As he plots his spring and summer tours, Ziggy Marley isalso prepping Lioness of Reggae: The Bestof Rita Marley, a special, vinyl-only release for his Tuff Gong Worldwidelabel. The compilation set, produced byZiggy and out May 3, collects for the first time his mother’s finest work from herenduring, yet dormant, Grammy-winning catalog. “It was there, and the labels weren’t doing anything with it,” Ziggysaid of his matriarch’s various past releases. “So I said, Let me do something.” Ziggy spoke to us as he was putting the finishing touches on the album,issuing the classic track, “One Draw,” as a preview.
Though your mothercontinues to actively support charities in Africa and Jamaica, she hasotherwise kept a very low profile. Howis she doing these days and what was her level of input in putting togetherthis album?
She’s fine. She’s hadsome health issues that she’s working on, but she’s a strong woman. She had input, of course. We had to pass it by her. This is a first thing we want to do inexposing her music to a wider audience. Probably a first step. We’ll dothis one on vinyl which, I think, is cool. It’s a raw, natural, authentic way to do it, and it’s worth it. If you want this thing you have to come getit.
How long have you thoughtabout doing something like this?
We’ve been thinking about this for a while, really. A lot of times, she’s overlooked in away. Her importance and her music arenot as well known, but she is a very influential and important artist in thewhole growth and expansion of reggae music from the early days until now. Her voice deserves to be discovered,explored, and put on a pedestal so that people may recognize it and gaininspiration from her songs and her music. Her music is very unique.
In what way is itunique?
To me her music is very explorative and theatrical in someways. She brought something to the tablethat I don’t think had been brought to the table in the reggae genre. On her best albums, like Who Feels It Knows It or some of the songs on Harambe, her music speaks to a lot of different influences. I appreciate an artist that wants to keepmaking music that is living, that is creative, and that isn’t repetitive. I want people to discover her artisticexpressions.
Do you think therewas a prejudice against her, being a woman in reggae- a genre known at timesfor being misogynistic?
Maybe not prejudice, but we are in a male-dominatedworld. Things are changing now, but inthe past, those years had been male-dominated in all the musical genres. The strength of my mother, and women likeher, cannot be denied. It can beovershadowed, but it cannot be denied. She has done her part, regardless, whether there was prejudice orchauvinism in the industry. She doesn’tgive any excuses or ask for any excuses. She knows who she is. I know whoshe is. People love her for who sheis. The music speaks for itself; we needmore people to discover it so they can hear this voice.
What did you discoverabout her music as you were putting this collection together?
Her music is always surprising to me. My father’s music dominates our lives,basically. So every time I listen to mymother’s music, it’s something new, even though I’ve heard it before. The message, the instrumentation- it is aheadof its time. Listen, let me tell you,she’s a creative individual, an artist. She not only did music, but also acted in local pantomime inJamaica. She was a part of the culturalsociety that would educate the younger generation. Her music has influences of the theatre, in aJamaican sense. Her lyrics, her songs,are quietly powerful, like a stream that runs quietly, but when the dam burstsit floods the place. A quiet power;subtle, but the message is very strong.
You have your ownspring and summer tours approaching. Youhave played some of your father’s music in your sets previously. Will we hear any of your mother’s on thistour upcoming?
Yes, for the first time I’ll be doing that. It’s one thing that will be different on thistour; I’ll be doing some of her songs. I’ve never done her songs live so I’m excited about that. It will be so cool for me and the audience.
