Biography

Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945 in Jamaica to Norval Marley, a middle-aged white plantation overseer from England, and Cedella Booker, a black teenager from the north country. Cedella and Norval were to be married on June 9th, 1944. Approximately a week before the wedding, however, Norval informed Cedella that his chronic hernia had begun to trouble him and as a result he would be changing jobs and moving to Kingston. Norval never really knew his son because of the white upper class' disdain for interracial relationships. As a youth, Bob Marley was often the object of bitter ridicule by both white and black Jamaicans for his mixed heritage.

musical carreer bob mar ley

Marley’s musical career can be said to have gone through many stages, taking him from a Ska artist through to Reggae, all of this taking place between the 1970’s and 80’s in Jamaica.

Bob at this time was best known for working with the reggae group “The Wailers”. The Wailers was comprised of three of the most talented artists in reggae history, namely Marley, Bunny “Wailer” Livingstone and Peter Tosh.Bob Marley and the Wailers as they later became known (as more emphasis was placed on Marley).

Songs were not only filled with pulsating beats and mesmerizing lyrics but had undercurrent themes of rebellion. As seen in such songs as “Them Belly Full But We Hungry”. A direct social commentary on the Socialist regime of the Michael Manley who led People’s National Party (PNP)in Jamaica.

The music warns of the potency of socially excluded ghetto youth in creating a chaotic and volatile socio-political climate in Jamaica.

Marley was very familiar with this subject as Trench Town during the 1970’s and 80’s like most other inner city areas experienced an upsurge in violence fuelled by youth lacking opportunities and feeling oppressed by legitimate authoritative forces of the state such as the police force.

The group eventually split in 1975 after eleven successful records .Members of the group eventually enjoying relative levels of success as solo artists.

Out of this group though the most internationally acclaimed would turn out to be Bob Marley. Many persons attribute this international fame to Marley’s association with the well known and influential producer by the name of Chris Blackwell .