Jukebox Thursday: Bob Marley lives on through his family

Bob Marley also sang a lot about slavery.

A popular saying goes, “A pastor does not give birth to a pastor,” which means parents don’t necessarily pass their characteristics down to the child. The truth of this popular maxim is still a continuing debate, and the ample evidence of pastors with children who do not turn out to be pastors is indisputable.

However, Robert Nesta ‘Bob’ Marley, a Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter and guitarist, gave birth to an army clad in the red-green-gold flag, accompanied by the message of one love, peace and unity; most of his children have inherited the gruff tones of his voice along with his Rastafari values.

In today’s influential global music industry which preaches materialism, the Marley brothers seem unfazed. They shun making music videos depicting half-naked women, expensive cars and houses. Even in their clothing choices, in most instances, they prefer to not show off expensive brands.

They sing about topics you wouldn’t normally hear in music from many mainstream recording labels. Like their father, they sing about, Africa’s colonisation, slavery, Rastafari, discrimination, to mention a few. Prominent on the list of Marley’s army are Damian Marley, David ‘Ziggy’ Marley, Stephen Marley and Julian Ricardo Marley.

The Marley Brothers sing It Was Written.

Stephen is also known for his music about Africa, such as how the continent was colonised and how that still affects Africa today. This is no surprise, as his father felt an affinity for the continent. This is evident in some of his songs, such as Africa Unite and Zimbabwe.

Bob also sang a lot about slavery. Redemption Song is a song that continues to influence many artists today, including others such as Babylon System, One Drop and Burnin and Lootin.

Stephen Marley sings Made In Africa