Bob Marley

 

Bob Marley has introduced the world to a new way of life. His religion has introduced the smoking of marijuana, and the fashion of dreadlock. His reggae music style has invited many people around the world to be interested into Rastafari.

Bob Marley born February 6, 1945 in Jamaica, to a white father, and an African American mother. Bob Marley grew to like music a played in the group, the Wailing Wailers which became a hit in his country. The group started in 1964 with Bob Marley, Peter “Tosh” McIntosh, and Bunny Livingston (who late became know as Bunny Wailer). The song “Simmer Down” kept them on the Jamaican charts. The first chapter of the Wailing Wailers ended when two of the band members left and Bob and his wife Rita moved to the United States to stay with his mother for a few months. At the end of the sixties Bob, Peter, and Bunny met up again with the reggae producer getting the Wailing Wailers back on the charts again. The unclassical hits like “Soul Rebel” and ‘Small Axe” helped defined a future direction to reggae.

Rastafari is the core of Bob Marley and the lyrics he sings. Rastafari is an African Religion that believed in smoking cannabis as a sacrament that cleans the body and mind. The Rasta’s are not surprised that Cannabis is illegal because it opens the mind and truth. The Babylon way does not allow. They do believe that illegality of cannabis in many countries is the evidence of persecution of Resatafari. Not only is Cannabis important to Rastafarian, the fashion of dreadlocks is and association. The biblical reference in Leviticus 2:15 “They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in the flesh.” The Rastafarians simply believe not to cut your hair, the dreadlocks were copied form maumau insurgents who grew their hair in dreads while hiding in the mountains in Kenya during the 1940s. Aside form the biblical and historical believes, Rastafari’s also adopted this style to separate the African American hairstyle from the Caucasian style.

The Wailing Wailers took their name because they were born in the ghettos of Jamaica and have been “wailing” since birth. The band members grew their hair into dreadlocks and smoke Ganja (marijuana) in its religious belief. The group brought on classical music such as “I shot the Sheriff”.   Erica Clapton’s version later hit the number one music charts in the United States. This also helped the name Marley and Wailers travel through the globe. Bob Marley has contributed to the international society in many ways. In the beginning of the 1970s the international society started to see reggae and Rastafarian.  Bob Marley incorporated Rastafarian chants into his music, including the lyrics in his album covers. Many low class groups like Native Americans, African Americans and more gain interest in the reggae music.  The Rastafari movement went international, spreading through Jamaica, and other nations.  This happened with the influence of the reggae music style, and the influence of Bob Marley.

The Morning of May 11, 1981 Bob Marley dies of stomach, brain, and lung cancer in Miami Florida. In 1977 the doctors found malignant melanoma in his big toe, from a soccer wound. With in time the cancer traveled to his brain, lungs and stomach. True to his belief, Bob Marley looked at is doctors as tricksters, and would not go through any surgical solutions.   He was buried on May 23,1981with Rastafari and Ethiopian traditions.  His body rest in a mausoleum in his birth town. Even though he has past, he still lives on as a legend in the music world today. In 1994 Bob was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rita accepts the award on the behalf of her late husband. In 1999, Bob Marley and the Wailers’ greatest-hits collection received a 10th platinum certification. They sold more than 10 million copies. Even in the present day, Bob Marley has inspired people to be interested in a new kind of culture, the people allow him to live on through his music.

 

Reviews

[Oxonian]

I guess you loved the Man. I am old enough (sobs) to remember the influence Marley had on Black Brits of West Indian descent. Overnight there were Rastas everywhere. Of course not many still are and many who smoked copious amounts of weed are now seriously suffering from mental illness. I beg to differ that Rasta is an African religion. It was started in Jamaica by the first Rastas who saw Haile Selasie as the New Messiah.- Ja Rasta Far I being the tribute to his name before his crowning - Ras Tefari.
My parents were from Jamaica and believe me their generation absolutely despised Rasta's so you can imagine the reaction I received when I ran home with my pre-released copy of Natty Dread. I was also good friends with a very well known reggae DJ (David Rodigan at the pinnacle of Bob Marley's power. He had some great originals.
Well thank you for taking me back to some happy years.

[Travis Lawrence]

Love Bob Marley, what a soul! Helluva soccer player I hear, it's my favorite sport. So yeah I just read through all your work on here and it's all quite good! Anything new on the horizon?

-Travis