Where are you going for spring break this year? Is it somewhere tropical and sunny, like Puerto Rico or Jamaica? When I visualize this picture, I see the bluest water with palm trees everywhere and while lying in the sun I hear Bob Marley playing in the background. This reigns true on social media, if you go on TikTok and look up any Bob Marley song, you’ll see something tropical.
This past Valentine’s Day, “Bob Marley: One Love,” a film depicting Bob Marley’s rise to fame and the hardships he faced during the process, premiered. The film had mixed reviews with some moviegoers left confused and wanting more while others thoroughly enjoyed the film.
Although I did enjoy the film, I understood people’s complaints about wanting to see more of his story and origin, since he had such a dynamic life in just 36 years. Here are some more details about the musical icon’s life and his legacy that the film didn’t dive into.
Early Life
Marley was born in St. Ann Parish, Jamaica on Feb. 6, 1945, to Cedella Malcolm, a native Jamaican woman, and Norval Marley, a white plantation supervisor from England. After his parents separated, his father wasn’t present in his life and died when Marley was just 10.
Marley began making music early but didn’t gain traction until he partnered with his friends and created the Wailing Wailers. The groups consisted of Marley, Peter Tosh and Neville “Bunny” Livingston with 17 more members to come in and out of the group over the years including Marley’s wife, Rita Marley. They released their first single “Simmer Down,” which topped the Jamaican charts in 1964.
The group continued to gain more traction after releasing their albums “Catch A Fire,” “Burnin” and “Natty Dread” with popular songs “Stir it Up,” “Get Up, Stand Up” and “No Woman No Cry.” Marley’s music was much deeper than just catchy tunes, as he often highlighted Rastafarian culture.
His Message
Rastafari is a religious and political movement that began in Jamaica in the 1930s and was adopted by many groups around the globe that combines Protestant Christianity, mysticism and a pan-African political consciousness.
Marley implemented these beliefs into his music, continuously advocating for the unification of African people and those of African descent. In 1976, tensions were rising between the two political parties in Jamaica, the People Nation’s Party (PNP) and Jamaica’s Labour Party (JLP).
Marley planned to put on a free concert to unite the Jamaican people called “Smile Jamaica.” Two days before the event an unsuccessful assassination was attempted on his life, although Marley wasn’t severely hurt, both Rita and Marley’s manager had to undergo surgery. Despite this near-death experience, Marley decided to go through with the show, performing for 80,000 people.
In 1976, he also came out with “Rastaman Vibration,” an album promoting positivity and hopefulness to Rastamen even through the injustices they face. “Exodus,” a song on his later album of the same name encompasses the Rastafari message of returning home to the motherland. “Open your eyes and look within, Are you satisfied with the life you’re living? We know where we’re going, We know where we’re from, We’re leaving Babylon, y’all! We’re going to our Father’s land, Exodus! Alright! Movement of Jah people!”
There are an estimated one million people who identify under the Rastafari religion today, predominantly in Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Barbados. Whether they converted because of Bob Marley, we don’t know, but we do know his impact was vast.
After 14 months in London, Marley returned home after the release of “Kaya.” He performed at the One Peace Love concert at the Kingston Stadium on April 22, 1978. Where he brought the leaders of opposing political parties on stage, urging them to shake hands, clasping his over theirs, raising them, and saying “JAH Rastafari,” loosely meaning God almighty.
Marley continued to travel the world and spread his message until he discovered he had Melanoma, which he was diagnosed with after a football injury to his big toe. After the cancer spread all over his body, he passed away at 36 in 1981.
Legacy
Despite Marley’s early death, his message and legacy didn’t end with him. He had 12 children who continued to keep the Marley name alive. He and Rita had three children, Cedella Marley (1967), Ziggy Marley (1968) and Stephen Marley (1972). He also adopted Sharon Marley and Stephanie Marley, whom Rita had before she married Marley.
Marley had numerous extramarital affairs during his marriage to Rita. In 1972, he had Rohan Marley with Janet Hunt and Robbie Marley with Pat Williams. The following year he had Karen Marley with Janet Bowen and in 1975, he had Julian Marley with Lucy Pounder. In 1976, Ky-Mani Marley was born to Anita Belnavis, and in 1978, Marley and Cindy Breakspeare had Damian Marley. His last child was Makeda Jahnesta who he had with Yvette Crichton in 1981.
Many of Marley’s children shared his gift for music. If you’ve watched the 90s cartoon “Arthur,” you may or may not know that Ziggy sang the theme song His other children Damian and Stephen Marley have been making music together and rocking the world with their “Traffic Jam” tour.
But the latest Marley to hit the music scene is his grandson, Joshua or YG Marley, born to Rohan Marley and Lauryn Hill. His song, “Praise Jah In The Moonlight,” blew up on Tiktok and was deemed the “song of the summer.” But like his grandfather, we see a deeper message being promoted in his music, “(Give Jah all the thanks and praises) give Jah the thanks and praises. (Give Jah all the thanks and praises) I sing, give Jah the thanks and praises.” Despite the decades that have passed, the Rastafari message continues to spread through his lineage.