Reggae has seen a massive rise in popularity over these past few months, propelled by the release of the Bob Marley movie. Marley’s music has been streamed worldwide, and he is currently at his all-time streaming peak. However, the late Jamaican superstar is not leading the charge alone. His very own grandson, YG Marley, just released what is arguably already the most popular Reggae song of the decade.
Reggae music has evolved massively over the last half-century. Bob Marley originally brought popularity to the genre with the release of Exodus in 1977. He passed away shortly after, but Legend, his greatest hits album, peaked at five on the global Billboard Top 200. Marley is known as one of the fathers of the genre.
“My favorite artist ever is the O.G., Mr. Reggae. Bob Marley himself. The genre’s resurgence has been pretty cool, and there is now a whole new generation of Reggae fans,” stated senior Robert Page.
Marley is still quite popular among many age groups, even high schoolers at Marriotts Ridge. However, a new generation of Reggae artists has come onto the scene, introducing new styles and sounds.
Marley fathered fourteen children, many of whom followed in his footsteps. Damian Marley and Stephen Marley collaborated to write the song “Welcome to Jamrock,” a blend of modern hip-hop production and reggae-style vocals. His other children had successful careers, like Ziggy Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, and Julian Marley, who had songs or albums that reached the Billboard Top 200. Marley’s children had advanced and modernized the genre and put their spin on the music. Now, the next generation has arrived.
YG Marley is the grandson of Bob Marley and the son of legendary hip-hop artist Lauryn Hill, who wrote The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, which is widely regarded as one of the greatest hip-hop albums. He made his musical debut recently with the release of “Praise Jah in the Moonlight.”
“I love that song. It is a Jamaican masterpiece,” said senior Michael Machiran.
YG has already accumulated a huge following, with over 20.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” has been streamed over 135 million times and counting. While the young Jamaican star has garnered much support, some doubters remain.
“I have only heard Praise Jah in the moonlight, and it was ruined by TikToks. However, it is a great song,” remarked senior Christian Luke.
Luke, as well as many others, are annoyed by the song’s newfound popularity. However, YG Marley looks like he might just be here to stay. He is already one of the most popular artists in the world, having just released one song, and he is bringing more attention to the genre as a whole. Reggae has seen a surge in popularity at Marriotts Ridge and across the planet. Do not be surprised if Reggae is one of the world’s most popular genres in a few years.