Even though it is not a popular genre in our country, we are sure that many people have at least heard of reggae music. The rhythm of reggae, a music specific to Jamaica, is thought to come from the rhythm of the heartbeat. So reggae musicians actually touch the hearts of the listeners. One of the names that touched the hearts of the listeners the most was the legendary Jamaican singer Bob Marley.
Bob Marley lived a short life, but he managed to compose hundreds of songs during that short life. His songs went beyond the borders of Jamaica and spread all over the world. Thanks to these songs, which are loved wherever reggae rhythms touch, the name Bob Marley managed to become one of the legends of music history. There are some interesting details about Bob Marley, whose life is as interesting as his songs.
A life dedicated to reggae music: Who is Bob Marley?
His full name is Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley, he was born on February 6, 1945 in Saint Ann, Jamaica. He met Bunny Wailer in Kingston, where they moved at the age of 5, and they made music together throughout their lives. Bob Marley, who made his first album with the band The Wailers in 1965, later started to produce solo works.
Bob Marley, who started the 1970s quickly, became a name that gave concerts in many different parts of the world in a short time. Bob Marley, who became one of the iconic names of that period with his dreadlocks as per his belief, died due to melanoma cancer on the morning of May 11, 1981, at the age of 36.
Interesting facts about Bob Marley that even his most die-hard fans don’t know:
- The bullying he suffered as a child became the name for his record company.
- He worked in different jobs in America for a while.
- His private life is quite complicated.
- He luckily survived an assassination attempt in which he was seriously injured.
- Bob Marley was a Rastafarian.
- He was honored with the peace medal.
- Due to his religious beliefs, he did not accept having his cancerous finger amputated.
The bullying he suffered as a child gave rise to the name of his record label:
Bob Marley’s mother was a Jamaican native and his father was a British naval officer. The fact that Bob was half black and half white caused him to be humiliated by those around him and to be called the ‘White Boy’. Bob hated this nickname and began to call him ‘Tuff Gong’ because he often got into fights on the street. Bob Marley, who loved this nickname, which also showed his endurance and courage, named the record company he founded years later, Tuff Gong. The Gong was also a reference to Leonard Howell, the founder of the Rastafari movement, as it was his nickname.
He did different jobs in America for a while:
Although Bob Marley was a young man devoted to music, he actually had to do different jobs from time to time due to his living conditions, and not in his own country but in the United States of America (USA). After his mother got married, Bob went to the US state of Delaware with her, where, interestingly, he worked as a laboratory assistant. He returned to Jamaica in 1969, at which time his son Stephen was born. Then, for some unknown reason, he went back to the USA and started working in an assembly plant there under the name Donald Marley. It is said that he wrote the lyrics of his song Night Shift, inspired by his experiences while working in the factory.
His private life is quite complicated:
Bob Marley, who married Alpharita Constantia ‘Rita’ Anderson at the age of 21, remained in this marriage until the end of his life, but both had numerous extramarital affairs. We say countless because just the number of children appearing is quite large. When the couple first married, they already had a child from Rita’s previous relationship, and they had three more children together. During their marriage, Bob had eight more children with eight different women. It is also said that he has many more unknown children. Interestingly, most of their children made reggae music and were quite successful.
He luckily survived an assassination attempt in which he was seriously injured:
On December 3, 1976, the car with Bob Marley and his team, who were going to a concert, was blocked by armed men. This group, which later turned out to be a political protest, started randomly shooting at the vehicle. While Bob Marley was injured in his arm and chest, four people, including his wife, were seriously injured. Two days after this attack, in which fortunately no one was killed, Bob Marley took the stage at The Smile Jamaica concert and gave a message to prevent political violence.
Bob Marley was a Rastafarian:
Rastafarianism, considered a branch of Christianity, is a political and religious movement that emerged in Jamaica in the 1930s. Bob Marley, who was raised as a Catholic, became interested in this movement in the 1960s. Since his wife was also a devout Rastafarian, he easily adopted this belief and became the most famous Rastafarian in the world. According to this belief, one becomes a vegetarian because it is forbidden to eat meat, and since it is forbidden to cut the hair, the hair is braided in dreadlocks. Marley was very angry that dreadlocks became fashionable after he started wearing them, because it was not his style, but a part of his religious belief.
Honored with the Peace Medal:
Bob Marley was an advocate of peace due to his beliefs and he announced this to the whole world many times in all his songs. This effort also attracted the attention of the United Nations. In June 1978, Bob Marley was awarded the United Nations Third World Peace Medal by African delegates at a ceremony held at the Waldorf Astoria. The purpose of the medal was to honor his struggle on behalf of millions of black people living in the world.
Due to his religious beliefs, he did not accept the amputation of his cancerous finger:
Bob Marley injured his foot during a football match in July 1977. While examining the injury, doctors found a malignant melanoma on his finger. They said that the cancer would not spread if the toe was cut off, but Bob Marley refused due to his religious beliefs.
By 1980, cancer had spread throughout Bob Marley’s body. He was treated in a clinic in Bavaria, but it did not help. Bob Marley, who wanted to spend his last days in his hometown Jamaica, fell ill while on the plane and had to land urgently in Miami. The legendary reggae musician died here on the morning of May 11, 1981. The last words he said to his son before he died were: ‘Money can’t buy life.’
Some of Bob Marley’s songs that made him write his name among the legends:
Get Up, Stand Up
Could you be Loved
A lalala long
No Woman, No Cry
Is This Love
We answered the question of who is Bob Marley, one of the legendary names of reggae music, and talked about interesting details about his life and his songs. You can share your favorite Bob Marley song in the comments.
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