Bob Marley's death.
 

So I got into him because of I Am Legend and was reading on Wikipedia that he got cancer in his big toe (discovered during a soccer injury) and he refused to have it amputated because humans are supposed to remain whole, so it metastasized and he died.

Do you think he either a. Didn't take it that seriously or b. Would have chosen no amputation even if they told him he'd be dead 100% within this amount of time?

It just seems like such a waste of a life. Was this a Marley thing or a Rastafari thing? Would a true Rastafari refuse an amputation even if it meant imminent death?

It just seems like such a pointless death. Snip snip and he lives for years and years.

Maybe (c): He was scared of surgery.

Well, he supposedly said himself that it was because man was not supposed to be mutilated. And they had anesthesia... a) certain death or b) surgery.

Yup. Rastafarians do not believe in cutting anything on the body. Including their hair, obviously.

Bob even had a hard time relenting to chemotherapy after the cancer had spread to his lungs. Even moreso when his hair (dreadlocks) began to fall out.

I absolutely love Bob Marley's music and have every one of his albums on CD.

...but his Rastafarian religious beliefs were bizarre, to say the least. I remember one key part was the belief that the Emperor of Ethiopia was the reincarnation of Jesus. Even after that Emperor's death in 1974, Marley still held to these odd beliefs.

Marley did have surgery to remove his toenail a few years before his death. It is my understanding that after his cancer recurred, he was basically in denial until it was too late.

didnt Will Smith in I Am Legend say he was assassinated? Was that made up ??

I believe the words Smith used were "He was <i>shot</i>..." I just saw it today, but I can totally understand how you got that impression because I was thinking the same thing. ("Wait. Didn't he die of cancer?")

There's some consipiracy theory stuff out there that believes he was killed because he was on his way to getting the citizens to revolt, etc etc. I don't think there's any real weight to the argument; it's just another one of those ideas people like to kick around ala Courtney Love killing Kurt Cobain, or P. Diddy/Daddy/Puffy/Combs being behind Biggies murder.

Another I Am Legend question...

Smith makes a point of saying that Marley believed that hatred could be cured by love and whatever else, but aren't Rastafarians (or Jamaicans males on the whole) extremely homophobic*?

*And I don't mean to present a sweeping generalization as fact, which is why i'm asking the question...

Well, I think that Rastafarianism is full of contradictions that way, just like any other religion. Not only are a lot of them homophobic but sexist as well. For example, it is pretty well known that Bob was furious about Rita Marley singing sexual lyrics on Serge Gainsbourg "Aux Armes Et Caetera" album.

Anyways, there's no denying the impact of Marley's message in the music but I think that on a personal level Rastafarianism tends to screw up a lot of its believers. But that's just my overall impression, though. I haven't met any Rastafarians so I couldn't confirm.

But I do believe that without it Bad Brains' lyrics wouldn't be as much fun, that's for sure.

Yes, it was made up... by you!

In the movie, Will Smith's character tells a story about Bob Marley being shot just a few days before a major free concert, but then going ahead and performing in the concert despite his gunshot wounds. This event happened for real in 1976. Nothing is said in the movie about Bob Marley's death from cancer in 1981, five years after the shooting incident, because that had nothing to do with the reason he was telling the story.

Just checking in to make sure he was still dead.

Pot deal gone bad?

I love reggae and have gotten into it more the past few years than at any time since I started listening to it in the early 80's. Late 60's and early 70's ska/roots reggae is about the most joyous and fun music I've ever heard....

...yet, I can't stand some of the stupid religious crap on crucial albums by the likes of Culture, Burning Spear and others. I can be listening to one of the coolest sounding songs of all time while listening to lyrics that make me laugh. Oh well!

Yeah, well, gospel music would rock if it weren't for all that Jesus crap :rolleyes:

What makes you think I like gospel music? Not into it at all. Obviously, I can recognize the influence of it on early rock music, but I won't listen to it because the lyrics mean nothing to me. Actually, the lyrics bug the hell out of me. Reggae is probably one of the only styles of music I adore despite the lyrics (on the Rasta based tunes).

Speaking of gospel, I do own some Mahalia Jackson and an early Sam Cooke box set, but this was before I was put off by the subject matter. I'm an equal opportunity hater ;)

edit... you know, complaining about gospel music because of Jesus would sound stupid if you listened to it all the time. But reggae music isn't always about Rasta. Almost none of the 60's stuff is about anything religious.

When we went to his grave last year, they explained that as a Ras, Marley didn't believe he would die unless he failed the faith in some manner. Evidently when they talk about everlasting life, they mean it in the sense of the current, physical world as opposed to a spiritual one. Even today some will tell you that the death of Haile Selassie faked.

So, having the toe treated would have both meant he didn't have faith in his everlasting life and that he was willing to violate their interpretation of Lev 21:5 (They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.)

As someone else has mentioned, he actually did have treatment for the cancer. It was just a case of too little, too late.

Re: Bob Marley's death.
 

What do you think would have become of bob marley if he hadn't died. Like cobain he was big in life but even bigger after a tragic young death. Before his death his music seemed to be transitioning back to much more outright political content. I imagine he probably would have continued in the same direction. Would he have embraced what reggae sounds like today?

Re: Bob Marley's death.
 

I wish he hadn't died. I can't stand the cult of Marley.

Re: Bob Marley's death.
 

I think a good parallel would be that of Stevie Wonder. Basically, release a series of disappointing albums, then slowly retire.

Re: Bob Marley's death.
 

And sleep on a bed made of money with many beautiful women. Couldn't see them but doesn't really matter in the long run,

Re: Bob Marley's death.
 

Re: Bob Marley's death.
 

speaking of Bob Marley - the bluray of Legend is due out shortly (in 5.1 surround)

http://www.elusivedisc.com/images/uniba42379.jpg

Re: Bob Marley's death.
 

That might be the first Blu audio disc I ever buy.