Bob Marley brought reggae music from the slums of Kingston to the entire world. You likely know the rhythm of his songs and his message of peace. However, his life was far more dangerous and complex than his relaxed image suggests. He survived an assassination attempt and worked in a factory in Delaware. Furthermore, he used his fame to stop a civil war. Let’s explore the life of the Tuff Gong.
Bob Marley
As a child, he possessed a spooky talent for reading palms. Surprisingly, he accurately predicted futures for his neighbors in the village. However, he stopped doing it permanently when he discovered his musical talent.
Gunmen shot him two days before a peace concert in Jamaica. Courageously, he performed on stage with a bullet lodged in his arm. He told the crowd that peace could not wait for him to heal.
His father was actually a white naval captain named Norval Marley. Consequently, Bob faced rejection from both black and white communities growing up. This isolation helped shape his philosophy of unity and one love.
Bob Marley loved soccer almost as much as he loved playing music. Regularly, he played intense matches backstage before his massive stadium concerts. He believed that football made his mind sharp and his body free.
He drove a BMW car for a very specific reason. Humorously, he claimed the initials stood for Bob Marley and the Wailers. Thus, he did not care about the luxury status of the German vehicle.
Bob Marley gave the writing credits for No Woman, No Cry to a friend. Vincent Ford ran a soup kitchen that fed people in poverty in Trenchtown. Therefore, the royalty checks kept the kitchen open for many years.
He lived in Delaware with his mother for a short time. Surprisingly, the reggae legend worked as a janitor and a forklift driver there. He used the alias Donald Marley to avoid attention while working shifts.
Doctors found a rare form of cancer under his toenail. Sadly, they advised him to amputate the toe to save his life. He refused the surgery because his religious beliefs forbade cutting the flesh.
His family buried him with his favorite possessions inside the crypt. Specifically, he took his red Gibson guitar and a soccer ball to the grave. They also placed a stalk of marijuana and a Bible next to him.
People in the ghetto called him Tuff Gong because he was a fierce fighter. He earned this nickname long before he became a famous musician. It means he was tough like a volcanic rock.
The United Nations honored him for his brave work fighting for justice in Africa. He accepted the award in New York just before he died.
He made two political enemies shake hands on stage. During the One Love Peace Concert, he invited the leaders of rival parties up. This powerful moment briefly stopped the violent civil war in Jamaica.
A producer fired him from his first band for being too good. He wanted Bob to sing solo because his voice stood out too much. This rejection pushed him to start the Wailers later.
Bob Marley officially acknowledged eleven children during his life. Interestingly, many of them became successful reggae artists in their own right. The Marley musical legacy continues through Damian, Ziggy, and others today.
His final words to his son Ziggy were incredibly powerful. He whispered that money cannot buy life as he lay dying. This simple sentence summed up his entire philosophy on existence.
