“His voice was an omnipresent cry in our electronic world. His sharp features, majestic looks, and prancing style a vivid etching on the landscape of our minds. Bob Marley was never seen. He was an experience which left an indelible imprint with each encounter. Such a man cannot be erased from the mind. He is part of the collective consciousness of the nation.” – Jamaican Prime Minister, Edward Seaga 

These were words by Jamaica’s president about Robert Nesta ‘Bob Marley’ at the singer’s funeral on May 21, 1981 after he passed away on 11 May 1981 at Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Miami (now University of Miami Hospital) as a result of Cancer, at 36.

It is 35 years today since he bid bye to the world and his legacy as one of the most influential musicians of all time still lives on.

A trace of his sound and movement could still be visible in the music of numerous new-generation artistes even in the Nigerian bunch.

Here are 4 of those artistes who remind us of the reggae icon, be it in their music or lifestyle.

1. Wizkid: The starboy has never hidden his admiration for Bob Marley and his music.

   He even went on to do an impressive cover of the reggae act’s 1957 hit- No Woman No Cry which is ranked 37 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

 

2. Burna Boy:

Talk about an active supporter of the Bob Marley movement. His strong use of Patois and backing it with a little advocacy for the common man exhibit his music’s strong linkage to Marley’s.

Burna has made it known on countless occasions of Marley’s influence in his music and lifestyle. He even immortalised Marley on the cover of his debut album

He also sampled Bob Marley and The Wailers‘ Stir It Up on a freestyle titled Smoke Some Weed featuring Onos where he talked about his love for marijuana -something very synonymous with Marley while he was alive.

 

3. Patoranking

 

This is another artiste whose music is also derived from Marley’s sound.

In an interview with Nigerian Tribune in 2014, the dancehall artiste declared himself the next big thing after the reggae icon.

 

4. Yung L

Though he is still not an A-Lister, the Fever singer has always dazzled us with his almost-excellent use of patois in his songs.

The Dancehall  also bears an affiliation with the Marley brand hence his alias- ‘Mr Marley’.