The Children Of Bob Marley That Followed In His Musical Footsteps
Some people build time-defying legacies through the work they accomplished in their lives; others create their legacy through their children. Bob Marley did both. His trailblazing career as a cultural icon has survived decades after his premature death at 36 in 1981, due in no small part to his long line of musical children. Over half of his 11 children have pursued successful performance careers, adding to their father's immortal heritage.
The reggae superstar married Rita Marley in 1966, after which he adopted her two children from previous relationships, Sharon and Stephanie. Bob and Rita would have three children of their own: Cedella, Ziggy, and Stephen. The musician also had six children with as many mothers outside of his marriage to Rita, including Robbie, Rohan, Karen, Julian, Ky-Mani, and Damian Marley. Bob died when his youngest, Damian, was only a toddler.
Some of Bob's children were old enough to collaborate with their father before his tragic death, while younger members of the family used their father's legacy as a framework around which to build their careers. In either case, Bob's ethos and cultural passion have continued to shine through his children's music.
Ziggy Marley headed the Melody Makers
Ziggy Marley, born in 1968, is the third eldest child of Bob Marley. However, his uncanny resemblance to his father and successful musical career has made him one of Marley's most well-known children. He started his musical journey under his father's guidance, collaborating with Bob Marley and the Wailers in the late 1970s before creating an ensemble of his own, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.
The Melody Makers comprised Ziggy, his older sisters, Sharon and Cedella, and his younger brother, Stephen. "My father was the one who got us into music," Ziggy told Rolling Stone in 2014. "He's the one who wrote the first song that [the Melody Makers] ever sang [1979's "Children Playing in the Streets"]. He was the one in the studio recording it, putting down guitars on the track, and the first concert we did as a group was a concert my father was on."
The Marley family band was highly successful, producing ten albums, garnering eight Grammy nominations, and winning three Grammy Awards before disbanding in 2002. Kids would know the group from the hit PBS series "Arthur" — the band recorded "Believe in Yourself" as the show's theme song. Ziggy continued to pursue a solo musical career after the Melody Makers broke up, releasing his first album under his own name, "Dragonfly," in early 2003. He's won several Grammy Awards as a solo artist.
Stephen Marley hit it big on the reggae charts
Stephen Marley, born in 1972, is the sixth eldest child of reggae icon Bob Marley. At only seven years old, he joined his older brother Ziggy Marley's band. Like Ziggy, Stephen was old enough to have collaborated musically with his father before his tragic death in 1981. The two brothers were just kids when they performed with their father's band, Bob Marley and the Wailers, at the iconic 1978 One Love Peace Concert.
Following the disbandment of the Melody Makers, Stephen also pursued a solo career. He released his first solo album, "Mind Control," in 2007. While he struggled to break through the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 charts, Stephen dominated the Billboard reggae charts, with several albums he produced reaching number one. His fourth studio album, "Old Soul," was released in September 2023.
As much as Stephen is a solo performer, he also has plenty of experience taking background roles in other musicians' projects. Stephen has an extensive producer portfolio, collaborating with his brother, Ziggy, and other artists like Lauryn Hill and the Fugees, Erykah Badu, Busta Rhymes, the Roots, and Florida rapper Pitbull.
Cedella Marley was a vocalist in the family band
Cedella Marley, born in 1967, is the eldest of Bob and Rita Marley's biological children. She addressed her position as first-born in the Marleys' 2014 Rolling Stone interview, saying, "The first-born is expected to bear a lot of responsibility. I bear it with honor and respect. It's a hard job on the outside because you have all of these things coming, and you just have to prioritize what's important to fight about today." Cedella was a vocalist in her family band, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.
After the band broke up, Cedella opted for different career paths that kept her close to her father's musical legacy without being onstage. Though she's released music since the Melody Makers — notably, a cover of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from "The Lion King" in 2010 and a 2016 collaboration with Savi & Bankay titled "Could You Be Loved" — she has not pursued a consistent solo career like her brothers.
Instead, Cedella began taking on more administrative roles in her family's many professional pursuits. She became the CEO of her father's record label, Tuff Gong International, and the acting director of the Bob Marley Foundation. Cedella also works for the Marleys' charity organization, 1Love. In addition to running her family's businesses, Cedella is a fashion designer and author.
Sharon Marley was in the Melody Makers
Sharon Marley (pictured, far left) was born in November 1964, two years before her mother, Rita Anderson Marley, would marry Rastafarian icon Bob Marley. Bob adopted Sharon when he married Rita. Sharon was the fourth and final member of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. Despite not being Bob's biological daughter, her stepfather's influence is palpable in her own career. Like her younger sister Cedella, Sharon has continued to pursue music on a smaller scale following the disbandment of the Melody Makers in 2002.
Per Sharon's website, her next musical release will be in 2024. Her biography states that her next release is recorded at 432 Hz, "recognized as the 'love frequency' for its proven healing properties, promoting a profound sense of peace, harmony, and overall well-being. Sharon Marley's upcoming album is not just a musical journey but a spiritual odyssey — an immersive experience delving into the rich tapestry of her cultural roots."
In addition to her musical projects, Sharon has worked for the Bob Marley Museum and the Rita Marley Foundation and as an A&R (artist and repertoire) agent for Ghetto Youth United, a record label founded by the Melody Makers. Sharon is also the managing director of Kingston, Jamaica's Total Care Learning Centre, a Montessori-style educational facility for young children.
Julian Marley won a Grammy
Julian Marley was born in 1975 to Bob Marley and Lucy Pounder. Although he was never involved in Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, Julian worked closely with his older brothers Ziggy and Stephen for their production company, Ghetto Youth International. The British-born musician began pursuing a solo career in the late 1990s, embarking on his own world tours while his half-siblings did the same in their family band.
Julian's first solo album, "Lion in the Morning," was released in 1996. He recorded the album at his father's studio, Tuff Gong Studios, in Kingston, Jamaica, and featured several of his siblings, including Stephen, Cedella, and Sharon Marley. Since releasing his debut record, Julian has performed countless concerts and has been featured in musical festivals all over the world. He received a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for "Colors of Royal" in 2024.
"As far as I can remember, music has always been in the forefront of what I've always loved and always wanted to be a part of," Julian said in an interview for an educational series titled Careers Without Borders (via OCDE Newsroom). "I remember hearing the songs my father played and the positivity that he put into his music." Like his late father, Julian has dedicated his life to pursuing philanthropic efforts, promoting a Rastafarian lifestyle, and making music.
Ky-Mani Marley is influenced by hip-hop and rock
Ky-Mani Marley was born in 1976 to Bob Marley and Anita Belnavis. He was only about five years old when his superstar father died of cancer. Ky-Mani's musical career is perhaps the most distinctive from his father's out of his 10 siblings, likely because he relocated from Jamaica to Miami, Florida, with his mother when he was nine. Although his music has an undeniable reggae flair, Ky-Mani is also heavily influenced by hip-hop and rock.
The second youngest Marley child released his debut solo record the same year as his older half-brother, Julian. Ky-Mani's first record, "Like Father Like Son," was released in 1996 on Shang Records. He later collaborated with the Fugees and contemporary artists like XXXTencacion, Stefflon Don, and Vybz Kartel. Other releases by Ky-Mani include "The Journey" (2000), "Many More Roads" (2001), "Milestone" (2004), "Radio" (2007), "Maestro" (2015), and "Conversations," a 2016 collaboration with Gentleman.
Following his family's philanthropic footsteps, Ky-Mani founded the Maestro Marley Cup, a combination music festival and soccer tournament. The Floridian event raises money for the Love Over All Foundation, which offers athletic and musical resources to communities in need. This dual music-sports event also harkens back to his mother's legacy as a Jamaican tennis table champion.
Damian Marley has won multiple Grammys
Damian Marley was born in 1978 to Bob Marley and Cindy Breakspeare. Although he is the youngest of Bob's eleven children, he is the most highly decorated in terms of Grammy Awards. Damian was still a toddler when his father died. The youngest Marley child was nicknamed Junior Gong, a derivative of Bob's nickname and record label namesake, Tuff Gong.
Despite his larger-than-life familial legacy, Damian has said he doesn't consider his background when creating his own music. "Even when it comes to being my father's son and all that kind of stuff, I don't feel that when I'm making music. It's only after I make the music and I end up in an interview, and somebody asks me about the comparisons. That's more when it would come to my mind, as opposed to when I'm in the studio making a song," the musician explained to Rock Cellar Magazine in 2017.
Whether a conscious choice or not, Bob's influence is evident in his youngest son's music. Damian's debut album, "Mr. Marley," was released on Tuff Gong in 1996. He's released several solo and collaborative albums since then, including "Halfway Tree" (2001), "Welcome to Jamrock" (2005), "Stony Hill" (2017), and "Distant Relatives" with Nas in 2010.