By Sienna Lamond, ’26

Staff Writer

Like jazz was born in Louisiana, reggae was born in Jamaica; and just like jazz had stars such as Louis Armstrong, reggae had Bob Marley. A biopic called One Love about Marley was recently released in theaters. The highly anticipated film was preceded by a clip of Marley’s son, Ziggy Marley, who also works in the music industry, giving a statement on how proud the family was of this film. As I watched, though, I couldn’t help but feel like the movie was a disservice to Marley. The set design, costumes, and actors were all perfectly suited to the story, but the entire movie only captured two years of Marley’s life, accomplishments, and legacy (1976–1978). I feel that the movie failed to encapsulate just how great and impressive Bob Marley truly was and what he did, not only for music but for peace.

Bob Marley was born on February 6, 1945, the same year that World War II ended. For almost the entirety of Marley’s childhood, Jamaica was a piece of the British Empire. In 1962, Jamaica was granted independence as a nation but maintained its status as part of the British Commonwealth. However, political unrest still plagued the country. Tensions between two large political groups, the Jamaican Labor Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP), resulted in violence and danger throughout the country. 

Marley utilized his musical skills to speak on political topics, the most famous instance of which is the “One Love Peace Concert” held in Kingston, Jamaica in 1978. This is one of the most important highlights of his career, which thankfully the movie includes. Here, Marley stood as a symbol of unity as he clasped the hands of the PNP and JLP leaders, Michael Manley and Edward Seaga, in front of the roaring crowd. Marley sought more than an end to violence; he sought the betterment of his home country. Through songs like “War,” “Slave Driver,” “One Love,” “Get Up, Stand Up,” “Rebel Music,” and “Concrete Jungle,” he literally and metaphorically uses his voice and platform to provide the Jamaican people — and people globally — a sense of hope that the fight for peace will be heard and not silenced. 

To fully appreciate the mysticism of the legendary Bob Marley, one must understand the sociopolitical climate at the time he delivered his message to the world. The movie touches on the political unrest and violence in Jamaica, but Marley’s music had global implications wherever political unrest and unjust social structures existed. In his lyrics, “Rasta don’t work for no CIA,” it’s evident that Marley’s music was viewed as a pivotal motivator in elections and, thus, was threatening to various political regimes. Whether it be Cuba, Africa, or Chile, his music was viewed as destabilizing to the established structure. Ironically, Marley’s power came from remaining politically neutral even as his reach expanded globally. Despite assassination attempts and pressure from multiple sides, Marley never wavered from his philosophy: “Live for yourself, and you will live in vain. Live for others, and you will live again,” and that love is stronger than fear, hate, and violence. The movie could have included more examples of him as a symbol of peace, such as his music playing as the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 and its impact on civil rights worldwide. 

The few scenes that touched on his musical journey and the development of his songs seemed oddly placed to me. The drum circle scene does well to portray his Rasta roots and shed light on the spiritual nature of his music; however, I would have preferred a more chronological journey to understand and appreciate his early music that led to him ultimately creating his greatest hits and the sound that the world recognizes him for. I would have also liked to see the movie shed light on Marley’s legacy. Despite passing at the early age of 36 to cancer —which is another unclear aspect of the film—he had a tremendous impact on popularizing reggae music worldwide. Music tends to set the tone for an era. Think of the U.S. in the 1940s, being focused on classic stars like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, but then in the 50s, Elvis and Rock n’ Roll came to popularity, challenging the conformist norms of the decade. Reggae was the rock n’ roll of the 1970s. It was new and therefore alluring to younger folk, raising a generation focused on its message of peace and love. Many of Marley’s associates continued his musical journey. Others, from Eric Claypton to Lauren Hill, covered his songs. His children have had illustrious musical careers as well, such as the aforementioned Ziggy Marley, who released songs such as “Love is My Religion” and “True to Myself,”  carrying on his father’s legacy and message. His grandson (and Rohan Marley and Lauren Hill’s son), YG Marley, has recently come out with a modern reggae song called “Praise Jah in the Moonlight,” which has gained popularity through social media, namely TikTok. 

Overall, the movie does well to introduce us to Bob Marley, the man, but I attest that he deserved even more. A man whose music and message reverberate through the ages deserves more than an hour and 45-minute biopic covering two years of his life. A legend of his status deserves an epic film capturing all his trials and tribulations and the lessons he learns while overcoming them. Marley teaches the world that no matter what dire circumstance confronts you, there is love, hope, and belief in a brighter tomorrow, and he does so brilliantly through his music. I hope this is not the end of Marley’s tributes; as he says himself, “in this bright future, you can’t forget the past,” because acknowledging fault is how we progress and do better for ourselves and the world in the future.