Damian Marley

Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley, born 21 July 1978 in Kingston, Jamaica, is a reggae and dancehall deejay, singer, and songwriter. He is the youngest son of Bob Marley and the only child of Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, the Jamaican jazz singer who was crowned Miss World in 1976. He was two years old when his father died. His nickname comes from his father’s nickname, “Tuff Gong.”

He formed his first group at 13 and opened the 1992 Reggae Sunsplash festival. He released his debut album Mr. Marley in 1996 on his father’s Tuff Gong label, which surprised listeners who didn’t expect a Marley to be deejaying rather than singing. His second album, Halfway Tree (2001), won the Grammy for Best Reggae Album. His third, Welcome to Jamrock (2005), was his breakthrough. The title track, a stark look at poverty and crime in Jamaica, reached No. 13 in the UK and No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100.

He went on to collaborate across genres. Distant Relatives (2010) with Nas fused hip-hop and reggae with African themes, with proceeds going toward building schools in the Congo. He was also part of the supergroup SuperHeavy with Mick Jagger, Dave Stewart, A. R. Rahman, and Joss Stone. He appeared on Skrillex’s “Make It Bun Dem,” Bruno Mars’s “Liquor Store Blues,” and Jay-Z’s “Bam,” among others. His fourth studio album, Stony Hill (2017), won another Grammy.