Damian Marley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Damian Marley
Marley performing in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Damian Robert Nesta Marley
Also known as	Jr. Gong
Born	(1978-07-21) 21 July 1978 (age 46) Kingston, Jamaica
Genres	Reggae reggae fusion hip hop dancehall
Occupation(s)	Deejay singer songwriter
Years active	1992–present
Labels	Tuff Gong Ghetto Youth International Motown Republic
Associated acts	SuperHeavy Nas Skrillex Stephen Marley Skip Marley

Damian Robert Nesta Marley (born 21 July 1978) is a famous reggae musician from Jamaica. He is the youngest son of the legendary reggae singer Bob Marley. Damian has won four Grammy Awards for his music.

Damian Marley: A Reggae Star

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Damian Marley is the youngest son of the famous reggae singer Bob Marley. His mother is Cindy Breakspeare, a Jamaican jazz singer who was also crowned Miss World in 1976. Damian was only two years old when his father passed away.

His nickname, "Junior Gong," comes from his father's own nickname, "Tuff Gong." This shows a special connection to his dad's musical legacy.

Damian started his music journey at a young age. When he was just 13, he formed a music group called the Shephards. This group even performed at the 1992 Reggae Sunsplash festival, which is a big event in reggae music. After the group broke up, Damian began his solo career.

First Albums and Grammy Wins

With support from his father's record label, Tuff Gong, Damian released his first album, Mr. Marley, in 1996. People were surprised because he was a "deejay" (a reggae rapper) rather than a singer, which was different from what they expected from a Marley.

His second album, Halfway Tree, came out in 2001. The name "Halfway Tree" has a special meaning. It refers to how Damian's mother came from a wealthy part of town, and his father came from a poorer part. So, Damian saw himself as "a tree halfway in between" these two worlds. The album was a big success and won the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 2002. His brother, Stephen Marley, helped produce this album, just like he did for Damian's first one.

Rising to Fame with "Welcome to Jamrock"

Marley performing in 2007

Damian's third album, Welcome to Jamrock, was released in 2005. It sold many copies and quickly became very popular. The album's main song, "Welcome to Jamrock", became a huge hit.

This song talked about important issues in Jamaica, like poverty and life in the cities. Many people praised the song for bringing attention to these topics. A professor from the University of the West Indies said the song used powerful images to remind people to look at the life they are living. "Welcome to Jamrock" reached high spots on music charts in the UK and the US. Rolling Stone magazine even listed it as one of the Top 100 Songs of the Decade.

Other popular songs from this album included "The Master Has Come Back" and "Road to Zion", which featured the famous rapper Nas.

Grammy Success and Collaborations

At the 2006 Grammy Awards, Damian Marley made history. He won both Best Reggae Album for Welcome to Jamrock and Best Urban/Alternative Performance. He is the only reggae artist ever to win two Grammy Awards on the same night!

Nas and Marley performing in Wellington, New Zealand, 2011

In 2010, Damian released a special album called Distant Relatives with American rapper Nas. The album's name shows the connection between the two artists and their shared African roots. They had worked together before on "Road to Zion." This album mixed reggae and hip hop music, and many of the songs talked about Africa, its history, and current issues. Damian and his brother Stephen produced most of the album. A great thing about this project is that the money earned from the album helped build schools in the Congo.

Distant Relatives did very well on music charts around the world, reaching the top 5 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The first song from the album, "As We Enter", was also very popular.

SuperHeavy and Other Projects

Marley in 2010

Damian Marley was also part of a supergroup called SuperHeavy. This band was a secret until 2011 when Mick Jagger, the lead singer of The Rolling Stones, announced it. The group also included Dave Stewart from Eurythmics, Indian musician A. R. Rahman, and British singer Joss Stone. They wanted to mix different music styles, including Indian music.

Their first song, "Miracle Worker", was a reggae song featuring Damian, Joss Stone, and Mick Jagger. Another song, "Satyameva Jayathe", had Mick Jagger singing in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language.

Damian also teamed up with electronic artist Skrillex for the song "Make It Bun Dem" in 2012. This song was even featured in the video game Far Cry 3. His song "Affairs of the Heart" was also a big hit in Jamaica.

Marley performing in 2015

Latest Album and Musical Style

Damian Marley released his fourth solo album, Stony Hill, in July 2017. The first song from this album was "Nail Pon Cross." Stony Hill went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.

Damian describes his music as a mix of "dancehall and reggae." He believes they are both part of Jamaican culture and doesn't try to separate them. His music often blends hip hop and reggae, sometimes even using sounds from African music. His songs often talk about important social topics, especially those related to Africa and life in the United States.

Discography

Studio albums

Collaborative releases

Singles

Other charted songs

See also

In Spanish: Damian Marley para niños