Rastafarian movements all over the world yesterday commemorated for the 29th time the death of legend Bob Marley. In Rwanda the celebrations were at One Love Cultural heritage at Kimihurura. Robert Nesta Marley was born on February 6, 1945 and died of cancer on May 11, 1981 at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami at the age of 36 years. He received a state funeral in Jamaica on May 21, 1981. The Jamaican singer/songwriter and musician, was the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist for the Ska, Rocksteady reggae band from 1964–1974. He later joined the Wailers in 1974–1981. Marley remains the most widely known performer of reggae music and is credited for the spread both Jamaican Music and the Rastafarian movements to a worldwide audience. Marley’s songs were about freedom, love and peace. His best known hits include “I Shot the Sheriff”, “No Woman, No Cry”, “Could You Be Loved”, “Stir It Up”, “Jamming”, “Redemption Song”, “One Love” and, together with The Wailers, “Three Little Birds”, as well as the posthumous releases “Buffalo Soldier” and “Iron Lion Zion”. The compilation album, Legend in 1984, released three years after his death, is so far reggae’s best-selling album. He was granted several honors and awards and while he was still alive and after his death such as; Band of the Year by Rolling Stone in 1976, the Peace Medal of the Third World awarded by United Nations in June 1978, Jamaica’s third highest honor in February 1981, Album of the Century for Exodus (Time) in 1999, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 and A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Ends
