The second son of Bob and Rita Marley, Stephen was born in 1972. He began his career as a precocious six-year old singing, dancing and playing percussion with his siblings in the group The Melody Makers. Their first single “Children Playing in The Streets” was produced by their father in 1979 and released on Tuff Gong. Just like his older brother Ziggy, Stephen acquired his initial studio skills by watching his father. While still a teenager he assisted in the production of The Melody Makers’ albums including their three Best Reggae Album Grammy winners “Conscious Party” (1989) “One Bright Day” (1990) and “Fallen is Babylon” (1998). In 1993 Ziggy and Stephen founded Ghetto Youths International as a means of controlling their own music and helping upcoming artists. Stephen’s earliest solo production efforts for Ghetto Youths International includes his late grandmother’s (Cedella Booker) album “My Altar”, followed in 1995 by the Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers single “Works To Do” and younger brother Damian’s “10,000 Chariots”. Both singles hit the Jamaican charts and generated much excitement surrounding Stephen’s burgeoning production expertise.
In 1996 Damian released his debut album “Mr. Marley”. Stephen played several instruments and wrote most of the songs in addition to producing the whole set. He also taught his younger brother how to ride a “riddim” and has been an invaluable mentor in Damian’s dramatic transformation from an inexperienced teenaged hopeful into a confident global adult hit-making artist.
The first project that brought Stephen’s production capabilities widespread attention was “Chant Down Babylon”, where he audaciously manipulated his father’s original vocal outtakes from the 1970s Island Records’ sessions, splicing them into duets with hip-hop and R&B artists, while updating the Wailers’ richly textured one-drop rhythms with an assortment of samples, loops and overdubs. “Chant Down Babylon” achieved its objective of bringing Bob’s music to a new generation of fans, earned a Grammy nomination, was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America and has sold more than one million copies worldwide. Stephen’s hip-hop infused dancehall beats were far more fluid and complex on Damian’s 2001 album “Half Way Tree” with spectacular growth displayed by both the producer and the artist. It won the 2002 Grammy for Best Reggae album. Stephen produced and contributed vocals to Damian’s single “Welcome To Jamrock”, the biggest reggae song of 2005. Stephen was nearly finished with “Mind Control” at the time of “Jamrock’s” release but the completion of Damian’s third album now took precedence on his production schedule. Released in September 2005, “Welcome To Jamrock” was certified Gold and won the 2006 Reggae Album Grammy while the single was honored for the Best Alternative Hip Hop performance, another first for a Jamaican artist.
Meanwhile, the success of “Welcome To Jamrock” increased the anticipation surrounding the release of Stephen’s solo effort and when “Mind Control” finally arrived, it merited more attention than any Marley family member’s album in recent memory. Recorded at the Marley Music studio in Kingston and the Marley’s Lions Den studio in Miami, “Mind Control’s” organic blend of eclectic elements defied categorization, surprising many listeners who exclusively associate the Marley name with reggae. “Mind Control is an enlightening album, it is an uplifting album for your thought and for your spirit,” said Stephen, reflecting on his debut. The album premiered at No. 1 on the Billboard Reggae Album chart in March 2007, was bestowed with the Best Reggae Album Grammy in 2008 while its unplugged version “Mind Control-Acoustic” was similarly honored in 2010.
The same year Stephen contributed vocals to two tracks on Damian Marley and Nas’s lauded album “Distant Relatives”, the hard hitting “Leaders” and the devotional “In His Own Words” and produced a third track, “Patience”. Damian primarily steered the album’s production but Stephen played what both Marleys describe as a “big brother role”. “Well, that means I am the teacher but Damian is his own man, so basically if I hear something, that don’t sound too right, I would say that have to change,” Stephen offered regarding his involvement with “Relatives”. “It was just being his bigger brother and guiding him same way.”
Stephen’s “Revelation Pt 1: The Root Of Life” released in May 2011 marks a return to roots reggae. He explains: “Having to tour and having been out there for the past three years, I have been writing a lot of new material and to me and to the people around me, this album is very strong, with some very strong political songs. I wasn’t as excited about “Mind Control” as I am about this album. We didn’t plan it, it just came together naturally and sometimes things just work out better that way.”
The first single, "Jah Army" features Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley and Buju Banton spitting formidable, career-defining verses over a thunderous one-drop rhythm with lyrics to rally the troops. "Whether it's in the music or our life, get it together man, the Gideon is on," declares Stephen.
The other guests on the album are Buju Banton, Ziggy Marley, Spragga Benz, Capleton, Melanie Fiona and Nigerian American rapper Wale.
Conceived as a two part project, “The Root Of Life” will be followed by the release of “Revelation Pt 2: The Fruit Of Life”, due in fall of 2011, which will feature an array of styles that have emanated from reggae's core.

Links:

http://www.stephenmarleymusic.com/
http://www.myspace.com/stephenmarley

videos:

Stephen Marley live 2011
http://vimeo.com/22553450
Stephen Marley & Damian Marley – “Hey Baby” (live)
http://youtu.be/riSOBE-5ugM
Stephen Marley feat. Damian Marley – “The Traffic Jam” clip
http://youtu.be/iqIn9N_fJJY
Stephen Marley - "Chase Them" live
http://youtu.be/knBgfliAtqE
Stephen & Damian Marley - "The Mission"
http://vimeo.com/4718231
Playing for Change feat. Stephen Marley – “Redemption Song”
http://vimeo.com/20339510
Interview with Stephen Marley about his music & album "Mind Control"
http://vimeo.com/17314680
Geo Sessions: Stephen Marley & Damian Marley “Could You Be Loved” live
http://vimeo.com/14266990
The Melody Makers "Sugar Pie" - live 1981 (Stephen Marley lead vocals)
http://youtu.be/ljnVcJphlkc
 

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