Nairalanders lets hear your opinions. Between Bob Marley and Michael Jackson who is a greater musician? Who contributed more to the development of music globally. Whose music touched all aspect of life -- religion, politics, philosophy, race, love, and etc. Who touched more lives with his music.

And most importantly, who is more talented?

Please I am not asking who is more famous.

Please state your choice and your reasons for making that choice.

what's with all the comparisons?


Was their music the same genre?

tpiah:

what's with all the comparisons?


Was their music the same genre?

There music dosent have to be the same genre.

No one can walk or moon walk in Bob's shoes. He is in a class by imself


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vx63Niosm4

To be sincere, there is no room for comparison between the two.

Its Jackson all the way though i still hold my respect for Bob Marley

MJ was the greatest entertainer in the world. 
Marley was a PROPHET! I agree that he was in a class by himself.

both were great but i would go with Bob Marley just because 1) he had no skeletons in his closet 2) he stayed true to who and what he was all the way till the end 3) he was and will always be remembered for something positive.
musically: Bob Marley had a greater impact with his genre around the world than MJ but MJ was bigger as an artist. also Bob did it in a shorter period of time (he died at 36 and only started singing in his late teens)

Michael Jackson

M.J and Bob Marley are too different people and they do totally two different music so wats with all the comparion

M.J is king of pop and Bob Marley is a raggae icon how are they the same,

but if i have to pick i will definetly choose micheal jackson-he is in a category of his one plss no one can compare to him

Both of em' were great.

love both like mad
but marley is first among equals,
hundreds of years from today, all his songs will still capture
realities of the moment!
i am afraid years from now u'il be searching for a wacko song that suits
realities of the time.

untainted:

love both like mad
but marley is first among equals,
hundreds of years from today, all his songs will still capture
realities of the moment!
i am afraid years from now u'il be searching for a wacko song that suits
realities of the time.

Well said! Bob marley all the way.

Here are facts why Bob Marley is greater.
1) Bob was born in a poor family, he hardly knew his father. He had to suffer and struggle to succeed in music without the guidance of his parents and family.
But Micheal was born in a family where his father knew a lot about music. His father pushed him and polished him, so did Diana Ross. He also had the help of his brothers, the jackson 5.

2) Micheal was born in a country that is very advanced in technology and music.  He worked on the best studios, had the most technological advanced equipments. Had producers who had more than enough capital to advertise the music and send it to all parts of the world.
Bob was born in a third world country. At first he hardly had good recording studios. There was no money to advertise the music around the world. His early musics was made just for Jamaica, but today the whole world scrambles to hear them. He had almost no technology to advance him, only raw talent.

3) Before Bob reggae was unknown and unsophisticated music. In Jamaica there were Calypso, ska, and etc but reggae was really undeveloped and wasn't listened outside Jamaica. Bib took the music and developed it to a level that the whole world accepted. reggae is now at the same level with pop and rock, just because of Bob Marley. He took a regional and unciviliced music to stardom, just due to his raw talent. One can say that Bob Marley is one of the inventors of reggae music.
Before Michael pop and rock was already sophisticated, developed and well accepted all over the world. there was already great demand for it in all parts of the world. Michael just made some good pop and rock music, he did not add anything to the invention and development of the music.

4) Bob Marley's carrier hardly lasted over a decade. He started in his teens and died in his early thirties. Michael's carrier lasted for over four decades. He started when he was 9 until he died in his fifties.

5)Micheal gave everything to succeed. He changed his appearance many times to become more acceptable. Bob remained himself and wouldn't change just to win fans. His popularity came from his music, his raw talent. Actually he did things that other musicans wouldn't do out of fear of losing fans. He maintenance his blackness and his belief in the superiority of the black race. He sang openly against western world powers, CIA etc. He was a womanizer, had many kids and wouldn't deny it for popularity. He openly smoked weed and sang songs glorify it. Despite all these thing he was still worshiped and adored, he even received presidential welcome when he travelled, eg when he went to Australia.

6) Bob Marley was also a political phenomenon. He was invited to perform at the independence of of Zimbabwe. He music and influence affected the political outcome of many nations. EG in 1976 he was shot by Edward Seagas party because he intended to perform before the election. Yet he performed, his music and performance one of the reasons why Michael Manely won the presidentail election against Edward Seager. I south Africa, the apartheid regime banned most of Bob Marley's songs especially "Africa Unite" due to the effect it had on the politicall struggle of that nation. He was seen as a freedom fighter, a revolutionist all over the world. He single handed ended the Jamaican civil war in his "Smile Jamaica" concert by calling the president and the leader of the opposition party on his stage and joined their hands together. An event which won him an award as peacemaker. Needless to say that presidents went to see his shows. Michael's music has little or no political inclination.

7)Bob Marley received and Honorary citizen award and the president went to his funeral. Obama didn't even issue a speech on the death of Michael.

8 ) Bob Marley was seen by many as a prophet. His music is prophetic. He has been dead for almost 30 years now but his music is still very relevant in todays world happenings. I bet you ten years from now people will hardly be playing "Bad, Belie Jean or Wanna be starting something."

9) Bob could play the guitar he wrote and composed most of his songs. Michael does not play any musical instrument, and he buought allot of songs written by others. Some of his best songs were not written by him, eg Thriller, Human nature, Man in the mirror, and so many others. In the Thriller album he wrote only a few songs, I think only these three -- Bellie Jean, Beat it, and wanner be starting somthing. The rest of the songs were written by other people. He co-wrote "girl is mine" with Paul McCartney In all Bob's albums majority of the songs were written by him.


Bob Marley was a phenomenon
Michael was a good entertainer, and dancer.

Both are legends in thier own rights. The world may never see talents of such magnitude.

Bob Marley is from Jamaica. Michael Jackson is an American. On what basis are they competing?.

Nobody sent you people message oh.


Genuine musicians knew how to respect each other instead of making all these unnecessary tupac/big daddy comparisons some of you are doing here. Shows ignorance, imo.

and who says Bob Marley didnt know his father? Isnt this his father :

http://www.spock.com/Norval-Marley

His dad was a white plantation overseer who was rarely home, and he died when Bob was 10. However, he provided financial support for his wife and son, who, by the way, was born when he was 50.

tpia.:

Bob Marley is from Jamaica. Michael Jackson is an American. On what basis are they competing?.

Nobody sent you people message oh.


Genuine musicians knew how to respect each other instead of making all these unnecessary tupac/big daddy comparisons some of you are doing here.

and who says Bob Marley didnt know his father? Isnt this his father :

http://www.spock.com/Norval-Marley

His dad was a white plantation overseer who was rarely home, and who died when Bob was 10.

I said that Bob hardly knew his father! for your infor: His father got his mother pregnant and and left her. Norval Marley was an old white man who had an affair with a young black girl cedella. Bob was the result of the affair.  Norval Marley never married bobs mother cedella. He wasn't there when Bob was born. The only time Bob saw him was when Bob's mother sent him to Kingston to live with his father. His father picked him up at the bus stop and abandoned him. He never saw his father again. His mother had to go to Kingston to search for him.


Bob Marley never knew his father! He was raised by his mother, fatherless.

Reseach on Bob please.

seeklove:


I said that Bob hardly knew his father! for your infor: His father got his mother pregnant and and left her. Norval Marley was an old white man who had an affair with a young black girl cedella. Bob was the result of the affair.  Norval Marley never married bobs mother cedella. He wasn't there when Bob was born. The only time Bob saw him was when Bob's mother sent him to Kingston to live with his father. His father picked him up at the bus stop and abandoned him. He never saw his father again. His mother had to go to Kingston to search for him.


Bob Marley never knew his father! He was raised by his mother, fatherless.

Reseach on Bob please.

[size=14pt]Norval was a Marine officer and captain, as well as a plantation overseer, when he married Cedella Booker, a black Jamaican then eighteen years old.[/size]

http://www.birminghampost.net/comment/birmingham-columnists/more-columnists/2008/05/10/bishop-webley-one-world-one-love-one-bob-marley-65233-20891539/

The prejudice Bob Marley faced when young was because he was biracial. He suffered[b] after[/b] his dad died, not before.

Norval Marley was already married before he met Cedella. He lied to her to get her in bed. Thier marriage was not real because he was already married. Read about bob's life please!
Norval Merley and cedella never lived as hunband and wife.


Captain Norval Marley, (Bobs father) was an English man who worked as a quartermaster attached to the British West Indian Regiment, his job involved riding around on horseback as an overseer of crowns "contingent lands" in the districts around Roden Hall. Although Noval was almost 50 years old and Cedella was just turning 18 they became lovers. When Cedella told Norval she was pregnant by him the two married and Norval promised to take care of the child.
But the day after they wed Norval left for a new job in Kingston. Norval visited Cedella twice while she was pregnant and once more shortly after Cedella give birth. He had told Cedella that his mother in Kingston was mad at him when she heard that he had gotten a young black country girl pregnant and had married her, so much so that she disinherited him; "His whole family where very against him, because of me." says Cedella.


Cedella Booker
Cedella took care of Bob in the countryside (were he is remembered with particular fondness) until he was almost six years old, when Bobs father asked if Bob could go to Kingston were he would be provided with better schooling. Cedella finally agreed, and a young Bob was sent to Kingston.

Cedella wrote several times to Norval in Kingston asking how Bob was getting on at his new school. Norvel had written back saying that Bob was doing well at his new school. Six months past and Cedella wrote to Norval saying she was coming to Kingston to see her son. Norval replied and said that Bob had gone on a vacation with his teacher and there was no point in coming to Kingston, so Cedella accepted the story (she later found that this was untrue) but after a year had passed with no word from Norval, Cedella began to worry.

One day a friend of Cedella's told her that she had seen Bob on the streets of Spanish Town Road in Kingston. She said that he had asked about his mother and asked for her to come and look for him.

After hearing this Cedella went to Kingston to find her son. When Mother and son were reunited Cedella found that Bobs father had left Bob (who was now 7) to look after a sick, elderly woman who was a friend of Norval's family. She said that Bob had been a great help to her, fetching groceries and coal. But Bob had said that he wanted to go home with his mother so the two returned to Nine Miles.
http://www.thenaturalmystic.com/natural-mystic-rasta-bio1.htm

Here is another biography of Bob:


Born in the small village of Nine Mile in the Jamaican countryside, Bob never knew his father, a white British Naval officer. During his life, Bob often confronted his mixed heritage, although it definitely added to his credibility. http://www.thecelebritycafe.com/features/24439.html

tpia.:

Bob Marley is from Jamaica. Michael Jackson is an American. On what basis are they competing?.

Nobody sent you people message oh.


Genuine musicians knew how to respect each other instead of making all these unnecessary tupac/big daddy comparisons some of you are doing here. Shows ignorance, imo.

and who says Bob Marley didnt know his father? Isnt this his father :

http://www.spock.com/Norval-Marley

His dad was a white plantation overseer who was rarely home, and he died when Bob was 10. However, he provided financial support for his wife and son, who, by the way, was born when he was 50.

@tpia
Man you are just looking for trouble and quarrel. No body disrespect any of them. People are just stating their opinions, I believe that neither Michael or Bob will be offended by reading this thread. Fans compare entertainers just for the sake of it. It is not disrespect. Even before they give award, they compare musics or musicians, nominate them then compear and finally chose one. The musicians don't get offended. Every artist wants his work to be analyzed and compared with others of equally greatness.


@ all
Personally I will go with Bob because of the reasons seeklove listed above. But Michael is was a legend too.
It is really heard to tell who is greater. I know for sure that Michael is more famous but maybe not more popular.

Its a really hard choice to make, I guess it boils down to personal opinion. My is: Bob Marley is greater.

michael jackson all day everyday.


his music speaks volumes to me.

that man is in the guiness world book records for most donations to charity.

he might not have been seen as a political figure, but he dammed sure have an effect on this world.

who gives a flick if the president speaks at his memorial?? Paris spoke and thats what really matters.

Dont tell me u wont listen to earth song and man in the mirror, we are the world, heal the world and wont listen to it from 10 years from now?


please.


Bob is cool and all, but is not a prophet or any greater than Mike.

And if all those things surronding Mike made him great, then how come no one has come close to him?


and those who said he changed, flick off, he didnt.

platinumnk:

michael jackson all day everyday.


his music speaks volumes to me.

that man is in the guiness world book records for most donations to charity.

he might not have been seen as a political figure, but he dammed sure have an effect on this world.

who gives a flick if the president speaks at his memorial?? Paris spoke and thats what really matters.

Dont tell me u wont listen to earth song and man in the mirror, we are the world, heal the world and wont listen to it from 10 years from now?


please.


Bob is cool and all, but is not a prophet or any greater than Mike.

And if all those things surronding Mike made him great, then how come no one has come close to him?


and those who said he changed, flick off, he didnt.

Good points!! you almost changed my mind. You got me with the "earth song" thing. Anyday that song will still be relevant. I love that song. The music vidoe is even more wonderfull. One aspect of Michael that nobody can beat is his music videos. In that aspect nobody is even close to him.

But about Michael being in guness world book of records, bob also had achievements of the same caliber. Bob's album "Exodus" was nominated for the best album of the century award. This album was made about 32 years ago!

I guess it all boils down to personal opinion. But thanks for the good contribution.

Why do we always have to compare people with ourselves or with each other? Why can't they be great and great? Why does it have to be great and greater?

For those arguing whether bob marley knew his father. I have heard many of his interviews where he says: I was born fatherless, I never knew my father." He didnt like the fact that his father abandoned him, I guess thats why he always accosiated himself with black poeple, He considered himself completely black.

I was searching for a perticuler interveiw but I couldnt find it, This is what i found so far:

In 1944 Captain Norval Sinclair Marley of the British West Indian Regiment, was appointed to the Crown lands in the parish of St. Ann. Here he came to know the 17-year-old Cedella Malcolm, who was a black African girl of a well-known family. Captain Marley and Cedella later got pregnant, and were married on June 9th in 1944. Bob Marley would later say with some bitterness: ”White guy get the black woman and breed her. I´m born in Babylon, my father, a guy who got together with my mother, he´s a English… a guy who was captain in the Army, go to war. You can´t get more Babylon than that! You know what I mean?”. He would also say on many occasions that he was born fatherless, for more than one reason. His father left his mother already when she was pregnant and hardly ever made any contact with her after that.
http://home.no/jamaicas-marley/bobmarley1.html

This articule contains extract from the interview that I was seraching for, where he said, "I never knew my father."

the king of pop forever

n-guage:

Why do we always have to compare people with ourselves or with each other? Why can't they be great and great? Why does it have to be great and greater?

thank you.

Is anyone being prevented from opening a Bob Marley appreciation thread?

abi did they forget about his existence until they saw people mourning Michael Jackson?

nothing 2 compare

who is bob marley?

bob marley is far greater.
while jackson crave for attention , marley gave out love . while jackson was not contented with his body , marley identified himself a black though mixed breed. while jackson believe in materialism , marley cheerished the peace of the soul.marley's music will be timeless.

Apart from the fact that I dislike the topic but you dont compare a legend (mike) with a great singer (Bob) Pls U need to see the message of the Rev during d burial to start with, Mike was d one that broke the barrier of race for the first time MTV played a black man's music.

Pls how many country's have heard about Bob, but Mike His worldwide and pls dont start talking bullshit about growing up coz nobody cares, afterall Nelson Mandela is not from the States but he is gr8t and should even giv mike kudos for triving in d city and not a village King.

Lastly, dont Judge Mike's private life beleive me am in the system, you can be a black man very successful in the states or any european country without them trying to bring u down with one claim or the other. The guy is just simply tooo much

chus-ben:

bob marley is far greater.
while jackson crave for attention , marley gave out love . while jackson was not contented with his body , marley identified himself a black though mixed breed. while jackson believe in materialism , marley cheerished the peace of the soul.marley's music will be timeless.

what a baseless, pitiful argument.

Before u come putting ur weed smoking womanizer on a pedstal, please do a little research on HIM AND MICHAEL JACKSON.

And with all the money Bob recieved, what did he do with it?

yeah whatevr.

Michael is still unsurpassed. A legend in his own.

Bob was a good singer.


If a choice was given was given to the world who would they want back, i can bet anything, Michael Jackson would be back on this earth.

~sigh~