Nesta Robert "bob" Marley

Nesta Robert "Bob" Marley

Nesta Robert "Bob" Marley, deemed the greatest Jamaican musical artist ever, is often credited for helping to spread Reggae music to people worldwide. He achieved international fame through a series of crossover Reggae recordings. An amazing Reggae singer-songwriter, guitarist, percussionist, and musician, Marley's legacy lives on through the lyrics he had written, the music he recorded, and the family he left behind. Marley's lyrics in Trenchtown Rock, "One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain," resonates the profound effects his music has on people who enjoy his musical recordings (Marley, 2012). His lyrics capture the profound impact music is capable of having in the lives of people throughout the world. His use of thought-provoking words and melodies stimulate our emotions, alter our moods, and affect our behavior. Indeed, Bob Marley is the greatest Reggae singer, because his music is inspirational and listening to the lyrics can help ease your pain, get through the rough times, and help you to believe that better days are ahead.

Marley's Birth and Early Life

Born on the farm of his maternal grandfather on February 6, 1945, Nesta Robert "Bob" Marley who is also known as Tuff Gong, was born to Norval and Cedella Marley in Nine Miles, Jamaica. Located in the northern half of Jamaica, Nine Miles is a small village just outside of St. Ann Parish. Although Bob Marley was named Nesta Robert Marley at birth, a Jamaican passport official later reverse his first and middle names and many people now refer to him as Robert Nesta Marley. Bob's father, Norval Sinclair Marley, a Naval Officer in the Royal Marines, was a European-Jamaican of British-Syrian descent whose family. His mother, Cedella Malcolm Marley, was a Jamaican of African descent. Because Norval's parents disapproved of his marriage to Cedella, they spent very little time together. Therefore, Bob's care was left in the hands of his mother, her parents, and many other people in the village of Nine Miles. When Bob was 10 years old, his father died of a heart attack at the age of 70 in 1955 (Moskowotz, 2007).

Bob's only formal education in Nine Miles was at the Stephney All-Age School. He attended Stepney Primary and Junior High School, which serves the catchment area of Saint Ann. Disappointed with Bob's education in Nine Miles, his father moved him to Kingston to supposedly educate him. The racist bullying Marley received as a child gave him a negative view of education by public schools, which had a definite impact on his songwriting (Bob Marley Foundation, 2009; Marley, 2012).

Marley married Rita Anderson, who had been a backup singer for the Wailers. Marley reportedly had several children: three with his wife Rita, two adopted from Rita's previous relationships, and several others with different women (Marley, 2004). The Bob Marley official website acknowledges only eleven children, however, other sites have noted three additional individuals who claim to be Marley's children (Dixon, 2007; Have, 2013).

Although Marley was baptized into Christianity, he became a Rastafari in 1966. He was later baptized into the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, a Christian faith. Marley wore his hair in dreadlocks, adopted marijuana as a sacred sacrament, and started every performance proclaiming the divinity of Jah Rastafari. Marley's popularity as a musician brought both the Rastafarian movement and Reggae music to international attention (Middleton, 2000).

Significant Events that Impacted the Person that Marley Became

Bob's move to Kingston was a major milestone in his life. During this time, he met Bunny Wailer in which a friendship blossomed along with his love of music. Bob and Bunny established themselves in the Kingston musical scene. At the age of sixteen, Bob recorded his first single with musical tracks entitled "Judge Not" and "Do You Still Love Me." In 1963, Bob, Bunny, Peter Tosh and Junior Braithwaite established a band named the Wailers. The first recording the band produced together was named, "Simmer Down." The band had a series of hits, which included "One Love," "Rude Boy," "I'm Still Waiting," "I Am Gonna Put It On," and "Cry to Me." Marley recorded many other chart topping hits such as "Buffalo Soldier," "No Woman, No Cry," and "Africa Unite." Marley recorded his final studio album, Uprising, in 1980. This album was one of his most religious works, which included the tracks "Redemption Song" and "Forever Loving Jah" (Marley, 2012).

Marley's Illness and Death

In 1977, Marley was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma under the nail of his big toe. Citing his religious beliefs, Marley turned down his doctors' advice to have his toe amputated. The cancer metastasized and spread throughout his body. Marley died on May 11, 1981, at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami, Florida. He received a state funeral in Jamaica, which combined elements of Ethiopian Orthodoxy and Rastafari. He was buried in a crypt near his birthplace with his Gibson Les Paul guitar, a soccer ball, a cannabis bud, and a Bible (Gooding, 2011).

Conclusion

Although