Somewhere we lost our way. Somehow we forgot. Bob Marley is the greatest reggae artist in the history of reggae. But despite his greatness, at some point Bob Marley got co-opted by commercials, chain restaurants, and fraternity members driving Jeep Wranglers. It’s gotten to the point that you can’t even like Bob Marley publicly without being lumped into that Gap-wearing, beer-chugging, feathered-hair under a college cap having group of idiots.
I can listen to Peter Tosh. I can listen to Buju Banton. I can listen to Dennis Brown (who the best Caribbean music DJ I know says would have been called the best if Marley hadn’t died young). But I can’t roll down the windows of my car and blast “One Love” no matter how excellent it might be because everyone will assume that I’m an idiot. I say this cannot stand!!!
Let this post serve as a petition banning the wearing of Bob Marley t-shirts by people who have never heard a song not included on the Legend compilation. Let this post serve as a petition banning the use of Bob Marley music as Hollywood’s de facto soundtrack for fraternity weed smoking scenes. And finally, let this post serve as the start of a petition banning jackasses from claiming they like reggae because they know all the words to “No Woman, No Cry”.
