Ziggy Marley says he is revolting for the love of humanity on his latest album, Rebellion Rises.
The 10-track set debuted at number one on the Billboard Reggae Album Chart yesterday.
“I feel like if we focus on what we are here for instead of what we are against, we are more likely to achieve it,” the eight-time Grammy Award winner told the Observer yesterday.
“It’s a more positive outlook on what I am calling a rebellion, to bring out the love in humanity. The ‘against’ will take care of itself; we are focusing on what we are here for and looking to achieve,” he continued.
Rebellion Rises is the seventh studio album for the son of reggae legend Bob Marley. The self-produced set was released on May 18 by Tuff Gong Worldwide.
The first track, See Dem Fake Leaders, describes chaos and destruction caused by leaders with malevolent intentions. Marley said it was partially influenced by United States President Donald Trump.
“It has an influence on it. The influence comes from where we are now, but it’s not like there weren’t fake leaders in the past years,” he said. “When you look at Africa in the past years, there have been leaders who allow the natural resources to go to waste. It’s just that current situations make me want to speak out on it now.”
Other songs include Your Pain Is Mine; Circle of Peace featuring Stephen Marley; and The Storm is Over, which marks the debut of his 11-year-old son Gideon Marley.
“I was recording the album at my house and the kids were playing around and they like the music. One day I asked him if he wants to sing on the record and he said yes. It took us a while to get it done; we spent weeks where he did it over and over again because I want him to realise it’s no joking thing,” said Marley.
“I am doing what my father was doing with me, in that I am using his example but I am more hands-on, more verbal and more interactive,” he added.
In 2016 Marley received a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for Ziggy Marley. But he said he has his eyes set beyond another Grammy for Rebellion Rises.
“Dem music yah bigger than Grammy — that is never and has never been the objective or the goal. It’s not about the Grammys, other people watch that — I am focusing on spreading the message across humanity,” he said.
Ziggy Marley’s tour commences next week and will run until September across the United States, Europe and Asia.
Marley, who could not recall when last he was in Jamaica, said there is no specific reason for the lack of promotion in his homeland.
He, however, said his campaign for peace and unity will continue after the tour.
“Every generation has had a messenger with the same message we are giving. Really it’s something that will continue until love outweighs hate in humanity, so we’ll be doing this as long as necessary. Right now it is important, as bad as we see things are, it’s important in our awakening…nuh matter how you see the fake leaders a gwaan, music plays a part in that awakening.”
