Bob Marley

Robert Nesta Marley was born in Nine Miles, Saint Ann, Jamaica, on 6 February 1945. As a youth, he moved to Kingston where he became involved in the local music scene; in 1963 he co-founded the group that became The Wailers with Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Marley embraced Rastafari, a development that strongly shaped his lyrics and public persona. The Wailers evolved musically toward reggae, and after signing to Island Records, the band began to reach international audiences. Marley's major commercial breakthrough came in the mid-1970s, notably with albums such as Rastaman Vibration and Exodus. Marley developed a malignant melanoma in 1977 but delayed treatments that conflicted with his religious beliefs; he died in Miami on 11 May 1981. Posthumously, Marley has received numerous honors, solidifying his cultural and musical legacy worldwide.