Stephen Marley

At 52 years old, Stephen Marley has this physical status:

Career

Rita and Bob Marley's son started his musical career in 1979 as part of the Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, as well as older siblings Ziggy, Sharon and Cedella. The Melody Makers recorded the song "Children Playing in the Streets," written by their father, Bob Marley. The proceeds from the song's auction were donated to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). Stephen took the lead on Melody Makers' "Sugar Pie" in 1980.

Both Stephen and older brother Ziggy – Bob Marley's two eldest sons – were specifically trained into music by their father and performed with Bob Marley and the Wailers at the 1978 One Love Peace Concert in Montego Bay and Zimbabwe's independence celebrations in 1980 (Harare, Zimbabwe). On May 21, 1981, the brothers appeared at their father's funeral, as well as the Wailers and the I Threes.

Following Bob Marley's death, the Melody Makers continued as the group's leader, composing songs such as "What a Plot" in 1982, "Live in Bed," and "I Met Her on a Rainy Day" in 1984. Play the Game Right, the group's first album, came in 1985. The group's third album, Conscious Party, was released, with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers as the group's third album, with Ziggy as lead vocals and Stephen playing instruments. The album reached platinum in the United States, and the Melody Makers would be the youngest recipients of the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for Conscious Party.

They released "Look Who's Dancing," one of Ziggy and Stephen's follow-up album One Bright Day, which was released in 1989. Stephen performed lead vocals with his older brother and performed dancehall toasting on the album, which also featured energetic backing female vocals by Sharon, Cedella, and Erica. Stephen was the first Marley to participate in dancehall rap/deejaying, earning him the nickname "Raggamuffin" or "Ragga."

Jahmekya, Free Like We Want to B, Joy and Blues, etc., Fallen is Babylon and Spirit of Music were among the 1990s' albums. Stephen was mostly background, as an instrumentist, composer, and co-producer; but he appeared on "Keep On," "Postman" and "One Good Spliff" on several albums, including "Keep On," "Get Up," and "One Good Spliff." Stephen took the lead with Ziggy on songs such as "Works to Do," a Stephen-designed track, and "Water and Oil" which added ragga toasting to Ziggy's performing. "Tipsy Dazy," a Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers song written and fronted by Stephen, was "lead vocals" on the soundtrack of the 1997 Hollywood film Anaconda. The Melody Makers and Ziggy Marley received a total of three Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Album.

Marley released Chant Down Babylon, a remix album of Bob Marley's music, which included hip-hop, Erykah Badu, Guru, Busta Rhymes, MC Lyte, Steve Perry, Chuck D, and The Roots. The single "Turn Your Lights Down Low" starring Lauryn Hill became a big hit around the world, with Marley reimagining a song that had little attention as a B side hit on the 1977 Exodus album.

Stephen made his debut albums by younger brothers Julian and Damian Marley (Bob Marley's sons from childhood to Rita). Stephen was instrumental in Damian's musical career, releasing 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 to the release of three songs on Damian's collaboration album "Distant Relatives" (2010), which was released on Nas. Stephen wrote "Patience," "Leaders," and "In His Own Words" on the album, lending vocals to the latter two tracks.

Marley's "No Woman No Cry" album by Bob Marley in the mid 1990s, as well as providing live performances for famous hip-hop artists such as Krayzie Bone ("Revolution" from 'Mama's Gun' album 2000), Eve ("No, No, No" and "Mat We Meet Again" from her 'Mama's Gun ("Were Me" by the 'John P Kelly' album, 2001). Capleton's ("Sunshine Girl") album, 2004) and reggae legends Inner Circle, ("Smoke Gets in My Eyes" from the 'State of Da World' album, 2009), among other dancehall artists, as well as Capleton ("Sunshine Girl" from "Reign of Fire" album, 2004).

Nina Simone's tribute to Nina Simone, starring Queen Ifrica, Cedella Marley, and Etana, was released in 2022.

Marley converted to a solo artist after working as a producer and supporting big brother Ziggy as a Melody Maker in a recent film, Revelation Part I: The Fruit of Life (2016). His first three solo albums received Grammy honors for his work with younger brother Damian's album Halfway Tree and Welcome to Jamrock, as well as three other Grammy awards he received as a member of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.

Mind Control, which featured Mos Def's single "Hey Baby," debuted at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100, while Revelation Part I: The Fruit of Life" peaked at number 92 and "Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life" peaked at number 129. All Marley's albums have risen to the top of the Billboard reggae charts.

The Austin Chronicle's Mind Control album review, which appeared on April 13, 2007, said:

Jon Pareless, a writer for The New York Times on July 20, 2016, wrote about Revelation Part II: The Fruit of Life.

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