Robert Nesta Marley OM (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981) was a Jamaican reggae singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of the genre, Marley fused elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady in his music and was renowned for his distinctive vocal and songwriting style.Marley's contribution to music increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide and made him a global figure in popular culture.Over the course of his career, Marley became known as a Rastafarian icon, and he infused his music with a sense of spirituality.He is also considered a global symbol of Jamaican music and culture and identity, and was controversial in his outspoken support for democratic social reforms.He also supported legalisation of cannabis, and advocated for Pan-Africanism. In 1976, Marley survived an assassination attempt in his home, which was thought to be politically motivated. In July 1977, Marley was diagnosed with a type of malignant melanoma under the nail of his right big toe. Contrary to urban legend, this lesion was not primarily caused by an injury during a football match that year, but was instead a symptom of already-existing cancer.He had to see two doctors before a biopsy was done, which confirmed acral lentiginous melanoma. Unlike other melanomas, which usually appear on skin exposed to the sun, acral lentiginous melanoma occurs in places that are easy to miss, such as the soles of the feet, or under toenails. Although it is the most common melanoma in people with dark skin, it is not widely recognised and was not mentioned in the most popular medical textbook of the time.
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Despite his illness, he continued touring and was in the process of
scheduling a 1980 world tour. After the tour, Marley went to the United States,
where he performed two shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City as part
of the Uprising Tour. He collapsed while jogging in Central Park and was taken
to the hospital, where it was found that his cancer had spread to his brain,
lungs, and liver. Marley's last concert took place two days later at the
Stanley Theater. Shortly afterward, Marley's health deteriorated as his cancer
had spread throughout his body. The rest of the tour was cancelled, and Marley
sought treatment at the clinic of Josef Issels in Rottach-Egern, Bavaria,
Germany, where he underwent an alternative cancer treatment called Issels
treatment, partly based on avoidance of certain foods, drinks, and other
substances. After eight months of failing to effectively treat his advancing
cancer, Marley boarded a plane for his home in Jamaica. During the flight,
Marley's vital functions worsened. After landing in Miami, Florida, he was
taken to Cedars of Lebanon Hospital (later University of Miami Hospital) for
immediate medical attention, where he died on 11 May 1981, aged 36, due to the
spread of melanoma to his lungs and brain. His final words to his son Ziggy
were: "On your way up, take me up. On your way down, don't let me
down."
Marley was given a state funeral in Jamaica on 21 May 1981 that combined elements of Ethiopian Orthodoxy and Rastafari tradition.He was buried in a chapel near his birthplace in Nine Mile; his casket contained his red Gibson Les Paul guitar, a Bible opened at Psalm 23, and a stalk of ganja placed there by his widow Rita Marley. Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga delivered the final funeral eulogy to Marley, saying: "His voice was an omnipresent cry in our electronic world. His sharp features, majestic looks, and prancing style a vivid etching on the landscape of our minds. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible imprint with each encounter. Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation."
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