Damian Robert Nesta “Junior Gong” Marley (born July 21, 1978), is a reggae artist, a humanitarian, and the youngest son of the late reggae legend Bob Marley. He has won three Grammy awards.
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Damian was two years old when his father died; he is the only child born to Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, Miss World 1976. Damian’s nickname Junior Gong is derived from his father’s nickname of Tuff Gong. Damian has been performing since the age of 13. He shares, along with most of the Marley family, a full-time career in music. Unlike his brothers and sisters, however, his musical specialty is “toasting”, a Jamaican vocal technique that is a predecessor to rapping.
Personal life and beliefs
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Born as Damian Marley, he was nicknamed “Jr. Gong” in honor of his legendary father, Bob “Tuff Gong” Marley. He has 13-half siblings total; 11 on his father’s side and 2 on his mother’s side. Damian was only two years old when his father died, killed by the spread of melanoma to his
In the 31 years since his untimely death, Marley still remains the most-popular figure in Reggae music. Succumbing to cancer at age 36 in 1981, Marley had become a global ambassador for the music he helped make famous.
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Marley’s passing shook the reggae and music community to its core; yet, his legacy remains intact through his timeless music catalog and talented children.
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Marley was born in the village of Nine Mile in Saint Ann Parish in Jamaica (also the birthplace of Marcus Garvey). Marley’s father was a white Jamaican man of English descent and his mother was a native of Jamaica. Discovering music as a teenager, Marley befriended Neville “Bunny” Livingston (aka Bunny Wailer) who shared his dreams of becoming a musician. Through singer Joe Higgs, the pair met Peter McIntosh (aka Peter Tosh) who also had similar ambitions. Recording his first songs in 1962, Marley and his friends would eventually be renamed The Wailers, after being discovered by a local record producer.
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Marrying Rita Anderson (now Marley) in 1966, Marley and his bride made a sojourn to the United States to live near his mother in Wilmington, De. Marley soon teamed up with American singer Johnny Nash (“I Can See Clearly Now”) and nabbed a deal with CBS Records. Marley and the Wailers went on tour with Nash before their label deal went sour and the band ended up stranded in London in 1972. From there, Marley contacted Island Records’ founder Chris Blackwell and was advanced funds to record the hit album “Catch A Fire.”
Shortly after the release of their major-label debut, Bunny Wailer and Peter Tosh went their
Aretha Franklin is engaged to longtime friend William “Willie” Wilkerson.
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The Grammy-winning singer said in a statement Monday that she and Wilkerson are considering a summer wedding, perhaps in Miami Beach, Florida. The Queen of Soul wants to follow the ceremony with a reception on a private yacht.
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The 69-year-old jokes: “No, I’m not pregnant.”
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Franklin and Wilkerson became engaged over the holidays.
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Feb 23 2012
