Bob Marley: Reggae’s Political Poster Child

Reggae is a unique genre of music. It is 60 years young and hails specifically from Jamaica. Within its up-tempo rhythms and signature four-beat pace live lyrics that “give voice to the oppressed.”  Reggae music has always had a political undertone; it is baked into the genre by design. So naturally their biggest star, Bob Marley, is reggae’s political poster child.

The humble beginnings

Growing up in Jamaica’s ghettos did not harden Marley. A shy and timid child, it’s hard to believe he would grow up to be a musical powerhouse, giving voice to those with none. In his early teens, Marley was exposed to Jamaica’s ska scene. He recorded “Judge Not” and “One Cup of Coffee:” simple, peppy songs. He created the second half of his moniker, the Wailers, shortly after. Their hit “Simmer Down” won a local contest, and from there, a portal was opened. It was clear to Jamaica that songs of liberation needed to be popularized. And so began Marley’s influence on the world.

Bob Marley at his One Love Peace concert. Photo by Ebet roberts for getty images.

“One Love” peace concert and its politics

Marley was surrounded by political rife. Jamaica’s left- and right-wing parties were puppeteered by gangs. The affiliation caused unnecessary violence in Jamaica, even causing Marley to get shot. Because of the peaceful nature of the Rastafarian culture in Jamaica, both parties felt harmony was necessary. In 1978, the One Love Peace Concert was birthed by none other than Bob Marley. The concert was a bold move to make. It was an even bolder move when Marley grabbed both opposing party leaders’ hands together after his performance. A symbol of peace, it was an iconic moment in Jamaica’s history.

Marley’s discography

“One Love” is an iconic Bob Marley song. Singing woefully “There is one question I'd really love to ask: Is there a place for the hopeless sinner?” The song inspired change for Jamaica. But Marley has countless other songs in his discography that evoke his politics.

Bob marley’s 11th studio album, survival.

His album Survival is an unembellished display of uniting Black people in the struggle against slavery, with songs like “Africa Unite” and “Zimbabwe.” Commanding lyrics like “How good and how pleasant it would be… To see the unification of all Africans” express his stance on slavery and human rights—Black people deserve liberation.

Marley’s song “I Shot the Sheriff” is a fantastic display of storytelling with a political twist. Marley is outrunning a cop and shoots him in self-defence. But clearly in the song, Marley is not guilty and the cop is against him for other reasons. “Sheriff John Brown always hated me, for what? I don’t know.” Unfortunately for Marley, we do know. Sheriff John Brown is discriminating against him for his race. This song accurately croons about police brutality. It is still relevant 50 years later.

Other songs express Marley’s politics around capitalism and what he coins “the rat race.” A song with that very title sings “political violence fill ya city… rasta don’t work for no C.I.A.” His haunting song “Concrete Jungle” exposes the lack of freedoms for Black people, even though formal slavery has ended. “No chains around my feet, but I’m not free, I know I am bound here in captivity.” These songs make clear the slavery found in modern life today. Marley was likely singing about the political violence that kept much of Jamaica hiding behind curfews and dodging bullets. Unfortunately, political violence is still a reality for many countries today, and the message of being chained by capitalism is also a sad reality of modern life.

Marley’s influence

Bob marley and the wailers. photo by adrian boot for kensington hilton.

Marley’s global influence cannot be understated. As much as he brought reggae to a mainstream audience, he was also an influence on society as a whole. The rolling stone puts it perfectly: Marley lives on because he was a truth-teller. And a truth-teller is the pillar of political change, of protesting, of opening the eyes of the public. Marley never sugar-coated a single hardship. And yet, he sang of the possibility of peace and unity for the world. He sang it effortlessly, like he knew the future he sang of existed. Balancing peace and the truth is a hard line to walk. And when it’s done through a political lens, it can be even harder to embody. And yet, Marley has managed the impossible.

Marley forever changed the landscape of reggae and the possibility of songs inciting political change. A poster child no more, Marley has reached prophet status.

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Lashanda Forsberg is a student of Professional Writing at Algonquin College. When she isn’t curled up with a book or going down a YouTube rabbit hole, she has music playing. From r&b to reggae to rap, music is an important part of Lashanda’s life. Coming from a musical family chock full of guitarists and songwriters helps Lashanda relate to and appreciate music. Find her other blog writings at lashandaforsberg.com or read her poetry on instagram @writingsfromsaturn.

Fiona Apple: An Extraordinary Machine of a Mind

fiona apple via getty images

Nobody does it like Fiona Apple. She remains one of the strongest and smartest voices in the music scene, despite taking significant time from the spotlight between her releases. Throughout five albums, Apple creates a unique perspective and sound that cannot be found anywhere else. Each of her songs are perfectly crafted to invoke a certain emotion that only she could make you feel. I could rave on and on about her numerous songs and the layered meanings behind each of them, but for both of our sakes I’ll discuss my favourite song from my favourite albums.

Tidal: Shadowboxer

In her debut album, Apple sings about a variety of emotions that she faces. In her very first single, Shadowboxer, she outlines a toxic relationship, where the subject of the song comes and goes in Apple’s life, regardless of her state. He’s playing her, but she doesn’t seem to care, as she wants him so much.

“I was on to every play / I just wanted you.”

— Shadowboxer, Fiona Apple

Tidal cover art

She’s conflicted. She fears letting him in will allow him to hurt her more, but she wants to let him in, as she’s enraptured by him and his wavering interest in her. The strongest lyrics come from the chorus, where she sings “You made me a shadowboxer, baby / I wanna be ready for what you do / I've been swinging around me / Cause I don't know when you're gonna make your move” A shadowboxer is someone who practices boxing without a partner present. So, it’s a boxer fighting the air. As Apple feels unsafe in the relationship’s dynamic, she must fight the air. She must practice her defenses and be ready for his next attack, even if it’s not presently there. Her harsh vocals and deep singing voice bring a vulnerability and rage to the lyrics that screams vulnerability. She’s learning she must be wary of his advances; she must learn to defend herself from him, despite being completely enamored by him. Her emotions come through exquisitely in this song.

extraordinary machine cover art

Extraordinary Machine: Extraordinary Machine

Her third album entitled Extraordinary Machine was released in 2005. Apple names the song Extraordinary Machine a ‘pep talk to herself.’ She compares herself to a machine that knows how to optimize her progress as a person. In the first verse, she says “I still only travel by foot and by foot it's a slow climb / But I'm good at being uncomfortable so / I can't stop changing all the time” which contrasts her lyrics in the second verse, “I noticed that my opponent is always on the go / And / Won't go slow, so 's not to focus, and I notice / He'll hitch a ride with any guide, as long as / They go fast from whence he came / But he's no good at being uncomfortable, so / He can't stop staying exactly the same” Apple notes that her comfort with discomfort leads to her being able to grow and improve in a way her opponent is not able to. She is big on being truthful with herself and open to growth, as this song represents.

Fetch The Bolt Cutters: I Want You To Love Me

fetch the bolt cutters cover art

Apple’s fifth and most recent album, released in 2020, is in a way an ode to the pandemic. In the song I Want You To Love Me, she accepts her life experiences, both positive and negative, for getting her to the place she is today. While based off the title it seems to be another love song, this song delves into an important theme of self-love. Apple made the most of these experiences, instead of wallowing. Most notably, she sings “I move with the trees in the breeze / I know that time is elastic / And I know when I go / All my particles disband and disperse / And I'll be back in the pulse / And I know none of this will matter in the long run / But I know a sound is still a sound around no one” These lyrics are absolutely soothing to me, like she’s telling herself everything will be alright because she knows how to handle situations better than she has before. She’s grown exponentially as a person. The chorus is a repetition of “I hope that you love me” I view the subject in this song as herself. She seems to have been waiting a long time to gain this love, and struggling to do so. She says she wants somebody to want. Well, in my opinion that somebody she wants to want is herself. She wants the stability of self-love, she doesn’t want to be her own worst enemy anymore. This song portrays that perfectly.

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Willow loves creativity. She can be very quiet sometimes. She can also get annoying with her weird tangents, but sometimes they’re interesting. She likes to relax, and play The Sims. She goes to Algonquin College currently in the Professional Writing program. She suffers part-time working hard at an unnamed restaurant. She enjoys crafts, artistic activities, listening to music, and hanging out with friends. She also loves therapy. That picture is not her.

Why R&B Needs Kehlani

Rhythm and blues, also known as R&B, is a rich genre of music that has its roots dating back to the 1940s. Since then, it has undergone many facelifts. The current sound of R&B borrows a lot from hip-hop, while its pioneers are mostly soul music. From Marvin Gaye to Brandy to Frank Ocean, R&B has seen its fair share of superstars. But when we talk about modern R&B, there is someone who’s left out of the conversation—it's time to end that.

PHOTO BY BRIANNA AGCAOILLI VIA ATLANTIC RECORDS

Who is Kehlani?

Kehlani has dipped her toes into more traditional R&B sounds, and kills the game with her sultry, modern hits. Artists like Drake and The Weeknd get credited for changing the sound of modern R&B, but Kehlani should be credited too. She's been around for a decade and it's time she gets recognized for her contribution to the genre.

R&B’s History

According to the R&B Hall of Fame, R&B began as a genre that was mostly blues music. From the 40s to the 60s, R&B was heavily based on jazz, blues and even some rock ‘n’ roll. From the 60s through to the late 70s, R&B took on a more soulful quality. In the 80s, we see the emergence of what might be considered modern R&B, taking heavy inspiration from hip-hop. The 90s and 00s continued with a similar sound. The 10s onward pull from all the previous faces of R&B, with more alternative and electronic influences.

R&B’s Divide

I grew up on the soulful tunes from the 60s and 70s, singing along to Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. As I grew older, I branched out to the 90s and 00s, growing a love for artists like Brandy and New Edition. But I was not around for either of these phases of R&B as they emerged. I was around for the R&B of the 10s to present. Artists like SZA, Tinashe and Summer Walker showed me how influential the past expressions of R&B were on the new generation. But Kehlani stands out to me the most. She has flawlessly shown how a modern artist can pay homage to the classic landscape of their genre, while retaining a fresh sound.

Kehlani’s Discography

Artists like Tinashe and SZA have a strictly modern feel. Snoh Aalegra and FLO have that quintessential old school vibe. But Kehlani seamlessly does both. Her debut mixtape, You Should Be Here, is chock full of old school R&B songs, like the syrupy ballad, “Bright.” Her debut album, SweetSexySavage, is also full of old school vibes, like “In My Feelings,” which samples, “If It Isn’t Love,” by New Edition.

while we wait 2, kehlani’s fourth mixtape. cover Photo by mia andre

Her newer music is perfectly fresh-sounding, too. It Was Good Until It Wasn’t, her pandemic album, is full of new-generation dark R&B. “Hate the Club,” is a sexy and suave tune that would rival a slow jam from the 90s. “Open (Passionate),” a two-part song (a marker of new R&B thanks to The Weeknd) is badass, yet vulnerable.

Her newest mixtape, While We Wait 2, showcases her ability to seamlessly walk the line of both faces of R&B. “S.I.N.G.L.E,” with a Brandy sample and two octave changes, is bouncy and upbeat. “When He’s Not There” is a rhythmic jam about cheating. It understands the assignment of typical R&B classics—cheating is OK as long as you write a song about it.

Why Kehlani?

photo by Blair brown

Certain artists have too much of a hold on R&B and hip-hop. Drake is touted as the poster child for blending the two genres. The Globe and Mail hailed The Weeknd for starting the wave of dark R&B. While these men are deserved in their titles, we should make room for fresher faces. In the LA Times, Tinashe said, “women in general have a harder time taking their well-deserved crowns.” Kehlani herself also said that, “with a female singer of color, there’s so much pressure on us.” It can be hard to step into the spotlight when there is so much against these artists. But Kehlani has what it takes. With her raw vocal talent, ability to walk the line between old and new school R&B, and to boot, her insane stage presence, she should absolutely be a part of the trailblazers of R&B. She is too often left out of conversations. R&B needs Kehlani—let her lead the way.

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Lashanda Forsberg is a student of Professional Writing at Algonquin College. When she isn’t curled up with a book or going down a YouTube rabbit hole, she has music playing. From R&B to reggae to rap, music is an important part of Lashanda’s life. Coming from a musical family chock full of guitarists and songwriters helps Lashanda relate to and appreciate music. Find her other blog writings at lashandaforsberg.com or read her poetry on instagram @writingsfromsaturn.