Peter Tosh
ListenLegalize It · 1975
Peter Tosh — “Legalize It,” Intel Diplo single recording.
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1975 · Intel Diplo
Legalize It
“Legalize It” made Peter Tosh’s demand unmistakable. Issued in Jamaica as a single in 1975, it became the title song of his first solo album the following year—and one of his most enduring statements of defiance. [1] [2]
| Accession | OMMA-0049 |
|---|---|
| Artist | Peter Tosh |
| Release | 1975 · Jamaica |
| Label | Intel Diplo · no catalogue number listed |
| Format | 7-inch vinyl single · 45 rpm |
| Issue | Jamaican single · maroon labels |
| Runouts | Not documented |
| Recorded grade | VG+ · generic sleeve |
Release history and significance
Tosh had already spent years singing, writing and playing with the Wailers. As a solo artist, he brought the same conviction to the treatment of Rastafarians and the criminalization of cannabis. “Legalize It” turned that argument into a refrain people could carry with them. [2]
The Jamaican Intel Diplo single paired the vocal with a version on the reverse. It preceded the 1976 album, whose recording began at Treasure Isle in 1975. Lee Jaffe, who helped bring Tosh to Columbia, later recalled recognizing that the song’s subject could draw attention well beyond Jamaica. [1] [3]
When Jamaican radio would not play “Legalize It,” Tosh found another way to circulate its message: he placed the lyrics in a newspaper advertisement. That gesture captured the determination behind the record. A refusal on the airwaves became another opportunity to make himself heard. [2]
Market context
Discogs reports sales for the dark-red-label Jamaican single from US$3.00 to US$39.38, with a median of US$14.25, as consulted on 14 September 2026. [1]
Physical Description
A seven-inch black-vinyl single with maroon Intel Diplo labels. The Jamaican single couples “Legalize It” with its version. It is housed in a generic sleeve. [1]
Condition
The disc is graded Very Good Plus and is housed in a generic sleeve.
Provenance
Acquired from Discogs seller idren336 on 30 September 2025.
Sources
- Discogs, Peter Tosh — Legalize It, release 7367471. 1975 Jamaican seven-inch with dark-red labels; release details and sales figures.
- Baz Dreisinger, Peter Tosh: Reclaiming a Wailer, NPR, 9 July 2011. Tosh’s musical background, activism and response to the radio ban.
- Howard Campbell, Legalize It turns 40!, Jamaica Observer, 30 July 2016. Lee Jaffe’s recollections and the 1975–1976 development of the album.
Catalogue text reviewed 14 September 2026.