The Marley surname perpetuates Jamaican royalty, resonates world-wide recognition and represents the pioneer of a cultural, political and social revolution. Reggae Icon and Legend Bob Marley blessed the world with his timeless, brilliant and message filled sound which continues to inspire and influence audiences today. With such a living past, Bob Marley’s conviction and passion for music unintentionally was passed to the lives of his offspring and has allowed the Marley name to remain relevant amongst the hierarchy of the reggae sound. Son of “Bob Marley” Bob Marley and “Table tennis” table tennis champion Anita Belnavis . Ky-mani Marley is the second youngest of Bob Marley’s eleven children.
While bearing the Marley name, Ky-mani’s childhood told a different story. Born in Falmouth, Trelawney, settling in Miami at the age of 7, Ky-mani was raised in the inner-city in a 2 bedroom home along with 8 family members. Being exposed to an urban lifestyle, Ky-mani adopted the attitude that all people are equal – no one is above or beneath him. This attitude has become the motto for the way he lives his life today. Humble. Soft-Spoken. Sincere. Loyal. Honest. Genuine. These are the makings of Ky-mani Marley. As a child Ky-mani had no interest following in the footsteps of his world-famous father and was more inclined to play sports. However, the seed that was planted by Bob’s legacy sprouted in 1997 when Ky-mani teamed up with hip hop artist Pras of The Fugees and collaborated on Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue”. This would be the defining moment in Ky-mani’s journey which would lead him to pick up the torch his iconic father lit so many years ago.
Remaining true to his Jamaican culture, Ky-mani’s fondness for all genres of music influences the work he creates. Ky-mani is an artist with no limits. Incorporating world music, hip hop, blues, rock and a grass roots sound into his music, the end product is the pure representation of life for Ky-mani. The Ky-mani Marley sound is one that transcends cultural lines and prohibits him from being categorized as only a reggae artist. His raw, unadulterated, gruff sound captures the listener and reverberates the essence of Ky-mani’s life story. Songs such as “Dear Dad”, “I Pray”, “Ghetto Soldier” display the versatility and fiery-passion Ky-mani exudes when sharing his voyage through song. Peace. One Love. Unity. Street Life. These are the makings of Kymani Marley’s music.
In 2002, Ky-mani starred as the character Kassa in One Love. Amongst film festivals and critics this film is another masterpiece in the Ky-mani Marley collection, it was released in theaters throughout the Caribbean and Europe. In addition, Ky-mani is set to reprise his lead role in Shottas II. Subsequent the release of his album Radio in September 2007, Ky-mani has been on tour with Van Halen and done all major festivals in Europe and South America during 2008. His television credits include: BET J – Living the Life of Marley; NBC/Telemundo – The Shuffle; Fox – Happy Hour with Cody Willard and Rebecca Gomez, Music Choice, MTV Jams and VH1 Soul to name a few. With a new energy and revitalized spirit, the future is promising for Ky-mani., his autobiography “Dear Dad” was released on February 6th, 2010. He is working on his new clothing line Konfrontation, focusing on his non-profit organization LOAF, Love Over All Foundation while relentlessly recording new and exciting material for his upcoming album “Evolution of a Revolution” that will surely represent a new era of sound. The new recordings will continue to highlight the myriad of Ky-mani’s influences. His new works will prove to be a blend of genres that will touch the inner-soul of each listener.
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