the shoot. So, after that day there were talks of featuring the song, so H3ro and I took the song seriously and penned the lyrics,” he related.

Asadenaki, whose songs include Living and Jah Love is Real, has been recording for almost a decade. Unlike most contemporary artistes, he is not into jumping on hot rhythms and flooding the market with singles.

“I’ve been super busy actually, but not rushing myself to release songs that are not properly produced. I like to take time with my lyrics so I can actually get my messages across,” he said.

Quality over quantity is something he learned early from the ‘old man’, who along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh, are the most famous members of The Wailers.

“Bunny Wailer is a reggae icon and I am just honoured to be from that lineage and represent his rich history. Jah B is a no-nonsense person. He will tell me straight, ‘dat nuh ready’, if a song isn’t properly done,” said Asadenaki. “So, his advice is always to do my best and take my music seriously.”

Asadenaki was born Abijah Livingston in Kingston, where he spent his formative years before moving to Georgia and attended college. Returning to Jamaica six years ago, he co-founded Tuff Gang, a roots-reggae group that released an EP, Freedom Seeds, in 2015.

That year saw the release of Initiation, a short film he wrote.

Though he has been on major shows including Rebel Salute and Rockabessa Herbs and Music Festival, Grass is Greener is Asadenaki’s biggest plug to date. He stressed the importance of thinking long term.

“My father has made very wise decisions that maybe have not benefited him when it comes to popularity, but it has preserved his life and what he stands for. Sometimes as artistes, we are more concerned with how many people hear our songs and not how many people respect us and learn from us as individuals,” he reasoned. “Which is the true reason we are artistes, to lead a generation by example.”