Rastafarianism is a religious-cultural movement that began in Jamaica in the 1930s. The name is taken from "Ras Tafari Makonnen," the former name of Ethiopia's last emperor, Haile Selassie, whom followers believe to be the Messiah. They also look to Ethiopia as the Promised Land. Reggae singer Bob Marley, born on this date in 1945, was a committed Rastafarian. His music combined the offbeat rhythm of Jamaican and African folk music with the sounds of American rhythm and blues; Marley used his music to publicize the Rastafarian movement. Time magazine chose Marley's Exodus as the greatest album of the 20th century and BBC online users voted him the third greatest lyricist of all time, after Bob Dylan and John Lennon.


Quote: "Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?" — Bob Marley