IN REVIEW: Tru Colors Wayne Marshall
By Raine Martin
Wayne Marshall has dabbled with many different sounds over the past decade. Featured on singles with everyone from Bounty Killer to Jaime Foxx, Marshall’s style has run the gamut from hardcore dancehall deejay to laid-back melodic singjay to rhythm & bluesy singer and hip hop/dancehall fusion artist. More than a decade after his debut Marshall Law, Wayne Marshall unveils Tru Colors, an album that captures everything about Wayne Marshall in a cohesive and palatable package.
mi name/some man a say bleacher mi name/so mi waan burn nem –en-em/ Kartel and Marshall again/inna dancehall tenement/we a set trend again/people a ask if wi tun friend again/ we wasn’t enemy so we nah matter dem. is a rather interesting cut on Tru Colors, pouring R.E.M’s inspired lyrics and melody over a “On can sound a little hokey, but
the familiar melody, and the message of There are many different Marshalls on the owning up to the choices one makes in life make this one a standout track. thug, socially conscience observer, and spiritually uplifting being – which matches Another surprising track is the album’s many different sounds which The song starts out with all the drama and theatrics of a Broadway show tune before beats of and transitioning into a hard-hitting dancehall to a new-age dancehall riddims on “Go cut with an equally dramatic guest and with bass-driven appearance by Capleton. roots reggae on and a tinge of EDM on One of the album’s unfortunate misses is the gospel-inspired a duet Tru Colors strongest tunes include “Go with Tarrus Riley. Despite having all the right elements – powerful performances, featuring clever linguistics from Marshall empowering message, full choir, excellent alongside Aidonia, Assassin, I-Octane, production – the tune fails to connect due Bounty Killer, and Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ to the lack of chemistry between Marshall and Riley. tempo and delivery between each artist is masterful. The crowning moment is a which is supposed to be a surprise appearance from Marshall’s one part two to featuring Baby time lyrical partner-in-crime Vybz Kartel, Cham, Ace Hood, and Waka Flocka Flame who for a long time was rumored to have fails to recreate the magic of the original. turned Marshall’s steadfast enemy. Kartel, Ace Hood and Waka Flocka don’t add who appears to be spitting lyrics over the anything too great to the single and the phone due to his current incarceration, exchange between the American rappers and Jamaican deejays lacks cohesion. teacher