Bob Marley, born Nesta Robert Marley, was an icon of the 1970s and 1980s and the king of reggae music. Today, his legacy is experiencing a revival.
Marley was and still remains well known in the music industry: He achieved fame for his song “Stir It Up” and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.
Recently, on February 14, 2024, the new movie “One Love,” telling the story of Bob Marley, was released, starring Kingsley Ben Adir as Bob Marley. The film includes key moments of Marley’s life, including how he became famous, his life before and after the attempted assassination on him in December of 1976 and his journey on tour.
The tour, a prime focus of the movie, took place from 1976 to 1978. His work on the tour demonstrates how he spread his message of peace even in the face of the challenges of fame.
The new movie came out at a time when, over the past few years, the reggae genre seemed to be dying off. Despite this, YG Marley, born Joshua Marley, the grandson of Bob Marley, wrote the new hit song “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” alongside YG Marley’s mother. This song, released at the end of 2023, originally became famous thanks to TikTok. Featuring a sample of Bob Marley’s song “Crisis,” the song has brought Bob Marley to a new generation of listeners.
Even following Bob Marley’s death in May 1981, the revival of reggae, specifically through the new movie and new song, speaks to the enduring legacy of Bob Marley’s music in pop culture and consciousness in today’s world.
