‘Redemption Song’ (Part 2)

(Extract of a conversation with Ras Leon Saul and I-Mykal, Georgetown, Guyana, 2013. Ras Saul is a cultural activist, playwright and television presenter; I-Mykal is a musician.)

PP: Let’s go back to the influences on Bob’s message. How important was the influence of Haile Selassie?

Ras Saul: Pivotal. The sign of Haile Selassie on earth was a signal that it was time for the uprising – the spiritual uprising, one of the natural mystics.

PP: ‘Uprising’ is the name of one of Bob’s albums which included ‘Redemption song’ but first Haile Selassie.

Ras Saul: Haile Selassie was the essence.

I-Mykal: The Soul, the foundation. When you hear Bob speak about the philosophy that holds one man superior to another, you hear the words of his Majesty. Those are his Majesty’s words. It was a like a genetic transformation and Bob took this to the world – nothing can beat the foundation of the truth.

Ras Saul: Bob had the ability to bring God to you as a living person. Yes, Jah is I-ni-versal but he was also personal – I and I. I am the I am – so Bob Marley was able to bring alive the spirit of the most high.

I-Mykal: On another note – I don’t think there is any world leader who is more widely known than Bob Marley. That ‘s how powerful the man’s music is.

Ras Saul: And I must confess that it is Bob’s music that wake I and I up, mek I-man sight Rastafari. Bob’s music opened I head and then I made a move to Marcus Garvey’s philosophy which led I to King Rastafari.

I-Mykal: Yes, when you start to listen to Bob’s music, it teaches you to research. And to find the great people he’s talking about for in those people, in their teachings, lay your strength. He was saying look to your people.

PP: He was able to connect to the people…

I-Mykal: Through music it was easy. And symbols are very effective when seen – the first symbols all Jamaican singers focus on are mainly Marcus Garvey and Haile Selassie. So Bob come and build pillars around them because no matter the pressures of the world if you believe in their philosophy, you cannot be moved. And again, Bob said one thing when you are hit with music you feel no pain.

Ras Saul: Another aspect of Bob that people overlook is Bob the father. Bob had eleven children, albeit with several mothers, but Bob the family man was not just a personal family man, he was a family man for the community and for the whole world. That man was an influence on his children especially Ziggy, Stephen, Junior. Yes, Bob was an ordinary man but he was more than that, for me-he was an angel.

I-Mykal: Positive. And we must not forget when Bob came into this civilisation at that time the people that stood with Bob were also important to the movement; people like Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer contributed to Bob’s strength – we must see this as a body of people like in a game of basketball where Michael Jordon scores but what actually happened all the other players helped to make that goal possible. So in everything we must not exclude the things that help build the structure. And our people do this over and over again. We concentrate on the dominant and take away from other aspects which will in the long run break that very structure. A kingdom divided among itself shall not stand.

PP: Good point. Very often we see the people on the stage, in front the camera, we see the performer but behind the scene there is a whole world of activities propping up the front person.
On the subject of props – we also need a society that supports the artistes, a cultural consciousness in society.

Ras Saul: Coming back to Bob – Bob’s effectiveness was being a revolutionary, an activist, a militant man – get up , stand up, Africa unite – the point is that Bob gave a purpose to his music, Bob’s music caused a whole revolution that is still continuing thirty/forty years later his music is still fresh as ever…

PP: Relevant

Ras Saul: Bob the revolutionary is an important consideration because he is more relevant now than then because as a prophet he is being endorsed by time pass – what he sang about has being manifested.

PP: Yes, he was called a prophet, a Rasta prophet

I-Mykal: He was not only a Rasta prophet. He is everyone’s prophet because even those that do not accept his teaching, will have to live with it..

PP: Sort of endorsing the point you made about Bob being the father of the community, he was for everyone.

Ras Saul: So many people he has influenced. Look how many different artistes have sung Bob’s music – black, white, rich, poor.

PP: And he wrote songs for other people including white singers.

I-Mykal: So there again – Bob’s music was not about people it was about condition of the people

Ras Saul: He dealt with issues

I-Mykal: Positive. Bob music is global music. (to be continued)

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

What’s happening:
Coming soon the first reprint of ‘An Introduction to Guyanese Literature’ will be available from the author at the above contacts, Austin’s Book Service (telephone # 226-7350) and at the National Library (telephone #226-2690).
By Petamber Persaud