(PART ONE: Bob Marley)
The idea of music is incredibly diversified as a universal subject. Making music is a creative process that can take many different forms. There is no one secret to winning over your audience, which explains why there are so many different genres. Also, music genres write their history across eras. Each era comes with its defining artiste, major game changers and stakeholders. The 1930 to 1950 era of pop music had people like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra who helped defined that particular era of the genre. Fela Anikulapo Kuti is without a doubt the name that springs to mind of fans of the genre when we talk about the Afrobeat singer that defined the 1980s.
Every genre and era has defining artists who are etched in the history of that genre. Hardly anyone defines his genre and personifies everything that his genre is about throughout the history of era-defining artists like one man. A man who dressed in his genre like a Suit. Beyond the music, entertainment, and pleasure. He became a walking representation of his genre.
Robert Nesta Marley, Popularly known as Bob Marley, was a Raggae musician who transcended era boundaries. A man who rose to fame as the genre’s face. 41 years after his passing, he is still remembered and highly acclaimed as a man who contributed so much for his genre.
There can be no discussion about reggae music without mentioning Bob Marley. He is that significant to the genre, yes. 1945 saw the birth of Robert Nesta Marley in the Nile Mile, Jamaica. He began his music career in 1962 and, at the age of 20, along with friends, he created the band; “The Wailers”(Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Cherry Smith, Junior Braithwaite, Beverly Kelso, Constantine walker, Aston Barrett and others ) in 1963.
During the roughly 20years of Bob Marley’s musical career, 13 studio albums and 2 live albums were released. Bob Marley spent more than 17years leaving his mark on the history of Jamaican music, reggae music, and the entire world, despite the fact that he passed away at a young age(he was 36). He belonged to the Rastafari movement, which was crucial to the development of the reggae genre. Being a Rastafari, Bob Marley used his influence to spread the music throughout the world. “No Woman, No Cry”, his first big song was released in 1975. Additionally, he had a great deal of success with his music outside of Jamaica, which contributed to the genre’s globalization.
“Rastaman Vibration”, his eight studio album, enjoyed tremendous success in the US. He followed it up with the ninth album, “Exodus” which also did well in the UK and helped introduce the genre to the audience’s predominantly white demographic. His Greatest Hits CD, “Legend”, which was released after his passing and has since become the best-selling reggae record of all time, has sold about 25million copies worldwide. One of the artists with the highest lifetime sales is Bob Marley. It is unquestionably significant, enormous, and defining for the genre, for a reggae musician to sell more than 75million copies of
his music globally. What more might he have accomplished if he had lived longer?
The Grammys added a new category called “Grammy Award For The Best Raggae Recording” four years after Bob Marley’s passing. One would wonder why they decided to add this if not for the influence and legacy of one particular man who also happens to be the best selling artist in that genre.
Bob Marley did more than only leave a lasting impact and leave his name in Raggae music history books. Unknowingly, Bob Marley created a music dynasty as well. He had 11 children, and six of them work in the reggae music industry, majorly as artists themselves and some, as producers. Two of his grandkids are also reggae musician.
There are numerous adjectives to describe the man. A lot of words to discuss his legacy. A respectable, talented and gifted man. Bob Marley raised the bar for Raggae music. He pushed it to greater heights and set the tone for how far it has come now.
