Rohan Marley -son

Rohan Marley, a son of Bob Marley, was born in Jamaica in 1972 and moved to the United States, where he was a linebacker for the highly ranked University of Miami college football team.After playing professionally for the Ottawa Rough Riders in the Canadian Football League, Rohan decided to concentrate on family and business endeavors.



Rohan also has carried on Bob's legacy by running the Tuff Gong Clothing company. Bob founded Tuff Gong International in 1965 and gave it its colorful name because he claimed that one had to be "Tuff" to survive in music in Jamaica and he already had the nickname of "the Gong." Now Rohan has taken the brand and the inimitable Marley style and applied it to Tuff Gong Clothing.



"The clothes are for everyone," Rohan says."For the people--just like my father's music."





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Ziggy Marley -son

"This album is from my heart," says Ziggy Marley of his second solo album, Love is My Religion (Tuff Gong Worldwide). Embracing both the spiritual and emotional side of life, Ziggy has definitively come into his own as an artist. The 12-track album, scheduled for release early July, showcases Ziggy's tightly rolled talents as a songwriter (writing all cuts), musician (playing most of the instruments) and producer (shepherding all dozen tracks, with three co-produced by Grammy winner Ross Hogarth). The only thing more joyful than making it, says Ziggy, is the anticipation of the global tour he expects to kick off this summer.



Written "all over the world," with some songs penned during his youth, Love Is My Religion expands upon the personal, social and political themes explored in Ziggy's debut CD, Dragonfly. Its musical center is clearly reggae, peppered by African percussion and other flavors. Opening with the subversively danceable "Into the Groove," Ziggy delves into an upbeat meditation on finding one's self. On the title track, "Love is My Religion," his message is one that "people need to hear," a unifying devotion to love that "needs to be preached in churches and mosque and synagogues." The notion of overcoming stereotypes and superstition informs the slinky "Black Cat," while the romantic "Make Some Music" finds a partner in the mid-tempo "A Lifetime."



Friendship is one of the album's recurring themes, whether as the core of monogamous love or the connective tissue of global brotherhood. "Friend" and "On the Beach in Hawaii" each offer an ode to love. In "Keep on Dreamin'," Ziggy extends the idea into the spiritual world, reconnecting with his father through dreams. The album's most political song, "Be Free," implores the listener to reject the manipulating power of fear. Slavery and its continuing effects are explored on "Still the Storms," which laments the crises in nations like Sudan, Rwanda and Sierra Leone by analogizing the path of hurricanes with the path of slave ships. The album closes with the simple and the complex: an acoustic guitar version of "Love Is My Religion" and a bass-heavy, trip-hop mix of "Be Free."



A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Ziggy first sat in on recording sessions with his father when he was ten years old. Joining with his three siblings to become The Melody Makers, Ziggy crafted his own soulful sound blending blues, R&B, hip-hop and reggae.



After two decades as the driving creative force behind The Melody Makers - a triple Grammy-winning act which included brother Stephen and sisters Sharon and Cedella, Ziggy released his debut solo album in 2003, Dragonfly (RCA Victor Group), which featured such guest artists as Flea and John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Mike Einziger and DJ Kilmore (Incubus). He has contributed to a variety of soundtracks including 50 First Dates and Shark's Tale, in which he delved into acting for the first time, playing the character of Bernie, the Jamaican jellyfish.



In addition to his skills as a singer, songwriter and producer, Ziggy founded U.R.G.E. (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment), a non-profit organization that benefits a wide range of charitable children's causes in Jamaica, Ethiopia and other developing nations. More recently he has thrown his support behind the Youth AIDS campaign.

Stephen Marley -son

If you think you don't know the music of Stephen Marley, you do-you just don't realize it. A member of the celebrated Marley sibling group The Melody Makers since the age of seven, the Grammy winning producer, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has also been the driving creative force behind the music of his brothers. Stephen's production, performance and writing credits recently earned him two Grammys, giving him a total of five, more than any other reggae artist in history.



Born in 1972, the second son of Bob Marley, Stephen was dancing and singing onstage during his father and The Wailers' live shows (alongside older siblings Ziggy and Cedella) by the time he was old enough to walk. As a young boy, he stayed at home while Ziggy and Cedella entered school. There,he would shadow his father, mimic his speech and quickly fall in love with such future reggae anthems as "Lively Up Yourself." At seven, he also began learning guitar on a nylon-stringed acoustic.



In 1979, Stephen made his official debut when The Melody Makers cut their first single, "Children Playing in the Streets," and followed it upin 1985 with their debut LP, Play the Game Right. Over the next decade, the group would follow in their father's footsteps, racking up Grammy awards and bringing conscious songs and one-love rhythms to every corner of the globe.



With his highly anticipated debut solo album, not only does the sound and soul of Stephen Marley come into vivid focus, but the 34 year-old artist is now stepping to center stage for the first time in his 27-year career. Appropriately, Mind Control is all Stephen and a cornucopia of the sounds and styles that he loves: a blend of reggae, rock, R&B, nyabinghi rhythms, flamenco and hip-hop. It's an album with the grit and flavor to rock old-school Kingston sound systems and slippery, waxed Miami Range Rovers alike.



Featuring cameos from roots-rock star Ben Harper, hip-hop hero Mos Def and younger brother Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, it's a collection of songs that range from conscious critiques of society ("Mind Control") and politics ("Chase Dem"), to the sweet and open-hearted ("Hey Baby"), to the simple and fun (the sexy, club-rocking, Latin-tinged grinder "Let Her Dance," which features Maya Azucena & Illestr8).



"My joy and my pain, this is me," Marley says, humbly. "It's a page from my book. Every page tells a story, but at the same time is a continuation of the page before it or the page to come. This is just one page."



The album's breezy, horn-spiced title track casts a light on a modern day form of slavery, its words conscious, its groove monstrous: "That song is about subliminal slavery, hi-tech slavery, subliminal suppression," says Stephen. "It holds you down, it holds a man down from being wholesome." It's a call to arms for us to take back our lives, free our minds, regain our spiritual souls and think for ourselves: "Don't let them mold your mind/They wanna control mankind/Seems like their only intention is to exploit the Earth."



Tapping into the disillusionment triggered by elected leaders in both the U.S. and Jamaican governments, the vintage, easy-skanking roots reggae of "Chase Dem" rips into the insincere, crooked politicians by shouting "run them away." If the balance of Mind Control sounds wholly created in the 21st Century, "Chase Dem" blasts out of the subwoofers like a long lost jewel from Bob himself. With that song, Stephen says, "It's like me post a bill saying, 'Just say no to politics.'"



The softer and sweeter side of Stephen is also on full display in the album. A smooth, smart slab of hip-hop featuring a dose of Brooklyn flow courtesy of Mos Def on the album's first single, "Hey Baby," is based on a song Stephen would sing to his children to keep them from being sad while he was on tour with The Melody Makers: "Hey baby/ don't you worry/ even though the road is rocky/ I'll be coming home to you again." The hypnotic "Lonely Avenue," is a sweet, harmony vocal- and organ-soaked take on the Ray Charles classic-done Marley style. "I'm a big fan of Ray," says Marley. "I couldn't tell you the first time I heard him, but I could tell ya what I remember is hearing him and feeling him in pain." Blending modern sounds with classic roots vibes, Mind Control finds Stephen carrying the Marley legacy even further into the future with such samples as the smart piece of the Martina Topley Bird song "Sandpaper Kisses" heard throughout "You're Gonna Leave."



The album includes a trilogy of sorts ("Officer Jimmy Interlude," "The Traffic Jam," featuring Damian, and "Iron Bars," featuring brother Julian Marley, Mr. Cheeks & Spragga Benz) inspired by the few hours that Stephen and Julian spent in a Tallahassee jail in 2002 for marijuana possession: On "Iron Bars," on which he sings "Let me out!/Let me out!/I'm an angry lion," Stephen asks himself, "What am I doing here, among the wolves? For some herb? It's like I'm a murderer. Ya know what I mean? Ya make me feel like I'm a murderer, for some herb, where, ya know, it's my culture."



The genre-meshing "Fed Up" is a flute-led lament of romantic missteps. "She said, 'How could you treat me this way?/ What we had was more than words could say,"while the album closing "Inna Di Red," featuring Ben Harper, is a thoughtful, shaker-dusted meditation on inner peace.



In addition to recording his debut album, Stephen has been hunkered down in the studio serving as the secret weapon behind both of Damian's past two Grammy winners as well as behind the Ghetto Youths International and Tuff Gong imprints. In addition to executive producing 1999's lauded, star-studded tribute to his father, Chant Down Babylon, his production skills can be heard on albums by Buju Banton, brothers Julian and Ziggy, Spearhead, Eve, Erykah Badu, Capleton and Mr. Cheeks. He's performed as a vocalist, percussionist or guitarist on albums by all the above, as well as albums by Eric Clapton and others. Marley continues to work on new music for all of his brothers.



If they felt it important to carry on their father's legacy, it's not something that Stephen and his brothers think much about anymore. "That work has been done," Stephen says. "We are the legacy now."



Stephen also embarked on two U.S. concert tours this year, including the acclaimed "Bob Marley Roots, Rock Reggae Festival," where brothers Stephen and Ziggy Marley joined together for the first time ever with reggae pioneer Bunny Wailer.



Stephen has built and laid the foundations for a full-blown Marley family renaissance and with Mind Control, Stephen has achieved that: It's an album full of confidence and diversity in styles and emotion. "I don't want to be just another artist. I want to make a statement, and to continue this legacy, this musical legacy, with my family. Just like my brothers... I aspire to be a reckoning force, when you hear my name, you know quality comes with that: good music, good message, good vibe."

Stephanie Marley -Daughter

Stephanie was born in Kingston Jamaica August 17th, sharing herbirthday with Jamaica's first National Hero and a leader against oppression, Marcus Mossiah Garvey. She was educated in Jamaica for her primary and secondary years. Her studies carried her to London, England where she successfully completed her A'Levels in Social Studies and Psychology. Stephanie furthered her studies in Psychology, at The University of Western Ontario, Canada at the age of 21. She attained her Bachelor's of Arts Degree as an Honour Roll Student. During her three years in Canada, she volunteered at a local school for challenged children. There she developed her knowledge in early childhood education and a compassion for children with special needs.



After completeing her studies, Stephanie returned home to Jamaica and immersed herself in the family business of music and entertainment. For the next three years she dedicated her time as the Managing Director of the Bob Marley Foundation, Bob Marley Museum, Tuff Gong International, Tuff Gong Recording, URGE and the Rita Marley Foundation.



She currently resides in Nassau, Bahamas where she is overseeing the construction and development of the Family's first resort project, Marley Resort & Spa, www.marleyresort.com. She is also instrumental in forming the concert promotional entity, Tuff Gong Productions. In March 2004 Stephanie and her team staged the first annual Reggae All-Star Concert in Nassau.



As a mother of four energetic boys, Stephanie continues to prove that a solid spiritual upbringing enhanced with traditional morals and values is the foundation for being exemplary role model. A Leo like her mom, Stephanie is undoubtedly a humanitarian.

Rita Marley

Internationally, the name Marley has become synonymous with reggae music and the culture of Jamaica. It is no coincidence that the talented young Rita Anderson, who was raised from early childhood in Trench Town, was destined to become an integral part of the musical Marley family. She made the acquaintance of a local Trench Town youth, Robert Nesta Marley and love, faith and music became their bond. In 1966 they were married and their lives became forever entwined.



As the Matriarch of the Marley Family, Nana Rita Marley wears many hats and has been instrumental in the initiation and completion of great works internationally, regionally and locally. In 1986, she had the vision and wisdom to transform Bob Marley's house into the Bob Marley Museum. It is in her capacity as Founder and Chairperson of the Robert Marley Foundation; the Bob Marley Museum; the Bob Marley Trust; the Bob Marley Group of Companies and the Rita Marley Foundation - that Rita continues to make manifest her commitment to the works of her husband Bob Marley; her children [the GRAMMY Award winning Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers]; and her people - by fulfilling her mission to enlighten, educate and entertain through her philanthropy and music. With her purchase of the former Federal Records at Marcus Garvey Drive and subsequent relocation of Tuff Gong International to this new address - this organization is now a leading record manufacturing and distribution company in Jamaica, the Caribbean and the world.



"The aged be protected, the infants nourished and cared for. These are indeed the words that inspire the vision that drives and propels Nana Rita - and which have sustained her status as a spirited force and an ambassador of love and of reggae music. In 1996 the Jamaican government awarded her the Order of Distinction for her outstanding works and accomplishments, which are numerous. Sister Rita is head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Building Fund whose main project is the erecting of a Cathedral at their Maxfield Avenue address, where she has also established the Berhame Selassie Home for the Aged. Her donation of two hundred and fifty acres of arable land to the Rastafarian Nyabinghi group in St, Toolies, Clarendon has encouraged their self-supporting ideology. Nana Rita also gives continuous support of food, clothing and medical supplies to people of poor communities, including a Home for the Aged in St.Mary.



As a benefactor of countless humanitarian causes Nana Rita's works extend outside of Jamaica and has reached as far as Africa. A patron of the Konkonuru Methodist Schools in the Aburi Mountains of Accra, Ghana, she is always soliciting assistance for the children and the Konkonuru village, where she has successfully spearheaded the repairs to the main road as well as the drilling of a water well for the community.



Nana Rita has most recently adopted 35 children in Ethiopia, and will be working assiduously to impact their lives, in a practical and positive manner. In addition Nana, as she is affectionately called, has assisted over 200 children of the Konkonuru Methodist Schools in Ghana and the peoples of the surrounding villages - where she has been crowned Queen of Development [Nkosoo Hemaa]. In fact she will be opening the Marley Medical Centre and a recording studio in Ghana very soon.



Rita Marley's musical career has seen the production of four successful albums: Who feels It Knows It, Harambe; the 1992 GRAMMY nominated album We Must Carrv On, and Spectacle For Tribuffalos, as well as the classic reggae album Beginning, with the I-Threes. Her sizzling 1982 hit "One Draw" created shockwaves around the world and was a massive bestseller that made music history as the first reggae single to top the Billboard Disco Charts. Her live performance has been captured on the Marley Magic videotape as a memento of the 1996 concert, which broke attendance records for the annual Summer Stage Concert in Central Park, New York.



Her most recent album Sunshine After Rain features tracks produced by her son Stephen Marley, Sly and Robbie, Grub "Asley" Cooper, Denis Charles and Wyclef Jean.



Sister Rita has extensively toured the Caribbean, Africa, Japan, Canada, the Americas, South Pacific, Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe. Her appearance with the I-Threes, the Wailers and her children The Melody Makers - for a performance with the Fugees at the 1997 GRAMMY Awards marked the first time that any reggae artiste performed for a GRAMMY audience. Rita and the I Threes also perform annually at Universal Studios City Walk. In 2003 Rita Marley toured the South Pacific islands of Tahiti and Noumea and this undisputed Queen of Reggae was the special guest at the Reggae All Stars concert in Nassau, Bahamas.



Rita Marley O.D. (Queen of Reggae) upholds the artistic and cultural standards of reggae and continues to take it to new heights. Her music reflects the versatility and diversity of Reggae through the smooth blends of Gospel, Rhythm & Blues, Jazz and Soca. About the message in her music, this Queen Mother declares: "The message is joy, loving and living together, no fighting, no war. Reggae is the heartbeat of a person. It's the people's music. Everywhere you go you get the same response from black and white alike,"...and as sung on the Harambe album "Wouldn't it be nice to have my kind of war, where the weapons would be love and peace and harmony?"



Her autobiography No Woman No Cry published by Hyperion, was launched recently in Europe and Africa and is available worldwide with translations to be printed in Swahili, Spanish, French and German. This long awaited book has been receiving rave reviews and there is a movie deal being discussed.



No Woman No Cry is available locally at the gift shop located at the Bob Marley Museum and is distributed by Novelty Trading Company Limited.



Sister Rita has been the driving force behind keeping the Legacy of her husband Bob Marley alive and one major activity is The Bob Marley Birthday Celebration each year in Jamaica. In 2005, Sister Rita staged celebrations both in Jamaica and Africa. That year, the African festivities took place in Ethiopia.In 2006, the celebration was held in Ghana, and plans are underway for The Bob Marley Birthday celebrations of 2007 to take place inSouth Africa, as well as Jamaica.



Mrs.Rita Marley O.D. is a proud, vibrant, confident Jamaican woman who is thankful for her many blessings and continues to give back to the two societies she loves dearly.….Jamaica and Africa.

Ky-Mani Marley

Ky-mani isa fitting name for a charismatic artist whose East African name means Adventurous Traveler. The only child of table tennis champion Anita Belnavis and reggae icon Bob Marley, Ky-mani Marley was born in Falmouth, Jamaica. At the age of nine he relocated to the inner-city of Miami.



In the beginning, Ky-Mani was unaware of his musical abilities, sports being his first love, but with his mother's direction, he took piano and guitar lessons and played trumpet in his high school band. In addition to tapping into his musical talents Ky-Mani was a serious jock, competing in soccer and football. As a teenager Ky-Mani started rapping and deejaying; his first single was "Unnecessary Badness." He became inspired as a singer after being asked to sing a hook to a song during a recording session at a studio in Miami. The decision to actually get into the entertainment world loomed over him because of his father's legacy. Ky-Mani soon began experimenting with laying tracks, at times with his brothers, Stephen, Julian and Damian.



Ky-Mani signed to Shang Records where he recorded several singles: "Judge Not" with Patra, followed by "Dear Dad," "Who The Cap Fit (remix)" and "Sensimelia," all of which added to his growing reputation as a master in the new generation of reggae musicians. In 1997, Ky-Mani joined forces with Praswell (Fugees) on a hit cover of Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue." The extent of his star power became abundantly clear when Ky-Mani took the stage at Midem (international music showcase), when it waswas held in Miami for the first time. Catering to an international audience in the filled to capacity Cameo Theatre, Ky-Mani delivered an explosive set which aired live by CANA (Caribbean News Agency) to 36 countries.



Ky-Mani immediately became the subject of an intense label bidding war. He signed with Gee Street/V2 Records in 1997 where he completed a collaboration with label mate P.M. Dawn on the single "Gotta Be Movin' On Up" (Senseless Soundtrack, which went Gold in Africa). Both collaborations helped to establish Ky-Mani outside his tight knit reggae community.



Ky-Mani's willingness to embrace all genres of music is also evident in the 1999 release,The Journey. From the Spanish guitar which introduces "RudeBoy," to the lover rock flow of "Fell In Love," the deeply spiritual "Lord Is My Shepherd" or the rock steady tribute "Dear Dad," Ky-mani brings songs of universal themes laced with a personal insight and passion.



Fulfilling his name adventurous traveler branching out from his music, Ky-mani Marley has also made a name for himself as an actor playing the lead role in the number one underground movie coming out of Jamaica Shottas directed by Cess Silvera, co-starring Spragga Benz and Paul Campbell. Displaying his diversification and talent playing the role of a bad man in Shottas, Ky-mani Marley then went on to play the lead Kassa with co-star Cherine Anderson in One Love, a romantic comedy infused with the music and culture of Jamaica.



Ky-mani Marley is now working on his third album showcasing his growth as an individual and illustrating the duality of his personality: Ky-mani and Maestro. The result is an urban sound deeply rooted in the reggae and hip hop cultures. The album promises to be a refreshing departure from the typical synthetic pop associated with the genre, and will instead be a representation of authentic urban hip-hop and reggae fusion.

Julian Marley

For Julian Marley, music is life, life is music and both are blessings from above. "From a small age music has been there in my life. It's just natural. And it is with the inspiration of the Most High that I create my songs," the artist, a son of Bob Marley, explains. Born on June 4th, 1975 in London, England, Julian's development as a singer/songwriter began when, at age five, he cut his first demo tape, recording a version of his father's classic composition, "Slave Driver," at the Marley family's Tuff Gong studio in Kingston. Since that auspicious beginning, Julian has devoted himself to a life in music, mastering a variety of instruments and writing songs that reflect his dedication to spiritual upliftment and social change.



The 90s were a watershed period for the young artist. During these years, Julian formed his own band (the Uprising band), released a critically acclaimed album (1996's Lion in the Morning, on which he wrote or co-wrote all the songs) and toured the world, both as a solo performer backed by Uprising and as a member of Ghetto Youths International, a musical collective whose core members are Julian and his brothers, Stephen and Damian. Together, Julian and Damian were the opening act for Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers' 1995 US tour and featured artists in 1997 on the rock-oriented Lollapalooza festival tour. Julian also assisted his brother Stephen with production on 1999's platinum selling Chant Down Babylon and, along with Spragga Benz and Marley siblings Stephen, Cedella, Damian and Ky-Mani, contributed an inspired version of "Master Blaster" to the 2003 Stevie Wonder tribute album, Conception.



Julian's newest offering, A Time and Place is an organic fusion of rootical reggae and breezy jazz sounds that represent the next milestone in his artistic path. "Coming from Lion in the Morning," Julian explains, "I have more knowledge and I'm growing. And this is a very personal album. A lot of it came from reasoning with brethren. We would converse about a situation and just start writing from there." The thirteen tracks are, as the artist himself says, "very much of the time. If you check it out right now, most of the music out there is about bling blings and crazy things. My songs are to be taken as wake up calls."

Each songis built on a solid foundation of traditional reggae but contain a wide range of influences, showcasing Julian's natural love of music. "Harder Dayz" is a buoyant hip hop-oriented track that samples the famous trumpet riff from his father's song, "Natty Dread." " Build Together" (with its battle cry refrain of "it grieves their hearts/ to see I and I together"), "Systems" and "Couldn't Be the Place" are classic, hard-driving reggae anthems in the style of such legends as Burning Spear, Jacob Miller and Bob himself. The reggae-funky "One Way Train," demonstrates Julian's freestyle scatting prowess, the samba-tinged "Sunshine" is a Latin-Caribbean love song and "Sitting in the Dark" recalls the golden age of Jamaican ska. On the other end of the spectrum and effortlessly channeling a progressive 70s groove, is "Summer Daisies." Powered by flute, horn section and wah-wah guitar, the tune urges spiritual awareness on a universal level.



As is the case with all Marley projects, A Time and Place is truly a family affair. "The album features production by myself, Stephen and Damian, with Stephen coming with the overhand for everything," Julian says. Brothers Ziggy and Rohan play percussion on "Where She Lay" and Bunny Wailer contributes percussion to "Father's Place." Julian also acknowledges the Uprising band's contribution. "The band has evolved over the past few years with members changing, but its core has remained with the same rootical bassman, Owen 'Dready' Reid, which is great." Dready and the rest of the group will be on the road with Julian as he tours in support of the new album.



For Julian Marley, music transcends labels. "It all comes down to listening and loving music," the artist reasons. "If you love music, any kind of music, it just comes through you. We love blues and jazz and all kinds of music. It just filters through you."

Damian Marley -son

When "Welcome To Jamrock" erupted onto airwaves and blew apart iPods halfway through 2005, it came as a shock to some--but not to Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley. The song is about the furthest thing from commercial music offerings today. It's an outraged and unapologetic description of the poverty and political violence ravaging his homeland of Jamaica. But "Welcome To Jamrock" hit hard because it's the sound of truth. Not to mention, the result of years of work to bring that truth to light. "I spent a lot of time thinking and this is the fruit of that labor," explains the youngest child of the musical Marley family."The song might be a 'success' so why be blind to that? But success can't surprise given the time put into it."



Jr. Gong has been honing his skills for some time. He made noise early on with the 1996 tune,"Mr. Marley," and his major label debut Halfway Tree, whichshowcased a unique gift for blending hard-hitting reality rhymes and an uncommonly eclectic musicality. With a classic reggae sensibility at its core and run through with streams of hip-hop, r&b and dancehall, the album resonated with urban tastemakers and won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2001.

"A Grammy in reggae is good," he observes. "But it will be great to see reggae win Album Of The Year…it's not about one man shut off from the rest of the crabs in the barrel." So while slow-burners like "It was Written" and "Educated Fools" became club classics, Jr. Gong was laying the groundwork for the tracks that would become Welcome To Jamrock, an album that was ultimately several years in the making. Hear the album and you instantly understand it to be the work of a perfectionist. Jr. Gong is not focused on overnight success. "Some songs just come. 'Jamrock' was like that," he explains. "But other songs take a lot longer. This is street music, and the streets have to feel it."



He can be sure the streets will. Following the path blazed by its title track, Welcome To Jamrock opens with the devastating attack of "Confrontation." This is Jr Gong at his best, rhyming with the conviction of a street preacher and the intellect of a university economist. That essence is spread throughout the album, even when he switches pace and explores different riddims. "It's like going to war. Sometimes you have to wear camouflage to really get in there," says Jr. Gong of the diverse appeal of the album. "Dancehall, r&b, hip-hop…it's more about feelings. We're not just trying to do a segment of the mix. We're trying to do the whole mix."

This albumis that mix. Never content to deliver a straightforward "reggae" album, Jr Gong touches on various sides or urban life as we live it today, from the smoky spiritual love ballad "There For You" to the nostalgic throwback jam "The Master Has Come Back." Hip-hop fans will bump to "Pimpa's Paradise," featuring Stephen Marley and Black Thought of the Roots as Nas rips his verse on "Road to Zion." Meanwhile, classic reggae heads will spark to the rugged sound of "Khaki Suit" which features the combo of Bounty Killer and Eek-A-Mouse. Together, the songs on Welcome To Jamrock convey a consciousness that's framed by the song "For The Babies," which Jr. Gong says was inspired by the idea that "we raise our children with the same lies we were told."



From the first listen it is undeniable that Jr. Gong detonates his lyrical gifts with force and precision, but it would be a mistake to think the man's abilities begin and end in the recording booth. Damian co-produced all but three of the tracks with his brother, Stephen, who co-Executive Produced the album with him. While the youngest Marley suggests his fiery vocal delivery is partly inspired by seeing fierce dancehall icons like Shabba Ranks, Ninjaman and Super Cat at Jamaica's Reggae Sunsplash festival as a youth, his work at the boards show him to be a knowing student of the early '80s digital roots sound of Sly and Robbie, a touch of Stephen's other productions and the magic in his own father's recordings.

These are elements that representthe science behind Welcome To Jamrock's instantly classic sound and an appropriate release on the family's Tuff Gong/Ghetto Youths International label. "It reflects us," Jr Gong says simply. "And I say us 'cause it's not just me that makes the album. We're taking the baton from the elders who made rebel music-we're new leaders of the old school."



The response to the "Welcome To Jamrock" single heightened expectations for the record, and its 14 songs--songs of both love and war--have a depth that surpasses what many might have expected, given the fear of creativity and strong beliefs that permeates the current pop climate and our daily lives in general. "These are difficult years…and this has been a year of signs and wonders and mystics. We're in a mind opening time now-a lot of people don't have material suffering, but spiritual suffering," he offers. "Welcome To Jamrock is about hope, and there's still more to share. I'm still very close to the beginning."

Cedella Marley -Daughter

Cedella Marley's life has always been rooted in music and culture. Growing up in the hills of Jamaica and touring the world as a Melody Maker, Cedella has had the best of both worlds - "a little bit country and a little bit rock-n-roll." As the first

child of the Reggae legend Bob Marley, Cedella has witnessed history in the making. She continually combines her vast influences of people, places, cultures and music, sharing it all with the world through her creative endeavors.



Currently living in Miami, Cedella balances her life as C.E.O. of Tuff Gong International, one of four Melody Makers, and a full time mom of three.

With two Grammy awards and eight acclaimed albums under their belt, the Melody Makers continue to tour internationally and perform on numerous TV shows. As head of the record label originally formed by her father, Cedella has developed razor

sharp business skills. She is a natural performer and has received critical acclaim for her on-screen work with Gina Gershon in Joey Breaker. In every aspect of her life, be it performing, managing a company or at home, Cedella actively safeguards and honors her father's great legacy and style. It is a challenge she meets with determination, self confidence and energy.



Cedella has harnessed her creative energy and put it towards developing a collection of customized women's clothing, appropriately named Catch A Fire, the title of her father's first album. With this project, Cedella once again intends to

keep her father's memory and message alive while sharing it with the world through her own distinct fashion sensibility.