Bob Marley

Bob Marley (http://www.bobmarley.com/photos_performance.php)

Bob Marley once said, "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" ("Quote by Bob Marley: "The Greatness of a Man Is Not in How Much Wealth H...""). He was a down-to-Earth man who always stood-up for what was right. Bob Marley was born in St. Ann's, Jamaica, on February 6th, 1945. Over the years, he became a well-known musician and composer all around the world. He used his music to share his views on social and political issues. In his band, ‘The Wailers,’ he was the lead guitarist and eventually became the lead singer. Their music was popular internationally. Bob Marley used his music to spread his message about world peace and happiness. He devoted his life to his music, and because of it, had a huge impact on people. He was an inspiration to many because of his compassion, the way he stood-up for his beliefs, and how he supported equality.

Bob Marley was compassionate about everything he did. He cared about his community, and helped others whenever he could. "He took on a series of community projects, at one time supporting more than 6,000 people with food, jobs, and housing. He invested in schools and infrastructure in Jamaica” ("Marley, Bob."). Although he lived in the middle of this poverty, he still chose to help other people in need. Because of his actions for his community, Bob Marley was a great iconic figure. He not only cared about his community, but also the world. He used his music to spread his philosophy all around the world. "His philosophy was explicitly expressed in his songs which primarily emphasized love, peace, equality and his spirituality" ("Robert Nesta Marley, OM – A Musical Legend."). Bob Marley believed in world peace, and wanted to help people in any way he could. In his music, he shared his views on many world issues, and his philosophy on life. With this compassion, comes pride. He believed strongly in his beliefs and would stand-up for them if need be.

Bob Marley was a well-grounded man who stood-up for what he believed in, and protested for what was right. In his music, he talked about his views on different problems around the world. "Indeed, his commitment to the Rastafarian faith and his views on social issues were the cornerstone of his music" ("Robert Nesta Marley, OM – A Musical Legend."). He used his music to stand up for what he believed in. With his music, he shared his beliefs on how he saw the world, and how he thinks it should be. Bob Marley was all about the music; he just wanted to get his message out to people. "He was tired of compromising his message for other producers and did not like the way Sims had been toning down his philosophy to maximize commercial appeal" ("Marley, Bob."). He used the music to spread his ideas about social and political issues. The producers made him change some of that just so that they could earn more money from his music. Bob Marley thought it ruined the purpose of his music and eventually created his own record label. He was brave enough to stand up for what he believed in. One of the major beliefs that he stood-up for was equality among all races.

Bob Marley (http://www.bobmarley.com/photos_classic.php)

Equality was an important topic to Bob Marley. He believed that everyone needs to be treated the same. "In 1965, however, Marley recorded an antidote to such militant anthems with ‘One Love,’ a song that distilled Rastafarian teachings and called for unity, peace, and love. These would be recurring themes throughout Marley's career: taking to the streets in strong protest against injustice tempered by a philosophy of non-violence and racial unity" ("Marley, Bob."). He thought that everyone should be treated the same, so with his music, he spread this idea. He believed that everyone is created equal; we should all have the same rights. Also, he believed that people should just be happy and get along. Many of his songs were about his views on life. "His song 'One Love', which speaks to his hope for world peace and his position on equality for all races, classes and ethnicities, is depicted on the track 'War'" ("Robert Nesta Marley, OM – A Musical Legend."). In his mind, equality was a law that needs to be followed; that we are all people. He thought all races were created the same, and none should be treated any different than the other. He used his music to spread this philosophy all over the world. Bob Marley was a strong supporter of equality, and it was an important topic to him. For this, he was looked up to by many people all over the world.

Bob Marley served as a heroic figure because of his compassion towards others, how he stood-up for what he believed in, and how he was a big supporter of equality. He helped his community and tried to change the world. He believed that all races should be treated equal and wanted to see this type of equality in the world. Bob Marley is an inspiration because of the way he tried to make a difference. He saw what he thought was wrong, and tried to change it. He had the courage to stand-up for what he thought was right. Everyone talks about changing the world, but he did something about it. Bob Marley did what everyone dreams about doing; he made a difference. He put his words into actions and had an effect on people. Because of this, Bob Marley is a hero.

"Bob Marley: Biography | Rolling Stone Music." Rolling Stone | Music News, Reviews, Photos, Videos, Interviews and More. Web. 08 May 2011. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/bob-marley/biography. BobMarley.com | The Official Site of Bob Marley. Web. 16 May 2011. http://bobmarley.com/.

"Marley, Bob." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Ed. Andrea Henderson. 2nd ed. Vol. 24. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 239-241. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 6 May. 2011.

"Quote by Bob Marley: "The Greatness of a Man Is Not in How Much Wealth H..."" Share Book Recommendations With Your Friends, Join Book Clubs, Answer Trivia. Goodreads Inc. Web. 19 May 2011. http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/show/31671.

"Robert Nesta Marley, OM – A Musical Legend." This Is Jamaica. Web. 8 May 2011. http://www.jis.gov.jm/special_sections/This%20Is%20Jamaica/bobmarley.html. Wells, Paul F. "Marley, Bob." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2011. Web. 2 May 2011.