Stephen Robert Nesta Marley (born April 20, 1972) is a Jamaican-American musician. The son of Bob Marley, Marley is an eight-time Grammy Award winner, three times as a solo artist, twice as a producer of younger brother Damian Marley's Halfway Tree and Welcome to Jamrock albums, and a further three times as a member of his older brother Ziggy Marley's group Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers.
In several of his self-produced solo albums Mind Control (2007), Mind Control Acoustic (2008), Revelation Part I: The Root of Life (2011) and Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life (2016) he has composed and produced all the songs on his album, and he has played a variety of the musical instruments himself.
In 1979, a seven-year-old Marley started his musical career as part of the child band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers alongside older siblings Ziggy, Sharon and Cedella – the children of Bob Marley and wife, Rita. The Melody Makers recorded the song "Children Playing in the Streets" written by their father Bob Marley. Proceeds of the sale of the song went to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). In 1980, Stephen performed the lead on the Melody Makers' single "Sugar Pie".[citation needed]
Stephen and older brother Ziggy – Bob Marley's two eldest sons – were directly mentored into music by their father and performed alongside Bob Marley and the Wailers at the 1978 One Love Peace Concert in Kingston, Jamaica, 1979 Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay and at Zimbabwe's independence celebrations in Salisbury, Rhodesia (Harare, Zimbabwe) in 1980. The brothers performed, alongside the Wailers and the I Threes, at their father's funeral on May 21, 1981.
After Bob Marley's death, the Melody Makers continued with Ziggy taking over as the group's leader, composing songs such as "What a Plot" in 1982, as well as "Lying in Bed" and "I Met Her on a Rainy Day" in 1984. In 1985, the group released their first album, Play the Game Right. With their third album, Conscious Party, the group was now called "Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers" with Ziggy performing the lead vocals, and Stephen playing instruments, the group gained fame with hits such as "Tomorrow People", "Tumblin' Down", "Lee and Molly" and "Conscious Party". The album went platinum in the United States, and the Melody Makers would become the youngest recipients of the Grammy for Best Reggae album for Conscious Party.
Their follow up album One Bright Day released in 1989 featured the hit "Look Who's Dancing" written by Ziggy and Stephen. Just 17 at the time, Stephen shared the lead vocals with his big brother and performed dancehall toasting on the song, which also featured energetic backing female vocals by Sharon, Cedella and Erica. Stephen earned the nickname "Raggamuffin" or "Ragga" as he was the first Marley to engage in dancehall rap/deejaying.
Other albums released in the 1990s included Jahmekya, Free Like We Want to B, Joy and Blues, Fallen is Babylon and Spirit of Music. Stephen played a mostly background role, as an instrumentalist, songwriter, and co-producer; but performed the lead vocals on some songs such as "Keep On", "Postman", and "One Good Spliff". Stephen shared the lead with Ziggy on songs such as "Works to Do", a track produced by Stephen himself, and "Water and Oil" adding ragga toasting to Ziggy's singing. Another Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers song written and fronted (lead vocals) by Stephen was "Tipsy Dazy" featured in the soundtrack of the 1997 Hollywood film Anaconda. Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers won a total of three Grammy awards for Best Reggae Album.
Music producer
Marley brothers in 1997
In 1999, Marley produced Chant Down Babylon a remix album of Bob Marley's music, modernised to appeal to a modern audience, featuring hip-hop, R&B and rock stars including Lauryn Hill,[7]Erykah Badu, Guru, Busta Rhymes, MC Lyte, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Chuck D, and The Roots. The single "Turn Your Lights Down Low" featuring Lauryn Hill became a huge hit internationally, Marley modernising a song that had received little attention as a B side song in the 1977 Exodus album.
In 1996, Stephen produced debut albums by younger brothers Julian and Damian Marley (Bob Marley's sons from relationships outside his marriage to Rita). Stephen was particularly successful in Damian's musical success, producing his brother's first three albums, Mr Marley (1996), as well as the Grammy Award-winning Halfway Tree (2001) and Welcome to Jamrock (2005). Stephen contributed production of three songs to Damian's collaboration album with Nas, "Distant Relatives" (2010). On that album, Stephen produced the songs "Patience", "Leaders" and "In His Own Words", lending vocals to the latter two tracks.
Marley also worked with the Fugees in their mid 1990s remake of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry", and produced music for popular hip-hop artists such as Krayzie Bone ("Revolution" from 'Thug Mentality' album 1999), Erykah Badu ("In Love with You" from 'Mama's Gun' album 2000), Eve ("No, no, no" from her 'Scorpion' album, 2001), and Mr Cheeks ("Mama Say" and "Till We Meet Again" from the 'John P Kelly' album, 2001) . He also produced music for dancehall artists such as Capleton, ("Sunshine Girl" from the "Reign of Fire" album, 2004) and reggae legends Inner Circle, ("Smoke Gets in My Eyes" from the 'State of Da World' album, 2009).
After spending many years in the background as a producer, and backing big brother Ziggy as a Melody Maker, Marley finally became a solo artist, releasing the albums Mind Control (2007), Mind Control Acoustic (2008), Revelation Part I: The Root of Life (2011), and Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life (2016). His first three solo albums won Grammy awards for Best Reggae Album, adding to the three Grammy awards he had already won as a member of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers and the two other Grammy awards he earned for producing younger brother Damian's albums Halfway Tree and Welcome to Jamrock."
Mind Control, which featured the single "Hey Baby" featuring Mos Def peaked at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100, while Revelation Part I: The Root of Life reached position 92 and "Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life" peaked at position 129. All Marley's albums reached the number 1 position on the Billboard reggae charts.
In its Mind Control album review published on April 13, 2007, the Austin Chronicle wrote:
Stephen Marley's solo debut is everything a modern reggae album should be. Producer of myriad Marley family recordings, Stephen has developed an ambitious ear... Mindful of the music's deep roots yet awash in dancehall toasts and hip-hop beats, Mind Control layers sound skilfully...the tradition rests in strong hands.
In reviewing Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life, Jon Pareless, writing in The New York Times on July 20, 2016, noted that:
Being Bob Marley's son has given Stephen Marley a voice with archetypal familiarity, some instant brand recognition and a cultural responsibility. On "Revelation Pt. I," Mr. Marley stayed close to the roots reggae sound Bob Marley perfected in the 1970s with the Wailers, though his album added a few guest rappers. "Revelation Pt. II" is far less purist; it strives for both innovation and radio-friendly crossover. Mr. Marley's aching voice suits love songs just as well as protests...and more often than not, Mr. Marley lives up to the ambition that his last name demands of him.
In June 2023 Marley released the single "Old Soul". On August 18, 2023, he announced his fourth studio album, also titled Old Soul, which was released on September 15, 2023.
Personal life
Marley lives in Miami Beach, Florida, where he has a home and a private recording studio.[9]
His eldest son, Jo Mersa Marley, was a musician who released his EP Comfortable, and died on December 27, 2022.[10] His son Yohan Marley who greatly resembles in looks and voice also began his venture into music with brother Joseph’s song “Burn it Down”,[11] releasing his biggest single to date “Goodbyes” on November 24, 2020. [12] His daughter, Mystic Marley, released "Beatdown", her debut single and music video on June 6, 2018.[13]
On 27th December 2022, his eldest son Jo Mersa Marley was found in Miami-Dade County, Florida, unconscious inside his vehicle after reportedly suffering an asthma attack. He was pronounced dead at the scene.[14]
Discography
Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Marley appears in the second season of Luke Cage. In the episode "On and On", he performs "Chase Dem" on the stage of Harlem's Paradise as Bushmaster is taking over the club.
Related Research Articles
David Nesta "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of reggae icon Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He led the family band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers until 2002, with whom he released eight studio albums. After the disbandment, Ziggy launched a successful solo career by having released eight solo studio albums on his own record company, Tuff Gong Worldwide. Ziggy continues his father’s heritage to record and self-release all of his music. Marley is an eight-time Grammy Award winner and a Daytime Emmy Award recipient.
Conscious Party is Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers' third album. It was released in 1988. This album became popular with the hits "Tumblin' Down" and "Tomorrow People". It won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1989.
Damian Robert Nesta "Jr. Gong" Marley is a Jamaican DJ, singer, lyricist and rapper. He is the recipient of four Grammy Awards.
Ky-Mani Marley is a Jamaican reggae musician. In 2001, he received a Grammy nomination for his album Many More Roads. He is the only child of reggae musician Bob Marley and Anita Belnavis, a Jamaican table tennis champion.
Julian Ricardo Marley is a British-Jamaican reggae musician, songwriter, producer and humanitarian. He is the son of reggae music icon Bob Marley, and Lucy Pounder. In 2024, he received a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for his collaboration album with Antaeus, Colors of Royal (2023).
Sidilla Editha "Cedella" Booker was a Jamaican singer and writer. She was the mother of reggae musician Bob Marley.
Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers were a Jamaican-American reggae family group whose line-up consisted of the children of musicians, Bob Marley and Rita Marley, which includes lead singer Ziggy Marley with Sharon Marley, Cedella Marley, and Stephen Marley. Formed in 1979 in Brooklyn, New York, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers members began their musical endeavours in their pre-teens under the name the Melody Makers.
Hey World! is the second album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1986.
Jahmekya is a studio album by the reggae group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1991.
Joy and Blues is a studio album by the reggae band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1993 on Virgin Records. The first single was "Brothers and Sisters", which was promoted to modern rock radio.
Free Like We Want 2 B is an album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1995 by Elektra Records. It was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Reggae Album" category.
Cedella Marley Minto is a Jamaican singer. She is the daughter of reggae singers Bob Marley and Rita Marley and the mother of Skip Marley. She was in the group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers along with her sister and brothers. With the group, she has won three Grammy awards.
Sharon Marley is a Jamaican singer, dancer, and curator. She is the biological daughter of Rita Marley and was adopted by Bob Marley when the two married. She was in the group Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers along with her young sister and brothers. With the group, she has won three Grammy awards.
Play the Game Right is the debut album by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, released in 1985. The album was executive produced by Rita Marley.
This is a listing of official releases by Ziggy Marley, a Jamaican singer and musician from 2003–present. Marley started his musical career with some of his brothers and sisters as the Melody Makers in the 1980s; he performed and recorded albums with them from 1983–2001. The discography of his recordings with the Melody Makers is elsewhere.
Fly Rasta is the fifth solo studio album by Jamaican reggae artist Ziggy Marley, released on April 15, 2014, on Ziggy's own label, Tuff Gong Worldwide. The album marked Ziggy's return after the Grammy-winning album Ziggy Marley in Concert.
Welcome to Jamrock is the third studio album by Jamaican reggae/dancehall artist Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley. The album was released on September 12, 2005, in the United Kingdom, and one day later in the United States.
Skip Marley Minto is a Jamaican singer. He is the son of Cedella Marley and David Minto, and grandson of Bob Marley and Rita Marley. He has received two Grammy Award nominations and an MTV Video Music Award nomination.
The 9 Mile Music Festival, also known as the Bob Marley Festival, Bob Fest, Marley Fest and Caribbean Festival, is an annual music event which began in 1993 in Miami. 9 Mile was pioneered by Bob Marley's mother, Cedella Marley Booker, to pay tribute to the legacy of her late son, and his messages of peace, love and unity. The festival maintains a tradition of collecting canned goods upon admission, to continue efforts to give back to the community. Donations go towards feeding the less fortunate in South Florida and the Caribbean. Over 2 million cans have been donated over the years.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Bob Marley:
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