Legend to be celebrated with exciting activities dubbed #Roots77
Bob Marley Day is commemorated each year on his birthday, February 6th, with a variety of
activities globally. This year, as part of the 77th birthday celebrations (#ROOTS77), there will be
7 days with 7 main events including: a beach clean-up, a sound clash, music industry seminars,
two art installations, and not just one but 2 concerts.
All activities will showcase various aspects of his legacy under the theme Roots 77. Fans worldwide are invited to join festivities by tuning in to the Live Stream of Bob Marley’s 77th Earthstrong on the Tuff Gong TV YouTube
channel, February 6, 12noon to 7pm.
“I am so pleased to have the opportunity to honor my dad each year — especially in a way that
welcomes fans and well-wishers around the world to share this special occasion with our
family,” states Cedella Marley. “This year is particularly important to us with Jamaica celebrating
its 60th anniversary. The theme we chose, Roots 77, is inspired by the song ‘Roots’ and as we
go back to our roots, we get a chance to explore the growth of Reggae, Rastafari, and
Jamaica.”
“From now until February 4th, the Bob Marley Foundation is accepting entries from young artists
for the juried Roots 77 Art Exhibition that will be on show at the Bob Marley Museum from
February to August,” says Lecia-Gaye Taylor, operations manager and legal counsel for the
Bob Marley Group of Companies. She continues “One of the main attractions of the celebration,
however, is the new Rita Marley: Mystic of a Queen permanent installation at the Museum.”
The Berette S Macaulay-curated exhibition honoring Marley’s widow, family matriarch,
philanthropist, singer-songwriter, cultural shaper, and entrepreneur, the Honourable Dr. Alferita
‘Rita’ Constantia Marley OJ, OD, LITT will be a permanent fixture at the Bob Marley Museum. It
will debut on February 6 with a private viewing by a delegation of government officials,
including the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, and other government officials, before opening
to the public on weekdays from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Another highlight is the Roots 77 Concert: Celebrating the Roots of Marley’s Livity, which
will be broadcast live on SiriusXM from Tuff Gong International Studio on Monday, January
31, at 5pm. This will include performances by Etana, Tony Rebel, Queen Ifrica, Gyptian, Bugle,
Black-Am-I, Amanyea, and hosted by legendary MC Tommy Cowan.
Through the Tuff Gong TV YouTube channel, Bob Marley’s 77th Earthday live stream will be
carried on February 6, 12noon – 7pm. The full audio and video of the Roots 77 Concert from
Jamaica to the East Coast and the West Coast of the USA will showcase additional musical
performances by The Marley brothers, Minister Marion Hall, formerly known as queen of the
dancehall, Lady Saw, Sharon Marley, and grandsons Skip Marley, Jo Mersa Marley, and Elijah
Marley.
The birthday live stream on Tuff Gong TV will also feature highlights from the ongoing
celebrations as well as live-action events at the Museum like African drumming; the traditional
blowing of the Abeng; and student performances from Haile Selassie High School, Liguanea
Preparatory, St. Andrew Preparatory School, Revival All Age School, and St. Isaac Basic
School.
For the first of the birthday activities, the Bob and Rita Marley Foundations organized a ‘Back to
our Roots’ Beach Clean-up & Concert on the morning of January 22 to spotlight
environmental consciousness as one facet of the late reggae icon, Bob Marley’s holistic
wellness livity. This project mobilized community members to clean up the beach from 7 Miles to
8 Miles in Bull Bay, St. Thomas and culminated in the Back to our Roots Concert at cultural
landmark, Jamnesia. This show featured performances by Billy Mystic, Micah Shemiah, Earth &
the Fullness, From the Deep, Frogg Boss, and Blacka Lion.
A new and exciting feature of the Bob Marley celebration is the introduction of The 7 Roots of
Marley. Inspired by the 7 pillars of Kwanzaa, the video meditations will explore the reggae
legend’s ideals and gives insight into his natural mystic, well-roundedness, and far-reaching
impact. The short daily meditations will air each day leading into his birthday and will include: 1)
Identity – Jan 30, 2) Food – Jan 31, 3) Creativity – Feb 1, 4) Fitness – Feb 2, 5) Rastafari –
Feb 3, 6) Human Rights – Feb 4, 7) Music – Feb 5.
Julia Vaz, marketing director of the Bob Marley Group of Companies, emphasized the
comprehensive nature of this year’s offerings: “The goal is to provide something for everyone
and to emphasize different aspects of Bob Marley’s guiding beliefs and way of life. We want
people to have a feel of who he was beyond his status as a reggae superstar.”
True to this notion of going back to our roots, the sound clash is a throwback to when Reggae
ruled the dancehalls. ‘Echoes of Sound Systems – When the Two 7’s Clash’ is a
collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sports (MCGES) with the
first airing on the Tuff Gong TV birthday live stream, February 6. Billed as the sound clash to
end all sound clashes, it will see sound systems vie for the top prize and bragging rights. This
celebration also forms part of the celebrations for Jamaica’s 60th year of independence and will
air weekly during reggae month (February) on Tuff Gong TV.
As part of the Roots 77 birthday celebrations, the Bob Marley Foundation also looks forward to
conducting a three-part series of Music Industry Seminars on the business of music. In
conjunction with the MCGES, JARIA, and IRIE FM, the Zoom seminars, will be aired live on Irie
FM and Tuff Gong TV from February 1-3, includes:
Tuesday, February 1, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
To Structure or Not to Structure…Recipes for Success.
Guests: Zachary Harding, Ron Young, Carlette Deleon, Lorna Bennett. Moderator: Ka’bu Ma’at
Kheru
Wednesday, February 2, 3:00pm – 4:30pm
Reggae in the Digital era… Monetizing social platforms.
Kibwe McGann, Large-Up, Brian Greenspoon. Moderator: DJ Sunshine
Thursday, February 3, 3:00pm – 4:30pm
How are musicians earning money in a pandemic?
Guests: M1, Erik Mendelson (OneOf NFT site)
Moderator: Mutabaruka
Roots 77: Bob Marley’s 77th Earthstrong Celebration would not be complete without the
following activities:
Friday, February 4
“Roots Of A Riddim” Beats Breakdown Workshop at Tuff Gong Studio will focus on music
production and include a feedback session. Hosted by Nonso Amadi, international artist signed
to Universal , it is geared towards emerging music composers, producers and recording artists
in Jamaica.
For more information: gavin@quietaskept.co, trung@quietaskept.co,
jadeolubusola@gmail.com
Saturday, February 5, 10:00am – 1:00pm
The Football Is Freedom football clinic at St George’s College is a grassroots initiative to
provide a holistic and safe environment that young girls can learn soccer skills, life lessons, and
foster friendships. The Football is Freedom camp will be overseen by FIFA licensed coaches.
Sunday, February 6, 12noon – 7pm
Live Stream of Bob Marley’s 77th Earthstrong
Tuff Gong TV on youtube
Thank you to our partners the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sports (MCGES),
Jamaica 60, Reggae Month, SiriusXM, JARIA, IRIE FM, Marley One, Jamnesia, Courtleigh
Hotel & Suites, Etal Store, and Mama Yashi.
For more information on the #Roots77 birthday activities, stay tuned to the Bob Marley Museum
social pages.
