...to send Bob Marley back to the Revolutionary Era. He was an inspirational Jamaican musician. He advocated for social change. ("Bob Marley Official Site — Life & Legacy — History," n.d.) He never received a Grammy, even though he should have, but in 2001 he was acknowledged with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He was still a ten when he returned to Trench Town in Jamaica where his musical talent was nurtured. He made his way to the States in 1966. ("Bob Marley Official Site — Life & Legacy — History," n.d.) Bob Marley was a sort of revolutionist in the fact that his music was mostly about stopping racism and colonialism. In his song “One Drop” he say “fighting against ism and scism”. ("Bob Marley Official Site — Life & Legacy — History," n.d.) A monument in Siberia has an inscription that reads “Bob Marley Fighter For Freedom Armed With A Guitar”. ("Bob Marley Official Site — Life & Legacy — History," n.d.) He promoted peace and tolerance. He also believed in smoking marijuana and the good health benefits of it but that is for another time. Part II It is hard to say which role that Bob Marley should play as I see him as a leader, rebel, supporter, and artist. I do believe that I will put him as a rebel and artist. I think that suits Bob Marley best. The first event that Bob Marley will visit is the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The signing of the Declaration of Independence happened on July 4th, 1776. (Sayre, 2013, p. 378) Let’s put Bob Marley right there...
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...Bob Marley | Musician, Philosopher | “Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don't complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don't bury your thoughts; put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!” | 1/23/2013 1/23/2013 Taylor Townsend Mrs. King Education 1300 26 January 2013 Bob Marley Bob Marley is considered one of the most influential people in history today. Marley was born on February 6, 1945 in Ann Parish, Jamaica. On May 11, 1981, Bob Marley died due to cancer which had spread from his toe that had been injured a few years before. In his life, he was a civil rights leader and sang about how he thought the world should be. He believed in equality, love, religion and the pursuit of happiness. Throughout most of Marley’s life, he lived in some of the poorest, most impoverished neighborhoods with his mother and his father, who had later left them and caused them to fend for themselves. Although living there was difficult, Marley found sanction through the music he heard around him. He learned most of his philosophies there that made him the man we know and respect today. While living there, he met a couple of friends; Neville “Bunny” O’Riley Livingston and Peter McIntosh, who would unknowingly help him change the world and their own lives as well. In the beginning of his singing career, Marley sang alone. After the first few songs, he realized going solo wasn’t doing so well, which gave him the idea to...
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...Dhillon Taylor 17 Sept. 2012 Uniting the Nation of Jamaica The album “Survival”, released in 1979 by the great reggae musician Bob Marley, might be one of the most defiant albums ever created, expressing resistance to oppression and the belief in acting against governments, politicians, and other organizations that wield great power. To analyze the message in his album “Survival”, one must understand that Marley was not just an illustrious musician, but also a poet, a revolutionary, and a peace activist who was influential to millions of people during his lifetime and whose music still lives on to influence people today. According to the Bob Marley biography called “Life and Legacy” on the Official Bob Marley website, Marley had grown up in St. Anne, Jamaica and began his music career in Western Kingston, Jamaica in 1950. “Life and Legacy” stated that by the 1970’s, when political related violence was greatly damaging the nation, Marley was a music sensation and a man who was very popular in the entire country of Jamaica. Veerle Poupeye, a scholar from the Edna Manley College in Jamaica, explains in her article, “What Times Are These? Visual Art and Social Crisis in Postcolonial Jamaica”, that the 1970’s in Jamaica were years of violence and political unrest. Poupeye explained that the two major political alliances, the Peoples National Party (PNP) and the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), were constantly at odds and fighting for the support of the Jamaican people. Representing the...
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...Close look at Bon Marley’s Redemption song “Redemption song” was written and sang by the legendary Bob Marley. He was known as a reggae artist who mostly sang about social and political issues. His songs touched people all around the world. This song particularly, could be interpreted in so many ways; quite literally, it could be regarded to some people as a song about slavery in the 18th and 19th century. But the way the message in the song is delivered, the repetition of some key words and the artist’s main message through out his career, indicates that this is a song about being a slave to the modern world where many of us feel almost hopeless. The first element is the delivery of the song. The beginning could easily mislead the reader and give an impression to set the tone for the whole song. Bob tells a story and uses words like: “old pirates”, “sold I” and “merchant ships,” historically referring to the European slavers trading Africans with certain traitor African dealers. In this first part of the song, the artist gives a vivid picture by telling a story in first-person. Black slaves used to sing Negro spirituals, while or after work, to comfort and motivate themselves through their suffering. They would also sing about freedom, restlessly hoping to get out of the misery. “We forward in this generation Triumphantly” explains how their dreams and constant beliefs came to life, by the abolition on slavery in America. The Artist highlights...
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...Tim Dunnigan Dr. Frye Reggae Music Reggae isn’t just a genre of music, it’s a way for Rastafarians to express their way of life in their own unique way. The most famous Rastafarian and Reggae artist of them all was Bob Marley. His way of expressing his political opinions and messages in hit songs not only influenced in Jamaica, it had an impact on the entire world. He gave Rastafari an international identity and is the reason some people converted. Famous groups like the Rudeboys and Maytals helped Reggae to become what it is today. Reggae music was not always the most popular form of music in Jamaica. Reggae was influenced by the music genre of Jazz that was sweeping the nation. A lot of Jamaicans used Jazz to entertain the tourists. In the 1950’s Jazz Bebop became the new fad music for the youth of Jamaica and Jazz orchestras weren’t as common as in years past. In the 1960’s Ska was introduced and was the first style of music created by Jamaicans, this gave them a sense of identity. Ska was created by working class Jamaicans and they used it to express themselves and tell their stories. It was important because R&B singles weren’t being released as often, and didn’t attract as many listeners as it once did. Ska music consisted of the combination of Caribbean mento, calypso, and Jazz. The main reason for Ska’s popularity was because the music fit the moods of the time. People had the mind state to accept anything unique to Jamaica especially because they...
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...Jamaica Reggae Music Band Makita Johnson Music of the World Prof Malfatti August 31st, 2012 Jamaica Reggae Music Band This paper will focus on the history of reggae music and focus on the group Jamaica Reggae Music Band." In the early 1960’s, a new form of music, blended from a religious movement, Rastafarian, and numerous musical influences such as rhythm and blues, rock steady, African, and ska, emerged in Jamaica and spread quickly throughout the world. The music known as reggae, defined a nation of people for decades and helped develop various musical movements worldwide. This paper discusses the history of reggae and the major artists of the art form. Further, the writer discusses how the art has changed, both in its original nation as well as how the music has been altered for American audiences. "Reggae music, born of a combination of R&B, blues, jazz, and traditional African music, and combined with a religious tradition, was unique to Jamaica at a time when the country was looking for her identity. The combination of political messages, religious connotation, and raw sound was ideal for the changing society of the time. However, to be pushed to international stardom, the music was altered and rerecorded by milder, less powerful white British artists who helped internationalize the genre. Jamaica music can be divided into several genres. The most notable genre of Jamaica music is reggae music, which incidentally it can be divided into...
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...Therefore, Jamaican popular music since 1960 can be roughly divided into four eras each of which had a distinctive beat – ska, rocksteady, reggae, and dancehall. (Chang and Chen W, 1998, x) But this African dance musical genre “reggae” has gained immense popularity since it was first introduced in the music world and since then it is one of the most popular genres of music. Hence, it is one of the most significant music genres in Western musical market. In my paper, the focus of the reggae music genre is from 1965 till 1975 as these were considered as the major years or a decade for reggae music when it flourished. This was the time period during which the culture of reggae music was civilized and spread widely in the parts of Jamaica. Bob Marley is known as one of the best artists of this genre and the impact he made and contributed has made beyond the shores of Jamaica and globally as well. Reggae was created by the Jamaicans and still it is the only music genre which is so much popular and not created by Europeans or Americans. It has gained immense popularity since its introduction and in the recent years as well that it is the first model in which a third world country is exporting, selling, and trading its culture to various audience and market. ORIGINS Reggae was created by the Jamaicans and still it is the only music genre which is so much popular and not created by Europeans or Americans. It has gained immense popularity since its introduction and in the recent years...
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...English 1 B – assignment due 11 or 12 September in tutorials. Essay question Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” is a political poem that needs to be understood contextually for its full meaning to be revealed. Write a 5 paragraph essay (introduction, 3 paragraphs in the body of the essay and a conclusion) in which you discuss the following: 1. The relevance of the history of slavery to understanding this poem. Your answer should include a discussion of the images and repetition that Marley uses to make this point. 2. The poem says: “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery; None but ourselves can free our minds.” Discuss how these lines encapsulate the main message of this poem. Your paragraph should connect to Marley’s broader context. 3. Bob Marley was a deeply religious man. He uses many references to divine intervention in this poem. Discuss the effect that these lines have in creating the overall message of the poem. Your answer should include a discussion of the figurative language he uses to make his point. Your answer must include quotations from the poem that you reference by counting the lines (i.e. number the lines for referencing purposes) and by using the following in your bibliography: Marley, Bob. 1980. “Redemption Song.” Uprising. London: EMI Records. When quoting from the poem within your paragraph, make sure that your sentences are grammatically consistent with any quote that you embed. Also make sure that you reference your quotations...
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...beliefs and ideas, address issues and share stories and experiences to the world. In this essay, I will be assessing the role that reggae has played in the development of the Caribbean identity. Music is part of our cultural identity, it’s prevalence in the region helps define the Caribbean civilisation and identity gained through time. The root of Caribbean identity lies in slavery, race, language and the ecology of the region but the term transcends further to include the various types of cuisine, music, ethnicities, religions and cultures present in the Caribbean today. The Caribbean remains one of the most diverse regions on earth, it can be referred to as multi-racial, multi-lingual and some might even say, multi-cultural. The history of music in the Caribbean dates as far back as the Neo-Indians who inhabited the region pre-Christopher Columbus. They had a ceremony referred to as “areito” at which the indigenous people sang and danced to the rhythmic beat of the slit-drums, rattles and other percussion instruments. This proves that music has been around for a very long time. According to the Prime Minister of St. Vincent and Grenadines, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves in his rephrasal of the late Rex Nettleford’s dictum in musical parlance, he said: “We are the sounds of the Caribs, the Arawaks and the...
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...Throughout history, music has been used by movements seeking social changes in the world. In various cases, protest songs are written in response to historical events or social activities by the person who has experienced. In other cases, these songs can be responsible for initiating a shift in a society’s beliefs and assumptions. Many musicians have raised awareness and championed causes to alleviate human suffering from social problems caused by famine, natural disasters, war, civil rights violations, environmental abuse and others. Some have achieved it through their music, some by using their fame as musicians and others using both. Bob Dylan Music has played an important role in African American history from the earlier days because the...
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...knowledge. This religion is more than a religious gathering, however, since Rasta does not compartmentalize life into spiritual and non-spiritual periods it is an integrated way of living and of thinking of what goes beyond most definitions of religion. In 1933-1934 there was a Rastafarian movement. This movement was led by Haile Selassie I whose previous name was Rastafari Makonnen before he was crowned Emperor under the name of Haile Selassie I in October 1930. During this movement the Rastafarian take the bible as its sacred text, but interprets it in an Afro-centric because they want to reverse the changes that the “White” that made. The Rastafarian movement was closely linked to the ancient history of the Ethiopian civilization and largely based on the identification which Blacks have made with Ethiopia by virtue of biblical symbolism. In Ethiopia, Haile Selassie was given the title “Lion of the tribe of Judah ", which explains why there is a lion on the Rasta flag. He was also given the title “King of Kings and Lord of Lords ". Even though Haile Selassie I was seem as the leader of Rastafarianism but he is not a Rastafarian himself, he was a devout Christian. The Rastafarians respect him a lot; even when a group of Rasta’s...
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...Anthropology 210 October 2013 Writing Assignment 1, Question 1 Both the countries of Brazil and Jamaica have similar histories when it comes to black slaves. In the fifteenth century sugar plantations were booming in Brazil and wealth was being accumulated very quickly (McMurray, n.d.). The Brazilians could not rely on the Indians who once inhabited the country for labor, because new diseases were introduced to the Indians so many of them died off. Because of this, Brazilians began importing slaves to Portugal as early as 1433, and throughout the next three centuries over three and a half million slaves were brought to Brazil (McMurray, n.d.). Jamaica had a similar experience. After piracy became a common and almost accepted experience in the seventeenth century, the stolen loot was actually able to fund the development of plantations in Jamaica. The island’s elite imported hundreds of thousands of West and Central African slaves over the next three centuries to work as laborers on the sugar plantations (McMurray, n.d.). Not only do the two countries have a similar history, but also they have a lot in common in their culture and music. Brazilian music has a lot of influence from the African culture and has several origins that relate back to Africa, and a common theme in Brazilian music is resistance. One of the forms of music, Candomblé, was used as a form of resistance, because it aimed to keep Africa and African gods alive in the minds of the Africans that were...
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...Chaed Ellison November 5, 2013 Communications 100 Linda Daugs Jamaica Although a small island in the Caribbean Sea, Jamaica is a melting pot of cultures from all around the world. From the beginning, the island was inhabited by ancient tribes with different customs, beliefs and backgrounds. Since Jamaica is located in the central Caribbean, it became a key port for ships stop and sail from island to island. Because of this, Jamaica was able to be influenced from countries such as China, India, England and Spain. In this essay you will be informed on why the food, people and tourist attractions make Jamaica what it is today. Jamaican cuisine is a melting pot reflecting the various cultures that have influenced the island over the years. But even with all this fusion, there are many local ingredients that stand out in dishes, most notably the hot and spicy Scotch bonnet peppers that are key to any good "jerk." Jerk pork or chicken is Jamaica's national dish. Pork or chicken is seasoned with Scotch Bonnet peppers along with thyme, onions and scallions. Then the meat is wrapped in pimento leaves and cooked slowly for 6-8 hours. Traditional jerk is cooked in a pit with hot coals, however most places take an easier route and prepare the meat on a pimento wood rack over hot coals on a grill or in an oven. Despite the warm weather, Jamaicans love hearty hot soups. Pepperpot soup is packed with leafy green callaloo while creamy pumpkin soup has a more delicate taste. Brown chicken...
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...Did you know that Caribbean music has been an influence by African, European, Indian and Indigenous cultures? It also goes back and tie in with Central America and South America. Caribbean music goes back centuries, since Caribbean music is a mixture of different cultures, it goes all the way to the fifteenth century and so on. This type of music is here to bring happiness and most of the time tell what has happened in the past or what somebody has been through. Music is for the soul. The history of the Caribbean music goes back so far, it even goes back when the European settlers were importing slaves from west and central Africa. That was when the slaves used music to express themselves. Immigrants and human trafficking was very heavily...
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...The History of Jazz and Reggae In the history of music the smooth sounds of jazz and reggae has influenced listeners all over the country for many years. Although some prefer to listen to Hip Hop and R & B the genuine sounds of Jazz and Reggae is some of the most delightful music to listen to. Jazz and Reggae has been two of the most popular and unique musical categories with similar styles but different in their own way. When these particular styles of music was introduced they made great impressions in the music industry. In the early 1800’s jazz was born in the city of New Orleans where it was performed in festivals such as the Mardi gras also at funerals. In 1940 they began to broadcast the music over the radio when the music was played people found themselves dancing, clapping, and singing to the musical sounds being played. Jazz is considered to be a mixture of blues and marching band music when it first started out it was played by african americans and creole. When jazz hit the music charts and became more popular the europeon and african culture got together and presented a new sound for jazz to make it even more exciting. It has continued to be performed in the streets of new Orleans, night clubs, dancehalls, and concerts throughout the countries up until this present time jazz is still popular more than ever. The roots of reggae music originated in Jamaica in the 1960’s introduced in dancehall clubs where people danced to the low beats and rhythm of this particular...
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