Ziggy Marley Shares Secrets To Success In The Music Industry
Ziggy Marley — the eldest son of Bob Marley — is an eight-time Grammy Award winner, Emmy winner, and philanthropist with multiple hit songs and world-class tours under his belt. With five children, the reggae icon Ziggy Marley knows a few things about what kids like and need. His children’s books, My Dog Romeo (July 27/Akashic Books) and Little John Crow (November 2/Akashic Books) celebrate our love for dogs, the earth, and learning to accept the differences in others.
He co-wrote Little John Crow, which is based in his birthplace of Jamaica, with his wife Orly. The couple is passionate about the importance of music and reading in the development of children, and are excited to share these heartwarming stories with families around the world. While many in Jamaica may not see Ziggy on stage as much as other artists, his non-profit charity, URGE (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment) supports efforts in Jamaica, Ethiopia and other developing nations. The charity’s objective is to build new schools and operate health clinics with a focus on youth by developing and supporting educational programs. They will also be donating books to Mary’s Child and the Chepstowe Basic School in Jamaica.
In this interview, Ziggy shares insights into the music industry on how to make it as an independent artist and adapt to changes, turning cultural capital into financial capital, and the importance of having business-savvy people around.
Welcome to World Music Views, How are the times treating you?
Me good man, I try to make the best out of the times.
A lot of people say they haven’t seen Ziggy at any one of the concerts in Jamaica or even the Marley celebrations, is that by design?
Well, Jamaica is a part of me. Who I am is made up by me growing up in Jamaica. Me true to myself so me do things because me want to do it. If me come Jamaica nobody have to know I come to Jamaica. Plus the music is there if you love the music and when the time come we have a big show in Jamaica. It’s been a while I miss it and I would love to be a positive part of what’s happening in Jamaica.
Yes If there should be a concert with Ziggy Marley headlining people would come out. Your brother (Damian Marley) said even when we don’t see you you are taking the music elsewhere, where are some of those places?
It’s not just physical places. We a deep sea fish, when we say fish it’s for the consciousness of humanity and communicating with human beings. I am a very open minded person and I deal with all kind of different musicians and businesses. I understand this is bigger than just me. What I am doing is not something for me it’s for humanity.
Why do you think Bob Marley is still at number one with the number one Reggae album in the world?
(Laughs) People love Bob man. A di love. Bob did give a lot of love and Bob did give a lot to the world. That love will always be there so nuff more weeks and nuff more number 1 to come.
You always found success with your music, whether it’s a Grammy Award or record sale, what’s your formula?
Well me nuh think about that. So me nuh think about Grammys or what I need to do to make myself significant. I try to make my music come as organic as possible. But me learn the lessons from my parents by Osmosis. You don’t have to tell me things, I just observe. So the values I see my father and my mother put into the music is like the most celebrated and complicated classical music. We put professionalism into it and the quality is very important and we have our standards that my parents set. That standard involves spirituality and inspiration through spirituality and that message speak to people through spirituality. I find a way to say my words so it sound interesting and the way me create my words to me its interesting and I am not following nobody just my own creativity. And it’s the blessings of the almighty because most of the songs come from inspiration and that’s a spiritual thing.
What’s the difference between Tuff Gong and Tuff Gong World Wide?
Tuff Gong is the original Tuff Gong and then I became an independent artist and paying homage to that I took it and make it my Tuff Gong Worldwide, Tuff Gong World Wide as me say deep sea fishing.
How important is it for you to own your masters as an independent artist?
This is the dream of mankind to be free and independent. My father them started out that way. We come grow see Bob a hustle a press some T-Shirt yahsuh so that seed plant in us that way. So me grow up innah that brain washing deh “You haffi own your own shit bro”.
Is it easy and would you advise everyone to do it?
It’s not for everyone, you haffi have that spirit of adventure in you. Me lucky, I have Bob as me father who paved the way but me nuh take it as luck because me grow up in it too around that vibe and energy.
Do you work with record labels or strictly Tuff Gong Worldwide?
It’s strictly independent. My wife is the business mind and everyone need the right people around them. When it comes to the music I am the creative and consciousness and she is the business, its a good balance and that’s how it really work. You need help and you need people smarter than you.
Would you sell your masters of publishing?
No sah, its not even a thing that cross my mind. Me good right now. It’s a bigger picture a gwan and we haffi look ahead. There has been offers but we nah sell that so.
Who are you listening to now?
Me love music, me love every type of music. Me listen to some Steel Pulse the other day and then yesterday a some Frank Sinatra me listen to while driving and it just mellow.
Who do you listen to in Dancehall?
Mi like Capleton, when the man deh DJ me still feel it, me feel a spirit. A positive spirit. Me still love Sizzla them man deh unique and Gargamel still a do fi him thing.
Spice and Vybz Kartel sold 1400 copies and 1200 respectively, why do you think dancehall selling so little?
The music change. The business is not about selling records. The music is about streams, about tours, about merch. So you haffi think about music differently and you haffi open your mind more as an artist and you can’t focus on that as a measure of success. Them haffi rethink how them look at it cause the sales thing me nuh really look at that much.
Ziggy big up thank you so much
Bless up World Music Views.
For the full interview listen to World Music Views Podcast on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.