Bob Marley – the Iconic Rastafarian

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Bob Marley – the Iconic Rastafarian

Bob Marley, born Robert Nesta Marley OM was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. He was considered one of the pioneers of Reggae, ska, and rocksteady. His music blossomed in the 1970s. He was an international superstar. He is also known as a Rastafarian.

Rastafari-Reggae

The roots of the Rastafari-reggae traces back to the early decades of the twentieth century. During the 1920s, Marcus Garvey, the Jamaican-born champion of Pan-Africanism, mobilized millions of African Americans in Harlem and across the Diaspora with his vision of racial upliftment/

Rastafari is a young, African-centered religion which developed in Jamaica in the 1930s, following the coronation of Haile Selassie as King of Ethiopia.

• This religion spread globally following the success of Bob Marley and his music in the 1970s.
• Rastafarians follow strict dietary laws and abstain from alcohol.
• Rastas follow many of the Old Testament Laws
• There is a separate code of religious practice for women in Rastafari.
• Rastafarians believe reincarnation follows death and that life is eternal.
• They are forbidden to cut their hair, instead, they grow it and twist it into dreadlocks.
• They eat clean and natural produce, such as fruit and vegetables.
• They try to refrain from the consumption of meat, especially pork.
• Rastafari theology developed from the ideas of Marcus Garvey, a political activist who wanted to improve the status of fellow blacks.
• There are approximately one million worldwide adherents of Rastafari as a faith. The largest population is in Jamaica.
• The 2001 census found 5,000 Rastafarians living in England and Wales.

Variety of Rasta Names

Followers of Rastafari are known by a variety of names: Rastafarians, Rastas, Sufferers, Locksmen, Dreads, or Dreadlocks.

Rastafarian Colors

The Rastafarian colors are red, green, and gold. Sometimes black is added. These are chosen because: https://youtu.be/WDZ9kmIA4yE

• Red: Signifies the blood of those killed for the cause of the black community, throughout Jamaican history
• Green: Represents Jamaica’s vegetation and hope for the eradication of suppression
• Gold: Symbolizes the wealth of Ethiopia
• Black: Signifies the color of the Africans who initiated Rastafari

The Rastafari Symbol

The lion is the symbol of Rastafari. It represents Halle Selassie I, who is referred to as the ‘Conquering Lion of Judah.” Rastafarians dreadlocks represent the lion’s mane.

In the decades following his death (1981), Marley’s music and image rights generated hundreds of millions of dollars in income for his heirs. Authorized and unauthorized licensing fees reportedly generate over $500 million in revenue per year. The estate only benefits from the authorized (legal) deals.

Royalties

Today, the estate generates $25 - $30 million per year in royalties for the family. If Bob Marley were alive today were alive today, he would be worth $250 million.

His lyrics, rich with allegory (story, poem, or picture with hidden moral or political meaning) and allusion:

• Allow listeners to grasp multiple meanings onto them.
• 1970s reggae fans embraced his passionate call for liberation and self-determination.
• After his untimely death at age 36, Marley’s music continues to resonate with his loyal fans all over the world.
• Promoted peace concerts with the aim of bridging the divide between Jamaica’s political groups.

Bob Marley and the Wailers

His rise to fame helped curate a positive image for Jamaica. By far, Marley and his band the Wailers, made the greatest contribution to reggae. They were able to bring the genre to a world stage and really paved the road for new reggae artists.

International Cultural Ambassador

To me, Bob Marley is the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T) in terms of Reggae music. He also served as the International Cultural Ambassador for Jamaica and the Rastafarian religion.

Bob Marley passed away at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami on May 11, 1981. His final words to his son Ziggy were “Money can’t buy life.”

🕊️Peace, Love and Reggae🕊️

Rachele 💗