Bob Marley: One Love, What We Know About The New Movie
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Time to read 5 min
From the streets of Kingston to the global anthems of peace and love we all sing, the incredible journey of Bob Marley from being a poor kid in a tough city to becoming a symbol of his religion, his country and the desire of freedom will be portrayed in the new Biopic movie.
Bob Marley, the Jamaican reggae legend, will have his very own and well deserved movie. Great news, right? And to resonate with the artist's message of love, it will be released on Valentine’s Day, so what’s a best plan for enjoying with your significant other or friends other than that?
Keep reading if you want to know everything about this new blockbuster that will homage one of the biggest artists and weed activist of our times, who also spoke about his people and wasn’t afraid of advocating for the causes he believed in, as the necessity of stopping colonialism and reaching freedom, in the deepest sense of the word.
Table Of Contents
The new Bob Marley movie
The director, Reinaldo Marcus Green, who also directed other biographical films like Joe Bell or King Richard, now surprises us with the arrival of Bob Marley Movie: One Love, and will tell the story of the reggae legend from his beginnings to becoming the greatest representative of this musical genre. It will be a musical drama, and we are more than excited to see it in theaters.
Man holding a Jamaican flag (Envato)
The protagonists
The role of Marley will be played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, a British actor known for his roles in other films like One Night In Miami as Malcolm X and Peaky Blinders. The actor has Afro-Trinidadian, that is, West Indian, ancestry, much like Bob Marley himself.
Lashana Lynch (Matilda from Roald Dahl: the musical, Captain Marvel) will also appear as Rita Marley, the singer, and wife of the artist, and James Norton as Chris Blackwell, the talent scout who produced and launched Marley to stardom.
But that's not all this movie will bring for fans of the artist, as a soundtrack inspired by the film, approved and selected by the Marley family, will also be released. Musgraves, Daniel Caesar, Wizkid, Jessie Reyes, Bloody Civilian, Leon Bridges, and Skip Marley (Bob Marley's grandson) will join to create the LP, which will include seven songs and be released under the Island Records label.
Bob Marley: An Inspiring Story
Before he left us way too soon (he was only 36 when he passed away), Bob Marley created a legacy that brought notoriety and recognition to Jamaican culture, as well as giving reggae international exposition, which soon reached the mainstream and has remained among the most popular genres to this day. With his music, he spoke about the political and social conditions of his native Jamaica, as well as his personal experiences amid the turbulence of a country colonized by the British crown.
Bob Marley came from two different cultures: on one hand, his mother Cedella was of African descent from the Cromantee tribe, while his father was a white Englishman who abandoned them after Bob Marley was born in 1945. In Kingston, where mother and son lived during his childhood, the boy discovered in the harsh conditions of poverty a driving force that would grow his sense of community and belonging, shaping his worldview that he shared with humanity through his music. But Kingston was also important because there, in the emerging music scene, Marley found his path to tell the stories of his people through reggae.
Bob Marley singing (Unsplash)
Bob Marley photo (Unsplash)
Reggae And Weed
Marley’s Take On Weed
Marley was also an advocate for causes like the legalization of weed. But his connections to the plant weren’t shallow, as he practiced the Rastafarian religion, where ganja, as they call cannabis, is a holy sacrament that helps you connect with the spiritual side. Rastas don’t consume weed for recreational purposes, but for medicinal and meditation reasons, as well as to gain insight into the mystical natural world around us. Another very well known aspect of this religion is the use of dreadlocks, which Marley himself wore. For the believers, they are more than a hairstyle, and are thought to be represented in the Old Testament as the locks Samson had and the reason for his powers, who received instructions from Yahve (Jah) to not shave his head ever. This is a tradition many Rastas still follow nowadays.
This religion believes in the existence of one god (the equivalent to Yahve: Jah), who lives inside every one of us. Originated in Ethiopia, Rastafarian religion has a deep connection with political causes, like the belief that all black populations should reunite and resist together against imperialism and colonialism. This is part of the reason why there have been many persecutions against Rastafarian activists, and we shouldn’t forget Bob Marley himself was the target of a murder attempt.
By the time Bob Marley started gaining popularity as a musician, reggae and Rastafarians didn’t have any connection, but thanks to the artist, this genre became a way of expressing thoughts, postures, and beliefs for the faithful. Later, reggae musicians took instruments and rhythms of the sacred Rastafarian music and incorporated them, creating their own fusion.
Bob Marley’s weed consumption, on the other hand, was very constant; as some sources say he was using it every day. For him, it was a way of getting to know himself and growing through meditation. He also proclaimed weed was a way of healing, while alcohol was destruction. For this reason, for Rastafarians, it’s very important to consider the person’s intentions and also the time they smoke. This makes a lot of sense if we take into consideration that weed amplifies the senses and perception we already have of our surroundings, but also our feelings, emotions, and general mood.
Bob Marley is and always will be an important cultural and musical treasure, as his songs about freedom, peace, and union still resonate with us as if they were written just yesterday. That, and his activism for fair causes and weed use, are some of the reasons why we can’t wait to watch a movie that portrays an idol of his time that transcends generations. What better time to share his message of love for humankind than watching his biopic on Valentine’s Day?
And if you feel like setting up a wholesome smoking session, here are some of Marley’s songs about ganja or cannabis you will enjoy: “Got to have kaya now”, “Excuse me while I light my spliff” and “I wanna get high, so high”. Enjoy with a good joint and the best spiritual mood!
Simon V. Folmann
Simon Folmann
Simon is an accomplished entrepreneur and inventor in the cannabis industry. He’s the founder and CEO of HØJ; a revolutionary high-end cannabis accessories company. His mission is to change the way we experience the herb and enhance people’s smoking experience through knowledge and unique products.
