Damian Marley, Nabil Elderkin Urge Social Justice in ‘Evidence’ Short Film

Damian Marley has teamed up with music video director Nabil Elderkin and cannabis entrepreneur, artist and philanthropist Berner to create a new short video promoting social justice for those convicted of weed violations.

The video, titled “Evidence,” uses Stephen Marley’s “The Traffic Jam (Acoustic Version)” alongside interviews, spoken word and footage that showcase the message behind Evidence Cannabis, a brand that packages its weed in police-style evidence bags and operates out of the former Claremont Custody Center in Coalinga, California.

The goal of the video is to raise awareness for the 40,000 prisoners of cannabis prohibition, with proceeds going to support criminal justice reform non-profit Last Prisoner Project.

“Evidence and Last Prisoner Project both stand for a very honorable cause,” Marley said in a statement. “With Last Prisoner Project, through the work that they’re doing in trying to get people who are incarcerated for cannabis out of jail; and Evidence through being a brand that is helping to support that same movement. To me it was a victory to be able to turn a facility that was once a place of despair, doom and gloom, into something that is now a place of joy and healing. We are proud to be a part of that.”

“It’s important to be involved in pushing for criminal justice reform,” Elderkin said. “If there is a profit to be made then we must all work together to help rectify the injustice already done. As filmmakers we have been given the gift to be able to reach lots of people through storytelling.”

Elderkin is known for his work with artists like Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean and John Legend. His film, Gully, featuring performances by Jonathan Majors, Terrence Howard and Travis Scott, was recently released after nearly a decade in the making.

“The more I got into film, the more I wanted to expand,” the director told IndieLand of his recent efforts. “I had got to a point where I could either make a cool little short or a really simple statement. As long as it has a feeling. All I want to do is create a feeling. As long as you can walk away and it adds or at least complements the song and doesn’t take away from it.”

Earlier this year, Marley released “Life Is a Circle” to celebrate Earth Day, along with a video a video telling the segregated history of Miami’s Virginia Key Beach Park. He also collaborated with Common on a reggae remix of “What Do You Say (Move It Baby)” in May.