Stephen Marley Biography

Stephen Marley is an American/Jamaica reggae singer, songwriter and producer, son of the legendary Bob Marley. He won five Grammy awards. He is also known as Raggamuffin.

Melody Makers

Stephen Marley was born in 1972, as the third child of Rita and Bob Marley. He followed in his father’s footsteps and pursued a music career. In 1972 Stephen, along with his sisters Sharona and Cedella, and his brother Ziggy, recorded Children Playing in the Streets. The song was written by their father and talked about the poverty in Jamaica.

Furthermore, after their father’s death, they formed the band Melody Makers. Stephen provided vocals but also played the guitar and drums. The group’s first two albums Play the Game Right (1985) and Hey World! (1986) went by unnoticed. However, the third album, Conscious Party (1988), helped them gain recognition. It spawned a well-charted hit, Tomorrow People. Additionally, it brought them their first Grammy Award.

Shortly after, the band experienced another huge success with the release of One Bright Day. Moreover, they won another Grammy. Among their intense activity from the 90s, the 1997 album Babylon Is Fallen was the most noteworthy success. Additionally, Stephen became a certified songwriter and collaborated with his other brother, Damien, on his massively popular hit Welcome to Jamrock. 

Solo Career

Stephen Marley’s breakthrough as a solo artist happened in 2007. His debut studio album, Mind Control, won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album. It also spawned the popular love song Hey Baby, featuring Mos Def. Another Grammy came in 2012, after the released of Stephen’s second studio album, Revelation Part 1: The Root of Life. The album reached the Billboard 200 chart and topped the Reggae Albums chart. It features several collaborations with his siblings. In 2016, the artist released a follow-up, Revelation Pt. 2 – The Fruit of Life. This latest album has electronic and hip-hop influences and features appearances from Rick Ross, Waka Flocka, Wyclef, and Rakim.

Photo source: VillageVoice