A star of the Crew concept that blew up during the 1990s, Round Head made a name praising ganja in many of his songs. Still blazing, the husky-voiced deejay will be honoured at Suga Reggae Fest on October 27 in Fort Myers, Florida.

Round Head, who lives in New Jersey, is also scheduled to perform on the show, which is promoted by Suga 95.7 FM, a Jamaican-themed radio station in that city.

“It’s a blessing to know that somewhere people acknowledge my good work and my contribution. I wasn’t looking for a reward, so I am grateful for life,” said the veteran toaster.

Ganja has been a consistent theme in dancehall music for decades, with Round Head being one of its leading advocates as a solo act or with The Monster Shack Crew. His solo hit songs include High Grade A Do It, Weed We A Smoke and Weed Smoke.

With The Monster Shack Crew, which also included Ghost and General B, Round Head cut Never Heard A We, Weed is Life and Hotty Hotty Crew. Their rivals in the 1990s included The Shocking Vibes Crew and The Scare Dem Crew.

He said ganja had a calming effect on him as a youth in his native St Thomas, so it was natural the plant coloured many of his songs when he began recording.

“I grow up without the presence of a father, so as a teenager I was a little rebellious. But when I start using weed it really calm me down,” Round Head disclosed.

Since 2015 there has been legislation in Jamaica to decriminalise ganja, which includes expunging criminal records for individuals charged with possession for small portions of the weed. The process has also influenced establishment of several ganja-based businesses, which is music to Round Head’s ears.

“We need to look beyond just smoking it, there’s a lot more benefits so we need to do more research, so I think it’s a good look,” he said.