Bob Marley

Bob Marley performing his music for an audience (en.wikepedia.org (Wikepedia))

"That until there are no longer first class And second class citizens of any nation Until the color of a man's skin Is of no more significance than the color of his eyes Me say war"(Marley) Marley rose from the slums of Kingston and became an international star, leading an entire generation of people through his powerful music. Marley was a boy who was born in Jamaica and raised in the slums of one of its cities, Kingston. He had two ways to get out of poverty; either through crime, or by music. Through his popular music with his band, he rose up from poverty and became an international popstar. He used his music to deliver his message and thoughts about politics and the world around him.For me, a hero must possess humility and good morals because that is what makes someone a good person and an inspiration to others. Marley is a hero because he fought for equality through his lyrics, and maintained his humility even through all of his stardom.

Marley showed his opposition to segregation and his desire for equality through his lyrics. An example of Marley's extreme distaste for segregation is shown when he says in his song Redemption, "If you're white and you're wrong, then you're wrong; if you're black and you're wrong, you're wrong. People are people. Black, blue, pink, green - God make no rules about color; only society make rules where my people suffer, and that why we must have redemption and redemption now."(Marley) Marley didn't just write against racial equality. He also wrote of segregation between the rich and poor. An example of this is in his song "Them Belly Full", "Them belly full, but we hungry; A hungry mob is a(n) angry mob. A rain a-fall, but the dirt it tough;"(Marley) Marley started out deep in poverty, so he understands the struggles of the poor. In Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) he gives his thoughts about a world in which those more fortunate live a luxurious life, while those in poverty are forced to suffer. Another example of Marley's belief in equality is when he says, "I don't stand for black man's side, I don't stand for white man's side, I stand for God's side."(Marley) Here, Marley is saying that he doesn't take sides when it comes to morals. He takes the side which he believes is right, and that is God's. Through his lyrics, Marley showed how he believed that we as people should be equal and that morals have are not defined by skin color

Marley performing with his guitar (firstpost.com (IBNLive))

Marley started out deep in poverty, and used his music to pick himself up and catapult himself into stardom. However, being a huge star didn't affect his humility. An example of Marley's humility is when he says,"Don't gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold."(Marley) In this quote, Marley compares the worth of money and wisdom, and how wisdom is worth more.He grew up living off of pennies, so he would understand the value of a little money. Despite that, he still thinks knowledge is more important. Another example of his humility is when he says, "The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively."(Marley) Marley was known for encouraging morals. Here, Marley is saying that money isn't the defining factor that states whether not someone is a good person. Instead, how someone helps others around them and their integrity do. One final example of his humility is when he says, "Judge not unless you judge yourself". The Rastafarian singer was, obviously a humble person, never quick to criticize others before accepting his own flaws. He encourages you to do the same, by not being so quick to judge others. Bob Marley fought his way out of the slums and became an international idol, but he never forgot about where he came from and stayed humble.

An iconic image of the Rastafarian Singer (A Youtube thumbnail (Youtube))

Bob Marley is a hero because of his how he used his lyrics to fight for equality, while also maintaining humility through his journey to stardom. His desire for equality both racially and financially made him a big influence on society during his time. He also stayed humble and maintained his integrity through his life, remaining the same person in heart, from slums to stardom. One love, one heart, Let's get together and feel all right", "Don't gain the world and lose your soul; wisdom is better than silver or gold. ", "The people who were trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off. Why should I?"(Marley) These three quotes are why Bob Marley is a hero to me. He used his music to unite the nations. Whether you were black or white, rich or poor, didn't matter to him. Also, even though he was incredibly successful, that didn't change the fact that he was an admirably humble and ethical man. He always put morals over money. Also, people around the world, including myself, believe that he fought to make this world a better place for everyone. In conclusion, Marley led a life to be admired. He used his lyrics to lead the world to become a better place, stayed a humble man, and broke down boundaries between us as people to bring us together as one love, and one heart.

Works Cited "Bob Marley." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 02 May 2016., http://www.biography.com/people/bob-marley-9399524 "Bob, Marley." Gale Virtual Reference Library. N.p., 2005. Web. 5 May 2016. "Bob Marley." Gale Biography in Context. N.p., 15 June 1990. Web. 5 May 2016. Marley, Bob. "Bob Marley Quotes." Bob Marley Quotes (Author of Bob Marley. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016 https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/25241.Bob_Marley Marley, Bob. "Bob Marley Quotes." BrainyQuote. Xplore, n.d. Web. 05 May 2016. http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/bob_marley.html