Ziggy Marley is giving away his world cup commemorative single "Africa Land'

Five-time Grammy winning artist and reggae icon Ziggy Marley, motivated by the historic occurrence of the World Cup being played in Africa for the first time, took the opportunity to write his current single "Africa Land". The song is an anthem to unity, freedom and new beginnings; well known principles championed by the legendary Marley family. Africa Land falls on the heels of Marley's 2009 Grammy-winning Children's album, Family Time.



For this song, Marley recruited Grammy winning artists, brother Stephen Marley and African mega star Angelique Kidjo. Together they created a catchy, danceable song, which incorporates Dancehall Reggae, as well as African elements. Free Downloads will be available beginning June 7 at www.ziggymarley.com and www.tuffgongworldwide.com.

“The bible says ‘the first shall be last and the last shall be first.’ How fitting that South Africa – the last nation on the homeland to be free – is the launch pad for a global event that will showcase the rise of the African continent,” said Ziggy Marley. “Africa Land is the song which celebrates that dream becoming true.”

Marley plans to release "Africa Land" as an exclusive to African radio, to be followed worldwide as a free download shortly thereafter. Africa Land will be the first single from an upcoming collection of free singles entitled The Wild and Free Singles Marley is to release later this year.

Ziggy Marley's early immersion in music came at age ten when he sat in on recording sessions with his father. Then, as front man to Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers, Marley released eight best-selling albums, generating three Grammys, with such chart-topping hits as Tomorrow People and Tumbling Down. Marley's solo debut, Dragonfly, was released in 2003. His second solo release, Love Is My Religion, won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album to much critical acclaim in 2006. His third solo release, Family Time, scored him a Grammy in a new category: Best Musical Album For Children.

Source: Headline Entertainment

Ky-Mani Marley issues statement about his book "Dear Dad, Where's the family in our family

“Dear Dad: Where’s the family in our family, today?”-the story the Marley family apparently doesn't want you to know."is a semi-autobiographical book about Ky-Mani Marley's life released on Amazon.com earlier this week. I say semi as he had help from an outside source, and also because it seems their is bad blood between him and the co-writer Dr. Farrah Gray. I remember when I interviewed Ky-Mani for Caribbean Maco, he spoke of growing up in the ghetto in Florida. Life was not glitz and glamour, he did not even want to sing-at first anyways.

Well like I said the book is out, but he is not happy about what's inside. I think maybe it's a case of Ky-Mani just pouring out his heart (what some people may see as airing out his dirty laundry) and now he doesn't want the rest of the world to see. Maybe some of the information is damaging to his siblings, with whom he has a good relationship now. He issued the following statement about the issue:

I’ve done many things that I am not proud of. I have turned what was largely a destructive lifestyle and turned it into a constructive one. I chose to share my story with the hope that many may be moved to something more positive by the end of the book.

I partnered with a gentleman, Dr Farrah Gray, who I grew to have a great deal of respect for. My journey writing the book was initially very easy and I thought we had built a relationship of respect if nothing else.

During the final edit of the book, I spoke with my sister, Cedella, and I advised Dr Farrah Gray that some changes had to be made and until the changes were made, I was not willing to do any promotion for the book. I could NOT support and promote something that is not 100% mine and that I believe in. Dr Gray apparently thought that by turning something that was written from the heart into something seemingly malicious was going to benefit him in some way.

I did not mean to hurt anyone... The book was only to tell my story, as I know it... What I was led to believe while growing up. The book was not an attack on my family! I love my brothers and sisters more than anyone can know.

I did not expect that Dr Gray would have been unprofessional and malicious in twisting my words or using things that were discussed in confidence to create controversy in an attempt to sell a book.

I did NOT authorize him to make any changes to the cover of my book nor do I condone any of the captions he has written!

At this point I do not know if the content of the book has been altered in any way due to the fact that I have not communicated with Dr Farrah Gray in over a month because he has neither accepted nor returned any of my phone calls.

Damn, son. It's kind of late to unwrite the book. Will let you guys know how this develops.

Island winners at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards-a recap.

Congrats to the artists of Caribbean heritage who won big at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards on sunday Jan. 31st 2010.

Rihanna's collaboration with Jay-Z and Kanye West-"Run This Town- won her two Grammys: Best Rap/Sung Collaboration & Best Rap Song.

Here she is heading onstage accompanied by Jules son of Solange Knowles and nephew of Beyonce Knowles.


Maxwell won the Grammy for Best Male R&B Album for BLACKsummersnight and Best Male R&B Song for "Pretty Wings." Take a look at him accepting his award for "Pretty Wings."




Ziggy Marley's Grammy win for his Family Time album, which features noteworthy stars such as Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, and Toots Hibbert, marks his fifth such award.




Ziggy's younger brother Stephen Marley, won his seventh Grammy with his Mind Control-Acoustic. This album is a follow up to this 2007 album Mind Control.





Trinidadian Heather Headley won for Contemporary R&B gospel Album with Audience of One.

Stephen and Ziggy Marley win at 2010 Grammys

Big congratulations to the Marley brothers Ziggy and Stephen who each won a Grammy at tonight's award show- Ziggy for Best Children's Album and Stephen for Best Reggae Album!


Marley Brothers (L-R) Ky-Mani, Julian, Ziggy, Damian and Stephen.
Photo source

This Grammy won for his Family Time album which features noteworthy stars such as Paul Simon, Willie Nelsoon, and Toots Hibbert marks his fifth such award.

Younger by four years, ziggy's brother Stephen won his seventh Grammy with his Mind Control-Acoustic. This album is a follow up to this 2007 album Mind Control.

This is the fourth time in the last five years that a Marley has won the award. Last year there were no Marleys nominated and Burning Spear won the Best Reggae nod.

Brother Julian's Awake was also up for Best Reggae Grammy, his first nomination.
Interestingly, their father Bob has never won a Grammy. In 2001 he got a lifetime achievement award and this year, his 1973 album "Catch a Fire," was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Smile Jamaica called off!

Ghetto Youth’s International, organizers of the annual Bob Marley concert Smile Jamaica, have announced that the 2010 staging of the celebration of the King of Reggae’s birth would have to be called off, due to numerous circumstances.

Smile Jamaica spokesperson Norman Bryan, said yesterday that while the organisation was looking forward to staging the concert after “there are some extenuating circumstances that just cannot be ignored, and there’s no way we could proceed with the concert bearing them in mind.”

He added that the Marley family will still be celebrating Bob’s birthday and honouring his legacy in private.

Bryan also said that the Ghetto Youth’s International would be redoubling its efforts to make a 2011 staging possible.

“Ghetto Youths International will continue spreading the message of the Hon. Robert Nesta Marley, and we will be definitely putting our heads together to make 2011 the year Smile Jamaica returns from its hiatus.”

Smile Jamaica saw its historic birth in December of 1976, when it was held at the National Heroes Park in Kingston. The event took place a mere two days after gunmen almost ended Bob Marley’s life, and he was recuperating in the Blue Mountains. It was there that Marley magic reigned supreme yet again, as an injured Bob agreed to perform one song for the 80,000-strong throng of patrons. That one song turned into a magical 90 minute performance with Marley and the Wailers.