Bob Marley Essay -- Art

sorrel MarleyClemson University There are hundreds of thousands of people screaming for you on stage. The Prime Minister and leader of the opposition sit in the arena. many thought this was a sight that would never be seen, but it was dep block offable the sight Bob Marley had in front of him at the One beloved Peace Concert in Kingston Jamaica (April, 1978). This was his first appearance cover in Jamaica in 14 years, an amazing show culminating with Bob fall in the hands of opposing political figures onstage, and holding them firmly unitedly. A fighter and an icon while living, Bob Marley continues to influence people 25 years after his death (African Service tidings). His unison and lyrics worked as the rhetoric of the Rastafarian movement against oppression, exploitation and racism in Jamaica. Using metaphors to describe the hardships of the political fights of Jamaicans and Africans Marley established himself as the spokesman of a race and culture. The Rastafari religion , the heart of Bobs music, based itself in belief of Jah, which was a metaphor for a god of goodness and love. Jah was the force fighting against the oppression from Babylon, the destructive force. Metaphors of oppression and freedom, much(prenominal) as chains and birds, depict social problems and ways of liberation (Jensen). numerous of Marleys lyrics included these references and therefore fell into the latitude of acceptance, explained in Muzafer Sherifs studies on Social Judgment Theory (Griffin), of his Rastafari listeners. When Marley spoke of things that were in the latitude of acceptance of his audience, his words impacted them listeners incredibly. If you get down and quarrel perfunctory/Youre saying prayers to the devil, I say/ Why not help ane another on the way/ Make it much easier/ Jah love, Jah love, protect us Positive Vibrations. Marley strived to increase awareness among the people of Jamaica, but his popularity didnt end there. His music spread through the h earts of Europeans, Africans, and Americans. Lyrics and music work together to offer messages comprised of both theoretical and emotional content through the constructs of realistic experience (lyrics) and practical(prenominal) time (music). Both virtual experience and virtual time must exist for music to function rhetorically (Sellnow). so far it can sometimes work out otherwise. In fact, it was the bass solemn style of Bob Marleys new age r... ... when it hits you feel no pain. So hit me with music, hit me with music now, brutalize me with music Bob Marley Feb. 6, 1945 May 11, 1981 Bibliography Bob Marley Continues to Touch Peoples Hearts 20 Years After. (August 7, 2002) Africa News Service, p1008219u1157 Griffin, E. (2003). A first look at communication theory. 4th ed. Boston, MA McGraw Hill. Hakanen, E.A., Wells, A., Ying, L.L.S., (1999). Music choice for emotional use and management by Hong Kong adolescents. Asiatic daybook of Communication. 9 (1), 72-85. King, Stephen, Jensen, Richard (1995). Bob Marleys Redemption Song the rhetoric of reggae and Rastafari. Journal of Popular Culture, v29 n3 p17(20) Napier, Kristine. (Nov-Dec 1997) Antidotes to pop culture poison. Policy Review, n86 p12(3) Sellnow, Deanna D. (1999). Music as panorama Refuting hegemonic Masculinity in He Thinks Hell Keep Her. Womens Studies in Communication. 22 (1, Spring), 66-84. Sellnow, Deanna, and Sellnow, Timothy. (2001). The error of life rhetorical perspective An integrated approach to the study of music as communication. Critical Studies in Media Communication. 18 (4, December), 395-415.