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| Damian Marley |
Born in Kingston, Jamaica on July 21, 1978, Damian Robert Nesta Marley a.k.a. "Junior Gong", Bob's youngest son, began performing as a child as the vocalist for a group called The Shepherds. Comprised of other well-known Reggae artists children including Shiah Coore (son of Third World guitarist Cat Coore) and Yashema Beth McGregor, the daughter of Freddie McGregor and Judy Mowatt, The Shepherds performed at several shows in Jamaica including the Reggae Sunsplash music festival in 1992.
Damian was a high school student when he began recording "MR. MARLEY" at the Marley Music 48 track-recording studio. Produced by Stephen Marley (head of the Marley Boyz production team), "MR. MARLEY" delivered a fusion of contemporary Reggae grooves and infectious dancehall rhythms alongside tough edged hip-hop beats, an ideal complement for Damian's versatile deejay-rap style. The album included several updates of Bob Marley classics as well as the single "Me Name Junior Gong" which went to the number one in Hawaii and held that position for several weeks. "When we went to Hawaii in 1997," Damian recalls, "we had three songs on the charts there: "Me Name Junior Gong,' "One Cup of Coffee' and "Now You Know,' a tune from Julian's debut album." Damian and Julian's burgeoning popularity earned them featured appearances on the 1997 travelling alternative rock festival Lollapalooza which provided invaluable exposure among a new sector of music fans.
A spoken intro by Bunny Wailer (of the original Wailers), the ghetto grammar of Jamaican deejay Bounty Killer, Treach of rap group Naughty By Nature and Damain's blistering vocal beats unite in their criticism of the "Educated Fools" who continue to brainwash the youth. Stephen's sung vocals are looped around Damian's deejaying on the haunting "It Was Written", complemented by the combustible talents of Dancehall's arsonist Capleton who along with rapper Dragon assists in burning (lyrical) fire upon the oppressors. The pulse of classical Reggae's drum and bass enhances Damian's sing-jay style throughout "More Justice", a condemnation of the suppression of the Rastafarian sacred herb marijuana. Contemporary percussion patterns inspired by ancestral African drumming provides the sturdy musical foundation for "Give Dem Some Way" which fully supports Damian's hard edged, fast past verse.
With the release of "HALFWAY TREE" on Ghetto Youths International/Motown, Damian presents his bold musical identity to the global community, updating the Marley musical legacy for the 21st century. |
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