More than 30 years after the death of their father, the sons of Bob Marley continue to tour and draw crowds to the sounds of reggae. In a year that has marked the 70th anniversary of their father’s birth, Stephen “Ragga” Marley, 43, and Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, 37, are joining forces on the Catch a Fire tour.
Stephen, the second-eldest son of Bob Marley and Rita Marley, began performing with his brother Ziggy and sisters in the Melody Makers. Damian, Marley’s youngest son, and the only child he had with former Miss World Cindy Breakspeare, also had a musical group as a youth.
Both have won Grammys for albums. Stephen is still putting together “Revelation Part II: The Root of Life,” a sequel to his 2011 Grammy-winner, that he has previewed with two singles, “Rock Stone,” featuring Capleton and Sizzla, and “Ghetto Boy,” featuring Bounty Killer and Cobra. Damian is working on his 2016 release and is about to issue a single with reggae and soca hitmaker Bunji Garlin.
We caught up with the Marley brothers separately just before the tour began — one in Miami and the other on a bus en route to Miami. Their responses to a similar set of questions were edited and rearranged.
Q: How have you marked the 70th anniversary of your father?
Stephen: We had a big show in Jamaica, a free concert for the people. It was very nice. Then we did the Hollywood Bowl with me and Ziggy and the Skatalites and Inner Circle that was in tribute to my dad as well. That was a sold-out concert. Very good vibe. Very great vibe.
Q: You both carry your father’s legacy — and also continue to perform a lot of his music?
Damian: Every night, every time we get a gig, we always do one or two of his songs. And a lot of my songs will sample a lot of his verses or his choruses. So when I do my songs, I’m doing his songs a lot of the time.
Stephen: I am a seed from that fruit. So it is only right that you taste a little of his flavor in me.
He is a shepherd. I am a sheep in a pasture.
Q: Both of you freely mix music from other genres to your reggae.
Stephen: We’re fans of all kinds of music. My dad was similar. When he was here, he was listening to Fats Domino. You’d hear him listen to everybody, whatever was up. We got that from him, just being open to music and just enjoying music.
Q: Hip-hop and reggae go together especially well, it seems.
Stephen: Hip-hop is an offspring of reggae. Reggae music comes from the ghetto; hip-hop comes from the ghetto. So there are kind of parallel lives as well.
Q: Your father didn’t live long enough to see the decriminalization of marijuana that’s occurring in several states.
Stephen: It’s a positive move, man. My father was very much an advocate of the legalization of marijuana and the use of the herbs, not just for smoking, but everything that hemp has to offer: medicinal, the fiber itself. So we’re proud to be able to reach this stage, educating people about marijuana and just being front-runners for the legalization of this plant and educating people about the plant. Not just smoking, but the plant.
Damian: One of the things that we’re concerned about is we’re just hoping that with the changing of the laws, the original farmers and growers and people who made a living off the herb will still be able to feed their families and corporations not come in and ruin it. It’s a people’s thing, and we’d love it to remain that way.
