The most known and iconic reggae artist, Bob Marley, has made an astonishing legacy for himself. Whenever you hear the song “ Three Little Birds” or “Don’t Worry About A Thing”, the man behind the song is indeed Bob Marley. He has used his platform to spread messages of peace, fight against oppression, and encourage social change. His legacy isn’t just in his music, it’s also in the hearts and minds of those he has influenced with his words. Even though he has passed, his legacy still lives on.
Nesta Robert Marley, or Bob Marley, was a Jamaican singer-songwriter whose career skyrocketed in the 1970s with early ska, rock steady, and reggae music. He was born in the hill country of Jamaica to a white father and a black mother. Marley was living in Kingston slum, also known as Trench Town, when he then formed the band The Wailers with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. This known group mixed different styles of Jamaican music to become the first international stars with hits like, “Catch a Fire” “Exodus” and “Uprising” between the early 1970s through the early 1980s.
Kingston was a very low-income community, so a lot of people didn’t have much. There were small house complexes that could house a minimum of four people. Marley was practically forced to defend himself against all the cruel boys and men so much to the point where he never had time to do music. Despite the poverty, Trench Town was a culturally rich community where Bob Marley’s passion for music returned. With a life-long source of inspiration, this is where he came up with his classical hits today. As Marley grew, political conflict grew, so he wanted to find a way to bring more peace to his country and the world.
Marley fought a campaign for peace after years of political violence between two political leaders. Jamaica was rife with political violence from 1974 through 1980. The People’s National Party (PNP) and Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) were deep in an urban paramilitary conflict that killed, injured, and displaced thousands of people. Between both parties, they wanted power over the island of Jamaica. He wanted people to not only listen to his lyrics and melodies but also to feel the melodies and music. His song “One Love” was one of the most influential songs ever made to help tranquility across the world.
Marley would have multiple concerts across the globe with The Wailers before he finally came back to Jamaica to have his most impactful concert known. In early December of 1976, Marley approved an invitation to appear at a “Jamaican Smile” concert, organized by the prime minister’s office to try and defuse tensions. However, two days before, gunmen ambushed and shot Marley, his wife, and two associates. They all ended up surviving and Marley still went to perform with a bullet lodged in his arm and a wound in his chest. After the concert, they flew to America where Bob Marley would soon die from cancer.
As Bob Marley’s legacy still lives on to this day, there are memorials and spots everywhere. His music is still often played from time to time.
