WHILE the newer crop of reggae and dancehall acts dare to experiment with international sounds, recording artiste G Whizz is encouraging them to remember their roots.

“Music ah guh always change, suh mi nah bash di new artiste dem weh ah run di place now because di music cyaa be like ’98, ’99 — it ah guh evolve. But, dem fi always just keep some ah di culture inna it. I’ve been able to travel the world — Japan, Europe, a lot of place — and mi ah tell yuh di culture is very powerful out there and people love the authentic Jamaican — whether it’s on a picture frame, whether it’s on music, whether it’s a movie. Dem love the authenticity suh we haffi leave dat,” he told the Jamaica Observer shortly after his performance at the Bob Marley 78th birthday tribute concert on Monday.

It was held at the Emancipation Park in St Andrew.

Born Garland Rowe, G Whizz has been in the industry for nearly two decades. He is known for the hit songs Bartender, On and On, Better Soon Come, Ghetto Life, and Can’t Love You Like Me featuring D’Angel.

He also believes that not many Jamaican entertainers understand the business aspect of the industry, and that this is an impediment to growth.

“What we lack is unity. Wi need fi unite like how other industries unite, and have more structure. The business need more structure in terms of the business side so [that] when you release a song, if it get drafted fi a video game, a movie, a soundtrack…anything like that, yuh have yuh rights a come in to yuh,” he explained.

G Whizz, among other talents including Etana, Droop Lion, Max Romeo, Gyptian, Capleton, Lutan Fyah, Admiral Tibet, George Nooks, Dennis Walks and Julian Marley, all gave memorable sets in honour of the “King of Reggae”.

G Whizz noted that he felt privileged to have been invited to share in the celebrations.

“I’m very happy that I was invited by the Government of Jamaica to celebrate the legend Bob Marley on his 78th birthday, if he was here,” he said.

The singer released his sophomore album, Just Winning, last February. The 16-track set was the follow-up to his 2011 Japan-only release Live Life and Love It.

“It’s been good because it have Julian Marley, it have Beenie Man, it have Ikaya…mi love it,” he said when asked about its success.

In the meantime, G Whizz said even though he is sometimes absent from the local music scene, he is continuously up to something.

“Mi have a song weh seh, ‘All when dem nuh see mi, moves a mek.’ Suh, apart from di music, wi do other things suh G Whizz always active,” he said.