'Mi Belly full but mi hungry!' Bob Marley, Rasta, Reggae and Political Conflicts in Jamaica!

Vol. 2, No. 11, November 8, 2024: ... Reggae was called "Bugga Yagga Music' by the Jamaican Middle Class!

Rastafarians suffered tremendous racial, political and cultural in Jamaica. The rebellious, Churchical chants of Ratafarian Nyahbingi was their spiritual and political exression against the wickedness of the ‘evil downpressive Babylon system.’

THE ‘BITTA’ TRUTH … BOB MARLEY, RASTA, REGGAE & POLITICAL CONFLICTS IN JAMAICA!

By Norris McDonald, Publisher & Editor

Bob Marley was shot on December 3, 1976, because it was feared that he was more and more openly supporting Michael Manley and the progressive attempts to rebuild the Jamaican society.

Bob Marley is featured in the ‘One Love’ movie. But there was a time when Reggae music was derogotarilly called ‘Bugga Yagga” music and Bob, as a Rastafarian, faced racial animus from Jamaica’s ‘Brown Skin’ society.

Bob Marley, like many Rastafarians were victims of deep-rooted, racial and class prejudices that were ingrained in the Jamaican society as a legacy of slavery and colonialism.

MARCUS GARVEY, RASTAFARI AND REGGAE

Marcus Garvey and Rastafari suffered political persecution at the hands of the educated middle class in both the People’s National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party.

Garvey’s philosophy was a potent force that strongly influenced Rastafari and, in this context, the emergence of Jamaican Reggae music.

Black political philosopher Hon. Marcus Garvey had the most profound influence on modern black political culture.

Bob, like many other Rastarians, included musicians experienced extreme racial and class discrimination. Peter Tosh was arrested and beaten several times by ‘Babylon.’ the name they gave the police force.

Rastafarians faced widespread racial, social and class prejudices in Jamaica in the 1950s, 1960s and upwards through the 1980s. There were widespread police beatings, the raid and destruction of Rasta communities, public trimming of Rastafari dreadlocks was a common thing. There are arbitrary arrests and beatings, detention and imprisonment were part of the everyday life.

The rebellious, defiant cry of Rastafari was…

“Babylon you must fall down,

Fall down, fall down

Babylon you must fall down!”

POLITICAL PERSECUTION OF RASTA

Rastafari suffered political persecution at the hands of the educated middle class in both the People’s National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party.