Welcome to our collection of quotes by Damian Marley. We hope you enjoy pondering them and please share widely.
Wikipedia Summary for Damian Marley
Damian Robert Nesta "Jr. Gong" Marley (born 21 July 1978) is a Jamaican DJ, singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer. A renowned lyricist, Damian is the youngest son of reggae singer Bob Marley. He was two years old when his father died; he is the only child born to Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, Miss World 1976. His nickname "Junior Gong" is derived from his father's nickname of "Tuff Gong". Damian has been performing since the age of 13. He is the recipient of four Grammy Awards.
One of the first albums that I remember, rap albums I remember really listening to, was LL Cool J 'Mama Said Knock You Out.'
It's my luck to be at the frontier of what looks to be a resurrection of roots music on the international scene. That's really what reggae music is about: that voice against oppression and struggle.
I'm a big fan of hip-hop, so it reflects in my approach.
The UK crowds always have a lot of energy, and I've done some milestone shows there that I'm very proud of.
It's not like I go into the studio and say I'm going to try to make music to prove to somebody that I can make music.
Did you know destruction of the soul is not the ending to life: Fear not of the Antichrist.
Some boy nuh know dis, dem only come around like tourist. On the beach with a few club sodas. Bedtime stories, and pose like dem name Chuck Norris and don't know the real hardcore.
Did you know the pen is stronger than the knife: they can kill you once but they can't kill you twice.
Did you know that I exist before the earth and did you know my eyes are windows to the world.
I'm a fan of hip hop music, so I always used a hip hop element in my music anyway.
I love hip-hop music, ... It's rebel music is how I like to speak about it. Hip-hop and reggae come from the same community as far as class...they both come from the bottom of society.
Body have to physically strong and sturdy. Spiritually balanced fi clean and purge me. Mentally advanced fi always urge me. Read a couple books and challenge the clergy. Read a couple psalms up in the morning early.
Poverty breeds a lot of things. When people are desperate and trying to survive, they do drastic things.
Politicians need to stop the violence because it has become a way of life in Jamaica. It's the thing to do -- be violent in Jamaica.
I would never say that being Bob Marley's son has been a pressure. It has been a door opener.
Everything I've experienced, things that my friends have experienced and we talk about, things that are on the news -- all aspects of life are in my message.
Being Bob Marley's son has done many things for me, in terms of having a career in music. I'm very proud of my music, and I'm very proud of where I'm from. People hear that I'm Bob Marley's son, and they turn on my music to listen just out of curiosity.
By the time Africa is developed, it will be the wonderland of the world, 'cause it will be able to make use of all the mistakes of other nations. But it nah go just drop out of the sky. So we have to put in work.
My father has been a voice of encouragement in times of desperation for so many people. But he died when I was so young that, for me, his music has been a way for me to get to know him better.
You say 'African music' and you think 'tribal drumming.' But there's a lot of African music that's like James Brown, and a lot, too, that sounds very Hispanic.
I think after a time there won't be anything left to be interesting for mankind. Computers are about to do everything for us. Cellphones are smarter than we are. We'll embrace spirituality because we'll be bored of everything else.
I record all night and sleep all day.
Longer Version:
I record all night and sleep all day. It started because you're excited about the music and you want to stay up longer, but over 15 years, it's become a habit. In my circle, I think a lot of musicians operate like this. When the place is quiet, you're more creative. I have plenty of people I can call at 4 A.M. and know they'll be up.
I like singing all songs, really, but I find that writing social commentary comes naturally.
I used to buy records in high school. Mainly dancehall: Super Cat, Buju Banton.
The U.K. crowds always have a lot of energy, and I've done some milestone shows there that I'm very proud of.
Toasting is basically what you call rapping. It came off of playing the beats at the parties, however it be. You find a space in the beat, and you have somebody live just basically saying rhymes over the beat.
We take for granted electricity, water, even concerts. Count your blessings.
Everyone is related to Africa; everyone comes from Africa. We are all distant relatives.
Technology has changed things, same as everywhere. But the economy has changed drastically. When Jamaica first won independence, our dollar was stronger than the U.S. dollar. Now ours is about 90 to one. That's had a big impact on crime and poverty.
It might sound like I'm a dreamer, but economic models have reached their height of evolution. Technology has evolved. What hasn't evolved is mankind's spirituality; everything is from 3,000 years ago. With spirituality comes morals, a better way of thinking.
Longer Version:
In Jamaica, them always have throwback riddims, recycled old beats, and the hardcore reggae scene is always present. You have faster stuff like the more commercialized stuff, but you always have that segment of music that is always from the core, from the original root of it. This year, you have seen a lot of it explode on the international scene. It's great. People are looking for something different. Maybe there was too much of one thing, and now they're looking for something fresh.
Jamaica full of ghetto, but boy, I tell you: me never see it like that.