Robert Nesta Marley

Robert Nesta Marley (1945–1981) rose from the impoverished shantytowns of Trenchtown in Kingston, Jamaica, to become the first global superstar from the developing world. Forming The Wailers in 1963 with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, Marley forged reggae's signature hypnotic offbeat rhythm, bass-heavy grooves, and fiery lyrics of social justice.

Surviving a politically motivated assassination attempt in 1976, Marley recorded Exodus (1977) in London, which Time magazine proclaimed the 'Best Album of the 20th Century'. At the historic 1978 One Love Peace Concert in Kingston during near civil war, Marley famously brought the leaders of the two warring political parties onto the stage and joined their hands. His acoustic masterpiece Redemption Song, recorded shortly before his death from cancer at age 36, remains humanity's anthem of mental emancipation.