Bob Marley, Jacob Miller Interview From 1979 Resurfaces: “Russia And America Are The Same Thing”
A 1979 radio interview of Bob Marley denouncing Russia and the United States for trying to muscle their way into the Caribbean, and Jacob Miller likening the two global superpowers to postwar animated cartoon characters Heckle and Jeckle, has started making the rounds on social media, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The interview, which took place in St. Maarten in 1979, was conducted by journalist Dave Douglas, during the Reggae icons’ trip to the island after spending some time in Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
The exchange saw Marley and Miller, who were close friends, at their most controversial ever, as they tackled the issues of race and international politics in the Cold War era, with the Gong declaring that both US and Russia were cut from the same cloth.
When the interviewer mentioned to Bob that there was possibly going to be a “a big fight” in the Caribbean and that the United States and Russia were both “going to make a grab for some of the Caribbean islands”, and asked Marley for his thoughts, the Small Axe singer was “cool and deadly” in his response.
“Well, my estimation of these two thieves, is that Russia and America is two a di biggest f-ckin friends. And all dem do is workin a psychological warfare upon di poor people that the people think there goin be a war while these f_ckers come in and control,” Marley declared flatly.
“If is not America control, it gwine be Russia. Two a dem a di same ting. Is jus two f_kin white man who have dem ways a controlling black people,” he said referring to then US President Jimmy Carter and Russian leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
“Black people time Now! Black people time now! Black people,” Marley said raising his voice.
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Jovial Jacob, known for comedy, added his own thoughts, likening the two countries and their leadership to masquerades.
“Dem man deh comin like Heckle and Jeckle; dem two bredda deh: America and Russia. Heckle and bl_dclaat Jeckle. Dat mean seh wi don’t want no more a dat!” he jeered.
“We independent. We no have America fi go an beg anything nor Russa fi go an beg anything. We preffa stan up on our own self which is Rasta; black people rights,” the Mr Officer artist had added.
Bob Marley had also reasoned that while the leaders were put in positions of power, they were only human and as such, were equal to, and not better than anyone else.
“We have a right to live. All a dese people who people praising was babies once. Babies. Madda feed dem on di breast. Dem sh*t up demself; dem madda clean dem and today dem is big leaders. Nothing wrong about dat, but there is still children bornin today too and these children have modern ideas about how life should go an wi caan meck some guys who used to live in the 17th century tell us what to do in this 1980s. We are young people; we must decide our own destiny,” the then 35 year old said.
During the interview, Bob was asked about a concert at which he was to have performed in Grenada.
However, Marley had said as a Rasta, he was apolitical, and that by performing on that island, it would have given the impression that he was supporting Maurice Bishop’s Marxist regime, so a concert was not on the books for him.
“We would really like to do a concert in Grenada for the Grenadian people, but the way how the concert was being put together, was that it looks as if we going defend Marxism. We do not defend Marxism nor capitalism; we are strictly Rasta!” he declared.
Jacob, for his part, declared that the people of St. Maarten ought to ensure they stood up for their rights.
“You as a black man stan up fi yuh rights, becaw mi come si German and French. An weh di black man deh? Inna di miggle. Yuh nuh seet. Suh wha oonu a do, stan up and watch di French and German teck ova? And a yah suh oonu she oonu come from? A Africa wi a deal wid, but oonu haffi defend yah suh as long as oonu deh yah,” he said.
Jacob Miller, who was the lead singer for the Inner Circle band, died in a car accident on Hope Road in Kingston on March 23, 1980, at the age of 27.
Bob Marley died at age 36, on May 11, 1981, in Miami, as a result of the acral lentiginous melanoma, which was diagnosed in 1977.