Bob Marley Research Paper

“I don’t really have no ambition. I only have one thing fe I would really like to see happen. I’d like to see mankind live together, black, white, Chinee. That’s all.” – Bob Marley

Robert Nesta Marley (later changed to Bob Marley by a passport official) was born on February 6, 1945, to Norval Sinclair Marley, a middle-aged white plantation owner from England, and Cedella Booker, a black teenage St. Ann native. Bob’s childhood was spent in the rural community of Nine Mile, St. Ann’s Parish, Jamaica. Nine Mile was a deeply religious, very traditional, and completely black community. Residents of this area have preserved many customs derived from their African ancestry, especially the art of storytelling, as a way of sharing traditions. The stories,

A local interpretation of American soul and R&B, with a primary focus on accenting the offbeat, ska had a tremendous influence on poor Jamaican youth, by offering them an escape from their otherwise difficult circumstances. As a result of this exponential growth in Jamaica’s music industry, young people began to perceive a musical career as a realistic and tangible goal. However, uncertain about the outcome of a music career for her son, Cedella encouraged Bob to pursue a trade. When Bob dropped out of school at the age of fourteen, she found him a position as a welder’s apprentice, which he reluctantly accepted. However, a couple of years later, Bob was involved in a welding accident, resulting in a tiny steel splinter being embedded in his eye. Following that incident, Bob quit welding and decided to focus entirely on his music. At age of sixteen, Bob met with another aspiring singer, Desmond Dekker, who in turn connected him to another young singer, Jimmy Cliff, who referred Bob to producer Leslie Kong of Beverley Records. “I noticed his use of words in songs. Judge Not was a revolutionary song defending his rights as a individual. It occurred to me, wow, this guy is a really good poet.” - Jimmy Cliff (Macdonald, 2012). In 1962 Bob Marley recorded his first singles, “Judge Not,” “Terror” and “One More Cup Of Coffee” with Beverley Records. Unfortunately, Bob Marley’s first solo record failed to sell and connect with his audience, and in return for his work, Bob was paid a mere $20.00. This resulted in a monetary dispute between the two, and Bob eventually severed all ties with the famed