Hump Day History

 

Mural on a local smoke shop, just a small piece of evidence of the endurance of Marley's presence.  Not just for pot smokers - he increased the visibility of Jamaican music and Rastafarian culture, and his influence is still felt to this day.

It was on this day in 1981 that Marley passed away at only 36 years old.  A cancerous growth in his toe had metastasized to his brain, liver, and lungs.

He was born Nesta Robert Marley on February 6, 1945.  At the age of nine, his family moved to Trench Town, a West Kingston ghetto where he met Neville Livingston, aka Bunny Wailer, and Peter McIntosh, later Peter Tosh.

Reggae is a mix of traditional mento, a Jamaican folk music, as well as American jazz and rhythm and blues.  It evolved from the earlier genres of ska and rocksteady.  The first use of the term is from 1968.

There have been many covers of Marley, from Eric Clapton to Sublime, even The Fugees.

This is among my favorite Marley songs, often considered his timeless anthem.

"Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind."

This line was taken from a speech given in 1937 by Marcus Garvey.

A review of the song's legacy states, "A terminally sick man who had grown up in abject poverty delivered a vital message in the most gentle way, and it still reverberates around the world."

Please share your favorite Marley or other reggae today.