Ziggy Marley, the son of reggae legend Bob Marley, established himself as one of the genre’s leading artists. After their father died in 1981, Ziggy and his siblings formed the Melody Makers. Conscious Party, their 1988 album, won a Grammy and helped the group break through to mainstream audiences. Marley launched a solo career in 2006 and has since released several Grammy Award-winning albums, including his self-titled studio album in 2016.
Early Life
Ziggy Marley was born David Nesta Marley in Kingston, Jamaica on October 17, 1968. Ziggy Marley, the oldest son of reggae legend Bob Marley, has continued the family’s involvement in the music scene, establishing himself as one of the genre’s leading artists in the process. He spent some of his childhood in Trench Town, one of Kingston’s poorest neighborhoods, while his father tried to make a name for his band, the Wailers (later Bob Marley and the Wailers). Rita Marley, another talented singer, joined the group in the mid-1970s.
Marley also spent time in Wilmington, Delaware, where his younger brother Stephen was born in 1972. From his mother’s previous relationship, he already had an older sister, Cedella, and an older half-sister, Sharon. “Children Playing in the Streets,” the four siblings’ first song recorded together, was released in 1979. The song, written by their father, addressed the terrible poverty that many children in Jamaica faced. The song’s royalties were donated to the United Nations Children’s Fund.
The Melody Makers
Marley performed at Stephen’s funeral after his father died in 1981. They later joined Sharon and Cedella to form the Melody Makers. While all four members sang, Ziggy also played the guitar, which his father had taught him. Stephen also played the guitar and the drums. Later that year, they released their next single, “What a Plot,” as the Melody Makers.
The Melody Makers released their first album, Play the Game Right, in 1985, but it was a commercial flop. Hey World! (1986) met a similar fate, despite receiving numerous positive reviews.
Breakthrough Album
After renaming themselves Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers, they released Conscious Party (1988) on Virgin Records. The album assisted the band in breaking through to mainstream audiences. It was produced by Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth of the Talking Heads and mixed reggae, pop, and rock elements. Marley handled much of the writing and was able to imbue the songs with an upbeat, positive tone while remaining topical and thought-provoking. Many listeners became fans of the song “Tomorrow People,” and the album charted well on both the pop and R&B/hip-hop charts in the United States. The group won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in early 1989.
Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers’ next album, One Bright Day (1989), was a critical success, earning them a second consecutive Grammy for Best Reggae Album. However, sales fell short of their previous studio effort.
Before disbanding, the band released several more albums together in the 1990s, including the Grammy Award-winning Fallen Is Babylon (1997).
Solo Successes and Personal Life
Marley’s first solo album, Dragonfly, was released in 2003, and it explored social, political, and personal topics. He had a number of guests on the album, including Flea and John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and the album as a whole had a strong rock and hip-hop vibe to it. His next album, Love Is My Religion (2006), won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2006.
Marley continued to release critically acclaimed music as a solo artist as well as with family members and other notable performers such as Donna Summer. His self-titled 2016 album won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album, giving him a total of seven in that category.
In addition to his music, Marley founded the U.R.G.E. (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment) organization to assist poor children. He and his wife, Orly Agai, have four children.