Bob Marley: 80th Heavenly Birthday

Bob Marley: 80th Heavenly Birthday

Robert Nesta Marley (better known as Bob Marley), was born on 6 February 1945 and passed on 11 May 1981, meaning that he would be turning 80 years old today. Marley was a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, he fused elements of reggae, ska and rocksteady to create a distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide and became a global figure in popular culture, inspiring many of the oppressed in Africa and in the diaspora who listened to his music to rebel and even become outstanding revolutionaries.

Bob Marley was an impenitent Pan-Africanist and believed in the unity of African people worldwide. His beliefs were rooted in his Rastafarian religious beliefs, but he was substantially inspired by Marcus Garvey. He had anti-imperialist and pan-Africanist themes in many of his songs, such as “Revolution”, “Zimbabwe”, “Exodus”, “Survival”, “Blackman Redemption”, “Guiltiness” and “Redemption Song”, which drew influence from a 1937 speech given by Marcus Garvey in Nova Scotia, a province of Canada.

Marley held that independence of African countries from European domination was a victory for all those in the African diaspora. In the song “Africa Unite”, he sings of a desire for all peoples of the African diaspora to come together and fight against “Babylon” (Imperialism). Similarly, in the song “Zimbabwe”, Marley marks the liberation of the whole continent of Africa, and evokes calls for unity between all Africans, both within and outside Africa.

Source: Wikipedia

In his adaptation of the speech made by Haile Selassie to the United Nations in October 1963, he titled the song “War”, in which the lyrics spoke of African liberation, particularly regarding Southern Africa:

“… And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique and in South Africa in subhuman bondage have been toppled and utterly destroyed …
…until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, we find it necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil.”

Bob Marley evolved into a global symbol, a revolutionary legend, such as Che Guevara.

“It takes a revolution to make a solution.” – Bob Marley

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