Excerpts

1) Your dad called you…
Ruggu….

2) Most important thing you learned, growing up as Bob Marley’s son…
He told me and taught me to dedicate myself in contributing to the betterment of people, the earth and also to give back to nature in double by preserving it. For him, it was just one word that revolved around his world ‘LOVE’.

3) As a father, what were the inspiring words Bob shared with you?
Practise good, live by the Rastafari principles of natural living and stay true to the movement of love, peace and unity.

4) Your love for music…
For me, music is more about expression than the voice. I don’t care about how it sounds; I just care for the feel and emotions that flow from music.

5) When did you realise that music wasn’t your cup of coffee?
When I was in 8th grade my brother gifted me a guitar. I used to play it for a little while; often being distracted with the craze for football. I played linebacker for the University of Miami and became a professional football player in the Canadian Football League.

6) Coffee and you… what is the story of ‘Marley Coffee’ like?
Our family has a long history of hard labour in coffee plantations. As a child, I used to live mostly with my grandmother who used to get up early in the morning to begin with the coffee procedures. I never used to have coffee, but once during my visit to Ethiopia, I got hooked with its flavour. And it was sometime in mid 90’s when I was a young man still figuring out how to wisely invest the inherited lump sum I had, a friend of mine introduced me to the vast land at Blue Mountains, a 70-acre coffee plantation in Jamaica with the Spanish River running through it. I was sure that with some re-plantation this could be the land which could make my dad’s dream of organic farming come true. I bought it and with the help of the community people living around; we replanted coffee, planted fruit trees and very soon it became the paradise producing world’s best organic coffee.

7) What makes Marley Coffee special?
Blue mountain coffee beans are shade-grown under a canopy of rainforest-preserving trees at an elevation of over 3,000 feet, without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers or other additives.

8) Concept behind the novel idea of having a Bikecafe…
In Jamaica, a lot of buying and selling takes place on bikes. So then I thought of having Blue Mountain Jamaican coffee as a mobile commodity and we continue to adopt this trend across Canada, US and in Jamaica.

9) Tell us about the time you spend at the Blue Mountains and Spanish River in Jamaica amongst the coffee plantations…
I along with the community farmers cook collecting vegetables grown on the mountains using the firewood we pick up from the plantation. We climb the cliff and from a height jump into the Spanish River and swim across. There you have fresh air to breathe, organic food to eat, happy and content people around who believe and trust each and every move I make. I share my passion for football with the kids living within the community.

11) “I will stop playing music one day and start a farm,” said Bob. Was he into farming any time?
First a farmer, then he became a musician. As I said our ancestors were into farming, so he too joined them. But before long, he went after music…always busy in his studio, recording….He was enjoying what he was doing and thought farming to be his old age engagement. But unfortunately…

12) Something special of your father you still possess…
It’s his love. It gives me energy. It enlightens my life and also the patience he taught me to live the life of turbulences.

13) You are the 5th child of Bob, what about your siblings?
We are 12 of us and most of my brothers and sisters….Ziggy, Stephen are all into developing music.

14) Share with us the good times the Marley brothers had during their African road trip…
It was our father’s dream, to meet people of Africa, to play music with them and so Ziggy, my brother played free concerts along with African musicians and later on he started a music band. We conducted campaigns, glorified music.

15) About ‘House of Marley’…
It’s a living brand which strives to create emotional connections. My father used to spread his vision of unity, equality, charity and sustainability through his music and I thought of continuing it through ‘HOM’. The profit made by the company goes to One Love, the family’s charitable organization.

16) What brings you to India?
I am here in Mumbai to launch ‘House of Marley’, a range of eco-friendly audio products such as headphones and portable speaker docks. I heard about the love for reggae music in India, the love for my father’s music in India, so we just thought it’s time we came to India and establish The House of Marley.

17) Your message to sustainable farmers in India…
Apply organic principles and only if you are good to the soil and nature, would it reward you in abundance.

18) Sex or weed…
Not both, it’s LOVE. There is nothing as powerful as that….it’s eternal.

19) Your favourite food…
Eating freshly plucked pineapple and mangoes from the plantation

20) One thing you like about India…
Over here, people pronounce my name correctly and I feel at home.

21) Words for your father’s diehard fans…
Keep living the life of love and continue listening to Bob Marley tracks. Love you all.

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