List of Rastafarians
Encyclopedia
Early teachers
- Leonard HowellLeonard HowellLeonard Percival Howell , known as The Gong or G.G. Maragh , was a Jamaican religious figure. According to his biographer Hélène Lee, Howell was born in an Anglican family...
- Sam BrownSam Brown (Rastafari)Ras Sam Brown was a Jamaican Rastafari elder well known in Kingston for his politics after he participated in the elections of 1961 with his Suffering People's Party...
- Vernon CarringtonVernon CarringtonVernon Carrington founded the Twelve Tribes of Israel branch of the Rastafari movement in 1968. He was also called the Prophet Gad. Members of the Twelve Tribes of Israel view Carrington as a prophet who began the repatriation of Rastafari to Africa, the homeland...
- Charles Edwards
- Mortimer Planner
Musicians
- Bob MarleyBob MarleyRobert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
(1945–1981), musician and singer - Ras Marcus Rastafari Elder and singer
- Peter ToshPeter ToshPeter Tosh, born Winston Hubert McIntosh , was a Jamaican reggae musician who was a core member of the band The Wailers , and who afterward had a successful solo career as well as being a promoter of Rastafari.Peter Tosh was born in Grange Hill, Jamaica, an illegitimate child to a mother too young...
(1944–1987) musician and singer - Bunny WailerBunny WailerBunny Wailer, , also known as Bunny Livingston and affectionately as Jah B, is a singer songwriter and percussionist and was an original member of reggae group The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Peter Tosh...
(1947–), reggae singer - Winston Rodney (Burning Spear)Burning SpearWinston Rodney, OD , also known as Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer and musician. Burning Spear is known for his Rastafari movement messages.-History:...
(1948–), musician and singer - Alpha BlondyAlpha BlondyAlpha Blondy is a reggae singer and international recording artist. Alpha Blondy was born Seydou Koné in Dimbokro, Côte d'Ivoire. He sings mainly in his native language of Dioula, in French and English, and sometimes in Arabic or Hebrew...
, Ivorian reggae musician - Ziggy MarleyZiggy MarleyDavid "Ziggy" Marley is a Jamaican musician and leader of the band Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. He is the oldest son of famed reggae musician Bob Marley...
(1968–), musician and singer - Lucky DubeLucky DubeLucky Philip Dube was a South African reggae musician. He recorded 22 albums in Zulu, English and Afrikaans in a 25-year period and was South Africa's biggest selling reggae artist...
, South African reggae musician - Prince Far IPrince Far IPrince Far I was a Jamaican reggae deejay, producer and a Rastafarian. He was known for his gruff voice and critical assessment of the Jamaican government. His track "Heavy Manners" used lyrics against measures initiated towards violent crime.-Biography:He was born Michael James Williams in...
(1945-1983), deejay - Buju BantonBuju BantonBuju Banton is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician.Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics....
(1973), dancehallDancehallDancehall is a genre of Jamaican popular music that originated in the late 1970s. Initially dancehall was a more sparse version of reggae than the roots style, which had dominated much of the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, digital instrumentation became more prevalent, changing the sound considerably,...
and raggaRagga-Origins:Ragga originated in Jamaica during the 1980s, at the same time that electronic dance music's popularity was increasing globally. One of the reasons for ragga's swift propagation is that it is generally easier and less expensive to produce than reggae performed on traditional musical...
musician and singer - Damian MarleyDamian MarleyDamian "Jr. Gong" Marley is a Jamaican reggae artist who has won three Grammy awards. Damian is the youngest son of Bob Marley....
(1978–), musician and singer - Ky-Mani MarleyKy-Mani MarleyKy-mani is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist whose east African name means Adventurous Traveler. The only child of table tennis champion Anita Belnavis and reggae icon Bob Marley, Ky-mani Marley was born in Falmouth, Jamaica...
(1976–), musician and singer - Stephen MarleyStephen Marley (musician)Stephen Robert Nesta "Raggamuffin" Marley is a Jamaican American musician and the son of reggae legend Bob Marley and his wife Rita Marley. He is a five-time Grammy award winner as an artist, producer, and member of Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers.-Life and career:Marley was born in Wilmington,...
(1972–), musician and singer - Julian MarleyJulian MarleyJulian Ricardo Marley is an English Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of Bob Marley and a Bajan mother, Lucy Pounder. He is a member of the Rastafari movement.-Biography:...
(1975–), musician and singer - Rita MarleyRita MarleyAlpharita Constantia Anderson , better known as Rita Marley, and sometimes called "Nana Rita", is the widow of reggae legend/musician Bob Marley, and a member of the trio the I Threes, Bob Marley's backup singers.-Biography:...
(1946–), musician and singer - Rohan MarleyRohan MarleyRohan Anthony Marley is the son of late reggae artist Bob Marley and Janet Hunt.A 1991 graduate of Miami Palmetto Senior High School, Marley played linebacker for the University of Miami football team, where he played alongside players like Dwayne Johnson and Ray Lewis. In 1993 he led the...
(1972–), played college football - Jah ShakaJah ShakaJah Shaka has been operating a South East London-based, roots reggae Jamaican sound system since the early 1970s. His name is an amalgamation of the Rastafarian term for God and that of a Zulu warrior, Shaka Zulu.-Career:...
, sound system operator - Joseph HillJoseph HillJoseph Hill was the lead singer and songwriter for the roots reggae group Culture whose other members were Kenneth Dayes and Hill's cousin Albert Walker, most famous for their 1977 hit "Two Sevens Clash", but also well known for their "International Herb" single...
(1949-2006) musician and singer - Lincoln ThompsonLincoln ThompsonPrince Lincoln Thompson, known as Sax, was a Jamaican singer, musician and songwriter with the reggae band the Royal Rasses, and a member of the Rastafari movement...
, (1949-1998), musician and composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media... - Cedric MytonCedric MytonCedric Myton born in Jamaica is a Reggae musician and Rastafarian. Myton played with Prince Lincoln Thompson in The Tartans in the early 1970s until they apparently fell out. Cedric Myton claims he was one of the backing harmony vocals on Prince Lincoln's Humanity album recorded in 1975, but he is...
, composer and musician - Ras MichaelRas MichaelRas Michael is a Jamaican reggae singer and Nyabinghi specialist. He also performs under the name of Dadawah.-Biography:...
, musician and singer - SizzlaSizzlaSizzla Kalonji, or simply Sizzla in are de reggae musician. He is one of the most commercially and critically successful contemporary reggae artists and is well-known for his above-average prolificacy...
, musician and singer - Bad BrainsBad BrainsBad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
, hardcore punk band - Pablo MosesPablo Moses-Biography:Pablo Moses has released a number of records over several decades, but he is best known for his debut, 1975's Revolutionary Dream, produced by Geoffrey Chung, which included "I Man A Grasshopper", engineered at The Black Ark by Lee "Scratch" Perry. His 1980 follow up, A Song, was well...
, reggae singer - Wadada Leo SmithWadada Leo SmithIshmael Wadada Leo Smith is a trumpeter and composer working primarily in the fields of avant-garde jazz and free improvisation.-Biography:...
, jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musician and composer - Jah CureJah CureJah Cure, or Iyah Cure is a Jamaican reggae musician, who was raised in Kingston. He was given the name Jah Cure by Capleton whom he met while growing up in Kingston.-Career:...
, Reggae singer - Anthony BAnthony BAnthony B is the stage name of Keith Blair , a Jamaican musician and member of the Rastafari movement....
, reggae singer and deejay - Richie SpiceRichie SpiceRichie Spice is a Jamaican reggae artist. He is a member of the Rastafari movement. Some of his most famous songs include, "Youth Dem Cold", "Groovin' My Girl", "Earth A Run Red", "Marijuana" and "The Plane Land"...
, reggae singer - MutabarukaMutabarukaMutabaruka is a dub poet. His name comes from the Rwandan language and translates as "one who is always victorious". He lives in Potosi District, St. James with his significant other, Yvonne, and their two childern. Mutabaruka continues to perform and write poems on every issue known to man...
, poet and reggae musician - Augustus PabloAugustus PabloHorace Swaby , known as Augustus Pablo, was a Jamaican roots reggae and dub record producer, melodica player and keyboardist, active from the 1970s onwards. He popularized the use of the melodica in reggae music...
, (1954-1999) reggae musician and producer - Hans SöllnerHans SöllnerJohann Michael Söllner , better known as Hans Söllner, is a German singer-songwriter. Throughout German-speaking countries, especially in Germany and Austria, he is famous for publicly criticizing the German government and political systems in general to a vast extent...
, German musician - Che FuChe FuChe Fu MNZM is a New Zealand Hip hop/R&B and Reggae recording artist and producer. Originally one part of the band Supergroove, as a solo artist he has gone on to sell thousands of albums both in New Zealand and internationally, including in Australia and the UK.-History:Fu is one of New Zealand's...
, Hip Hop, R&B and reggae Singer - Tigilau NessTigilau NessTigilau Ness is a Niuean New Zealand activist and reggae artist, and performs as Unity Pacific.Ness is a political activist and first generation Pacific Island New Zealander.-Lifetime achievement award:...
, reggae singer - I WayneI WayneI Wayne , is a roots reggae singer. He is known for his hit singles "Living In Love" and "Can't Satisfy Her" from his debut album, Lava Ground.-Biography:...
, reggae artist/songwriter - CapletonCapletonCapleton is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist. He is also referred to as King Shango, King David, The Fireman and The Prophet. His record label is called David House Productions...
, reggae artist - Soldiers of Jah ArmySoldiers of Jah ArmySoldiers of Jah Army is a band based in Arlington, Virginia in the Northern Virginia / Washington D.C. area. Starting as an active band in 1997, their music is produced under the record label Innerloop.-Biography:...
, reggae band - BushmanBushman (reggae singer)Bushman is a Jamaican reggae singer. He was raised in the Rastafari culture from a young age.-Biography:Born Dwight Duncan in Prospect Beach, St. Thomas, Jamaica in 1973, he was raised as a Rastafarian. He attended the Lysson All Age School, where his music teacher noticed his potential for music...
, musician and singer - Junior KellyJunior KellyJunior Kelly is a reggae singer known for his commitment to the faith of the Rastafari movement and its Bobo Shanti mansion...
, singer - Gregory IsaacsGregory IsaacsGregory Anthony Isaacs was a Jamaican reggae musician. Milo Miles, writing in the New York Times, described Isaacs as "the most exquisite vocalist in reggae". His nicknames include Cool Ruler and Lonely Lover....
(1951–2010), reggae singer - Dennis BrownDennis BrownDennis Emmanuel Brown was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lovers rock, a sub-genre of reggae...
(1957-1999), reggae singer - Barrington LevyBarrington LevyBarrington Levy is a reggae and dancehall artist from Jamaica.-Career:In 1976, Levy formed a band with his cousin, Everton Dacres, called the Mighty Multitude; the pair released "My Black Girl" in 1977...
, reggae singer - Gentlemen, reggae singer
- Don CarlosDon CarlosDon Carlos is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French language libretto by Camille du Locle and Joseph Méry, based on the dramatic play Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien by Friedrich Schiller...
, reggae singer - Burning SpearBurning SpearWinston Rodney, OD , also known as Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer and musician. Burning Spear is known for his Rastafari movement messages.-History:...
, reggae singer - Michael ProphetMichael ProphetMichael Prophet is a roots reggae singer known for his "crying" tenor vocal style, whose recording career began in 1977.-Biography:...
(1957- ), roots reggae singer - Larry MarshallLarry MarshallLarry Marshall is a reggae singer, who has recorded both as a solo artist and as part of the duos Larry & Alvin and Larry & Enid.-Biography:...
(1941- ), roots reggae singer - Jacob MillerJacob MillerJacob Miller was a Jamaican reggae artist who first recorded with Clement Dodd. While pursuing a prolific solo career, he became the lead singer for reggae group Inner Circle with whom he recorded until his death in a car accident at the age of 27.-Biography:Jacob Miller was born in Mandeville,...
(1952-1980), musician and reggae singer - NicodemusNicodemusSaint Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, who, according to the Gospel of John, showed favour to Jesus...
, reggae singer - InI KamozeIni KamozeCecil Campbell , better known by his stage name Ini Kamoze is a Jamaican reggae singer. He is best known for his signature song, "Here Comes the Hotstepper", which was released in 1994, and subsequently topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart...
(Cecil Campbell), reggae singer - Michael Rose, reggae singer
- Junior MurvinJunior MurvinJunior Murvin is a Jamaican reggae musician. He is best known for the single "Police and Thieves", produced by Lee "Scratch" Perry in 1976. Murvin's soaring voice and the infectious rhythm made "Police and Thieves" into an international hit during the summer of that year. It peaked at #23 in the...
, reggae singer - Sugar MinottSugar MinottLincoln Barrington "Sugar" Minott was a Jamaican reggae singer, producer and sound-system operator.-Biography:...
(1956-2010), reggae singer - CapletonCapletonCapleton is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist. He is also referred to as King Shango, King David, The Fireman and The Prophet. His record label is called David House Productions...
, reggae singer