On top of being famous for locks, ganja smoke, Jamaica, Hope Road, Nine Mile, Trench Town, football, love, RasTafari was the core of this beautiful soul that is Robert Nesta Marley. I still say "is" because that lovely energy still encircles the planet, oozing into newer generations of our children
Hermon "Woody" King, my uncle, had a friendly relationship with Bob and as a youth I crossed path with Alan Skill Cole as well, one time Wailers manager and arguably Jamaica's greatest baller, some place up in Red Hills playing football. Back then, Alan Cole was a bigger superstar to me and many youths over Bob Marley, as we all worshipped football. I believe the year was either '74 or '75 making me fourteen to fifteen years old. I was just good enough as a youth to get a game cause de big man dem doh like running wid likkle bwoy pon de field
Bob was just another player on the field
At that time, I had no idea how impactful he already was
RasTafari energy to the world with a humble spirit full of love
Draw brakes! The man is as fallible as you or I, just as full of shit with bad ways, yet the love and humility he has, transcends through time itself still affecting us in positive ways today
Forty-two years since his passing and his energy is celebrated in all four corners
The tour is here in Toronto, Canada and a good friend purchased two tickets and off we went
Truthfully, I had zero intention to go to the event because I have lived my truth. A truth that includes a time when Marley was basically banned on the radio in Jamaica because of his "radical" views based in RasTafari, who are still vilified in Jamaica yet greatly respected globally. I did not wish to be at an event commercially gaining profits yet no profits shared to those Bob is still singing about today
In this past week, Jamaicans at home are about to lose access to a beach named, wait for it, The Bob Marley Beach, which the residents cleared away stones for themselves. Most of the beaches on the island will not cater to the people of Jamaica
Black people in their own country cannot access most of the beaches since the 70s based on colonizer abuse and prejudice
The Bob Marley Beach is now about to shun Jamaican born people... The degration by the colonizer don't change, even if they are selling his products on a worldwide tour
I used to get so angry and cuss somebody / everybody
Now, I'm grateful the world still celebrates this beautiful spirit because truly, that is his real power. His ability to reach loving, spiritual souls who resonate the same frequency of love. Mek dem keep dem money as we continue to celebrate upful livity. That livity transcends across decades now
Mi nah chat bout turn nuh cheek. Not one rass!
I'm taking the lead of my elders, Jack, Woody, Skill, Bob, Peter, Bunny, Bob and Horace Andy, Miss Lou and Nanny, Marcus, The Gong... they didn't just cry about the pertinent abusive issues, they kept it moving, creating and carving out their own spaces on the planet, affecting the times in which they lived and examples going forward
"Lord I gotta keep on moving...Lord they coming after me"
Prophetic
He kept moving. Don't let the babylonian be our only focus
Stick to your mission
The positive energy of RasTafari elevates our planet and one of its greatest disciples is still spreading that love today and for that, I am forever grateful
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