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Quick Facts
- NAME: Damian Marley
- OCCUPATION: Songwriter, Music Producer, Rapper
- BIRTH DATE: July 21, 1978 (Age: 34)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Kingston, Jamaica
- AKA: Jr. Gong
- ZODIAC SIGN: Cancer
Best Known For
Damian Marley is a Grammy Award-winning reggae musician and the son of Bob Marley. His biggest hit is the song "Welcome to Jamrock."
Videos see all videos
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Rita Marley - Band Attacks (2:13)
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Bob Marley - The Creed (2:08)
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Bob Marley - Lyceum Theater (2:07)
Rita Marley - Band Attacks
Performer and political activist Bob Marley's widow, Rita, recalls the violent attacks on their band in their native Jamaica.
Bob Marley - The Creed
Bandmates of The Wailers are interviewed and discuss how Marley's friendship with the band, and his beliefs regarding the Rasta Revolution.
Bob Marley - Lyceum Theater
Bob Marley saw his fame skyrocket during a time of political turbulence. In England, he was booked at the Lyceum Theater and Marley fans filled the theater to hear and feel Marley's message.
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Play NowDamian Marley. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 01:54, May 24, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/damian-marley-297416.
Damian Marley. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/damian-marley-297416 [Accessed 24 May 2013].
"Damian Marley." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 24 2013, 01:54 http://www.biography.com/people/damian-marley-297416.
"Damian Marley," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/damian-marley-297416 [accessed May 24, 2013].
"Damian Marley," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/damian-marley-297416 (accessed May 24, 2013).
Damian Marley [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 24] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/damian-marley-297416.
Damian Marley, http://www.biography.com/people/damian-marley-297416 (last visited May 24, 2013).
Damian Marley. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/damian-marley-297416. Accessed May 24, 2013.
Synopsis
Damian Marley was born on July 21, 1978, in Kingston, Jamaica to reggae legend Bob Marley and 1976 Miss World, Cindy Breakspeare. As a teenager, Damian performed with the Shepherds, but worked with his older brother Stephen on his first album, "Mr. Marley." Damian’s commercial breakthrough was the 2004 single “Welcome to Jamrock.” He's won two Grammy awards and lives in Miami, Florida.
Early Life
Singer, songwriter, producer. Born on July 21, 1978, in Kingston, Jamaica. Only two years old when his father, reggae legend Bob Marley died, Damian Marley has explored his musical roots to become of today’s hottest performers. He is nicknamed “Jr. Gong,” which comes from his father who was known as “Tuff Gong.”
Like several of Bob Marley’s children, Damian was born out of wedlock and outside of Bob’s marriage to singer Rita Marley. Damian’s mother, Cindy Breakspeare, was Miss World in 1976, and she raised her son in a Kingston suburb, not far from Rita Marley. Despite not being one of her own, Rita welcomed Bob’s children from other relationships into her home. (Bob Marley fathered eight children in addition to the three he had with Rita.) Damian told Entertainment Weekly that Rita’s house “was like the family HQ.”
Foray into the Music Business
Marley started his own journey in the music business at an early age. As a teenager, he performed with the Shepherds, which also included other reggae progeny, Shiah Coore whose father is Cat Coore of Third World and Yashema McGregor whose mother is Judy Mowatt of the I-Threes. While the band had some success in Jamaica, Marley eventually decided to strike out on his own. He worked with his older brother Stephen on his first album, Mr. Marley (1996). The two co-wrote many of the album’s tracks together. Embracing his musical ancestry, Marley announced to the world “Me Name Jr. Gong.” But the album’s upbeat dancehall style failed to connect with some listeners.
Critical Success
With Stephen producing much of his next effort, Halfway Tree (2001) brought Damian more critical praise and attention for combining dancehall and hip-hop styles. The recording won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album with both Damian and Stephen taking home awards for the project. Unfortunately, all of the kudos did not translate into big record sales. Still he accomplished something that his famous father was never able to achieve - winning a Grammy Award. The award category for reggae music was not added until the mid-1980s.
Commercial Breakthrough
Damian’s real commercial breakthrough came from the single “Welcome to Jamrock” released in 2004 by Tuff Gong. Tuff Gong is an independent record label started by Bob Marley in the mid-1960s and is still in the control of the Marley family. Set to a mesmerizing rhythm, the track explored the real-life hardship and political strife facing the people of Jamaica.
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