“First he changed music, then he changed the world” – this is the slogan on the poster announcing the premiere of the film “Bob Marley: One Love”, which hit Polish cinemas in mid-February. With a budget of $70 million, the production earned over $146 million, although the first reviews from critics were quite lukewarm.
Experts quite unanimously admit that life is tumultuous Bob Marley was shown in a rather conservative way.
Check out the review “Bob Marley: One Love” on Film!
“In fact, the film barely touches on his infidelity and relationship with his children, which were, in fact, complicated and painful for the musician’s loved ones.” – we read in the author’s review Marcin Radomski.
Over the whole “Bob Marley: One Love” the producers were members of the king of reggae’s closest family – his wife Rita Marley and two of numerous children: David “Ziggy” Marley and Cedella Marley.
Officially, Bob had 10 children plus an adopted one Sharon, his wife Rita’s daughter from a previous relationship. Rita gave birth to only four children – Cedella (born 1967), David “Ziggy” (1968), Stephen (1972) i Stephanie (1974). In the case of the latter, Bob’s mother claimed that her father was the man with whom Rita had an affair.
The remaining children (apart from the officially recognized six, other sources add another two) are the results of Marley’s extramarital affairs with other women. The following were born: Robert “Robbie” (1972), Rohan (1972), Karen (1973), Julian (1975), Ky-Mani (1976), Damian “Jr. Gong” (1978) i Makeda Jahnest (1981), who was born a dozen or so days after Bob’s death.
“Marriage is a trap designed to control us” – Bob once said about his stormy relationship with Rita.
The king of reggae was 21 years old when he got married, and he repeatedly emphasized that it was love at first sight for Rita. Shortly after the wedding, he adopted Sharon, but it quickly turned out that Bob did not think of his wife as the only woman in his life.
Children born out of wedlock were born to him Pat Williams, Janet Hunt, Janet Bowen, Lucy Pounder, Anita Belnavis and singer Cindy Breakspeare, the future Miss World. However, these were not all romances – he was also associated with, among others, Pascaline Ondimbalater Minister of Foreign Affairs of Gabon, and Yvette Crichton. It was Crichton who gave birth to the above-mentioned Makeda Jahnesta, who, however, is not listed by Bob Marley’s official website as his child.
Many of his children followed in Bob’s musical footsteps (some of them also gave concerts in Poland to audiences of thousands). The next generation is gaining popularity – the singers include, among others: Skip, YG, Bambaata, Yohan and Mystic. However, Stephen’s son was also predicted to have a great career Jo Mersa Marley he died in December 2022 after an asthma attack at the age of just 31.
On the other hand Nico Marley For a while he was an American football player in the NFL team Washington Redskins, but he did not achieve great success there. Selah Marley (daughter of Rohan and the singer Lauryn Hill With The Fugees) works mainly as a model for companies such as: Chanel, Calvin Klein or Dior.
Directing the film “Bob Marley: One Love” took care Reinald Marcus Greenwhich has produced such productions as “Monsters and Men” (2018), “Joe Bell” (2020) i “KingRichard” (2021) with an Oscar-winning role Will Smith.
A 37-year-old British actor was chosen for the title role Kingsley Ben-Adir (including “One Night in Miami” – he played Malcolm X, “Secret invasion”, “The O.A”, “Vera”, “Peaky Blinders” – as Ben Younger, “Barbie”). Let us add that the search for the main character lasted over a year all over the world. The 36-year-old starred as Rita Marley Lashana Lynch (including “Captain Marvel”, “This is not the time to die”, “Doctor Strange in the multiverse of madness”).
The cast also included someone famous for the title role “Citizen Jones” James Norton (as Chris Blackwellproducer and founder of the Island label, considered one of the most famous popularizers of reggae music), Michael Gandolfini, Tosin Cole, Anthony Welsh, Umi Myers and Nadine Marshall.
“You know the music and you think you know this man, but can you really understand what he went through and what moments shaped him into the person he became?” – says Ziggy Marley.
Let us recall that Bob Marley died on May 11, 1981 at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami, Florida from skin cancer. He was only 36 years old.
Over 75 million records were sold around the world during Marley’s life and after his death – both solo and with his group. The Wailerswith whom he collaborated at the beginning of his career.