PATERSON — The governor wants to legalize marijuana, but three city teenagers have a different view on the issue.

The students at Paterson’s John F. Kennedy high school complex — Jayden Cornish, Andre Gardner and Travis Anderson — wrote a rap song, “Weed Ain’t Right,” which has propelled them to the state finals of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey music competition.

On Friday, a busload of classmates and family members plans to travel to New Brunswick to watch the Paterson teens, who called themselves Knight Time, perform at Rutgers University in the “Shout Down Drugs” competition against 12 other entries from around the state.

“I feel this can put Paterson on the map in a more positive way,” said Cornish, a senior. “I’m tired of seeing Paterson in the spotlight for the wrong reason.”

The 17-year-old recalled seeing two Paterson stories on the television news recently. He said both of them were about negative things, including the city’s prostitution problem.

The members of Knight Time acknowledged that many rap songs glorify drug use. In fact, a few years ago, Paterson’s homegrown recording star Fetty Wap was at Eastside High School to film his “Wake Up” music video, which featured many scenes of simulated marijuana smoking.

“This is definitely different from what you see in pop culture. It's the complete opposite,” Cornish said of his group’s song. “It was a little scary. We weren’t sure how most people would take it.”

Cornish, who played safety and running back on Kennedy’s football team last fall, said someone he knew questioned the anti-marijuana message.

“He said, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ ” the senior recalled. “But most of my classmates are supporting what we’re doing. I try to stick with the people who uplift you and don’t put you down.”

Gardner, who is a junior, said it felt “kind of weird” doing a rap song against marijuana use when “so many people are doing it.”

“We’re trying to change the culture,” Gardner said. “We’re trying to steer people a different way. This is for the younger generation. Smoking weed is a life-changing thing for teenagers.”

Knight Time’s success as Passaic County representatives in the upcoming competition won the group praise from the city’s schools superintendent.

“These students have a message that encourages young people to make the right choice about using marijuana, regardless of whether it is legal,” said Superintendent Eileen Shafer, “and they used their creative abilities to create that message. That itself is a tremendous victory.”

The three students have been working with Kennedy High School staff members Judith A. Beckmeyer and Mark Fischer for the past couple of months to produce their song and video. “Weed Ain’t Right” is their only piece so far.

The teens said they are not sure whether Knight Time will continue as a group after the Drug-Free New Jersey competition. Cornish and Gardner, who also played for the football team, are committed to athletics.

But Anderson, a sophomore, said he will keep writing songs. He has the most stage experience, having participated in a talent show at his elementary school several years ago. The group members acknowledge they know classmates who smoke marijuana.

“I don’t judge,” Anderson said. “It’s just not for me.”

On “Weed Ain’t Right,” each member of the trio performs a solo: Cornish about someone getting marijuana laced with a different drug, Gardner about a youth getting blindsided by the substance angel dust, and Anderson about a teen who messed up his life with drugs. “Weed Ain’t Right” is the refrain between the solo performances.

Gardner said his solo in the song was inspired by the experience of a friend of his who had to go to drug rehab.

“He’s doing good now,” Gardner said.

Cornish spoke about the irony of their song’s message at a time when state officials in Trenton are talking about legalizing marijuana.

“If they do it, after a while, I think they’re going to see they made a big mistake,” Cornish said.

The “Shout Down Drugs” competition allows the public to vote online for the 13 groups at shoutdowndrugs.com/contestants/.