Bob Marley fanatics celebrated the 70th birthday of the legendary reggae great Bob Marley on Feb.6 at his former home in Jamaica. The celebration included fun-filled music, free concerts, and jamming sessions.
Marley was only 36 years old when he passed away due to cancer on May 11, 1981 in Florida.
The reggae legend was born in Nine Mile, Hope road north of Kingston. One of his sons will be part of the celebrations, though not all people in Jamaica favors Marley. It has been years and years of debate among the people of the country whether he should be included in the Order of National Heroes, its highest honor, where seven people on the said list are all politicians, Euro News reported.
A free concert by Kingston will be held at the waterfront on Feb. 14, Saturday, to draw crowds of fans, local reggae music enthusiasts which include Marley's sons, Ky-Mani, are expected to perform. Authorities have already sent the detour plans and street barricades for the upcoming concert celebration.
There has been no new additional personality to the list of National Heroes since the 1980s. The honors committee has been assessing the nominations for the highest honor for Marley. The debate has been ongoing since none has been added since 1980s.
There are two personalities mentioned in the list which included former Prime Minister Michael Manley and the late reggae legend. No heroes were added to the list since 1980s, according to Reuters.
Some committee members disagree to honor him as part of the new list since he used marijuana and have disrespected authorities as part of his Rastafarian faith which rejects materialism.
"Easy Skanking in Boston '78" is a new album to be released next week according to The Bob Marley Group of Companies.