With hits like “Is This Love” and “Three Little Birds,” Bob Marley‘s joyous spirit and incredible discography inspired a generation of artists and fans alike. Born in Jamaica in 1945, he began his music career in 1963, forming the band Bob Marley and the Wailers. From there, the rest is history. The late reggae artist has accumulated a number of accolades, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a posthumous induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994.

Marley’s life and achievements were explored in the 2024 biopic Bob Marley: One Love. Starring Kingsley Ben-Adir in the titular role, the movie follows the 1976 attempted assassination attempt on the singer’s life at his home in Kingston, Jamaica, Vulture reported. It delves into the incident’s aftermath, which saw Marley relocate to London, record the 1977 album Exodus and embark on its major, international world tour that brought reggae music to the world. The movie’s soundtrack went on to win Best Reggae Album at the Grammys earlier this month.

Before his untimely skin cancer-related death in 1981, he and numerous partners welcomed 11 children, two of whom he adopted. Among them, nearly half have followed their famous father’s footsteps to pursue music careers of their own, while the others have succeeded in different endeavors. Read on for an introduction to the large family.

Sharon Marley

Born to Rita Marley on Nov. 23, 1964, Sharon Marley is not Bob’s biological daughter, but he adopted her after marrying Rita around February 1966. According to the official website, Sharon has won three Grammy awards, all with the now-disbanded group, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. She is currently the curator of the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica.

After taking a 20-year hiatus from music, Sharon returned to the stage in 2022, releasing a single, “Butterflies in the Sky,” that June, the Jamaica Star reported. Producer K-Jay Sound described the track as a “a subtle mix of reggae, soul, jazz and passion.” For Sharon, it marked a homecoming to her musical roots.

“Family and music is what I know best,” she told the Jamaica Star at the time.

Sharon followed up “Butterflies in the Sky” with a four-song, solo EP, Steppah, which she released in 2024, Today reported.

Cedella Marley

Born on Aug. 23, 1967, Cedella Marley was also a part of the Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, but the band split in 2002. She now serves as the acting director of the Bob Marley Foundation. Upon learning the Jamaican national soccer team was at risk of dissolving due to lack of funding, she used the foundation to raise enough money for team gear, a head coach and other expenses. In addition to her philanthropic work, Cedella is an accomplished fashion designer, debuting her first clothing collection, Catch A Fire, in 2001. According to her website, she’s working on more collections under the Marley family’s apparel company Zion Rootswear. The 57-year-old has also penned several children’s books, The Boy from Nine Miles (The Early Life of Bob Marley), Three Little Birds, and One Love and Every Little Thing. Three Little Birds went on to inspire a Broadway show of the same name, Essence reported.

She has been involved in several other Marley family businesses under the Tuff Gong umbrella, including Tuff Gong International, House of Marley, Screen Rant reported. Cedella most recently helped produce Bob Marley: One Love, Today reported.

Ziggy Marley

Perhaps Bob’s most well-known son, Ziggy was born on Oct.17, 1968, to him and Rita. To date, he still has a successful music career, releasing seven solo albums. He is also the founder of Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment, a nonprofit that seeks to help children worldwide, especially in Jamaica and Ethiopia.

Like Cedella, Ziggy has penned several children’s books, a cookbook, and created his own comic book, MarijuanaMan, Screen Rant reported. Ziggy also produced Bob Marley: One Love.

Stephen Marley

Born in Wilmington, Del., Stephen is the youngest of Bob and Rita’s biological children. He has won three Grammys with Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers, two more as a producer and three times as a solo artist. He has worked alongside the likes of Nas, the Fugees and Erykah Badu.

Stephen also co-founded the Ghetto Youths Foundation with his younger brothers Damian and Julian Marley. The foundation’s Instagram page notes it’s committed to supporting underprivileged people around the world.

Robert Marley Jr.

Born on May 16, 1972, Robert is Bob’s son with Pat Williams. To not be confused for his father, he normally goes by Robbie. He’s appeared in the 2011’s Marley Africa Roadtrip, which chronicled his trip around Africa with his siblings Ziggy and Rohan, Screen Rant reported. Marley’s namesake also made a cameo in 2012 documentary Marley, where he spoke about his famous father’s legacy.

His Instagram bio describes him as “a graphic artist who also writes poetry.”

Rohan Marley

Born exactly three days after Robbie, Rohan is Bob’s son with Janet Hunt. Between 1996 and 2009, he was in a relationship with musician Lauryn Hill, and the two have five children together. In 2009, he co-founded Marley Coffee, a company committed to producing sustainably-farmed coffee.

“Bob Marley dreamt of one day putting his passion of music into farming,” the coffee company’s website reads. “Through his son Rohan Marley, that dream was finally brought to life.”

Karen Marley

Though her mother, Janet Bowen is English, Karen grew up in Jamaica with her other siblings. She is the owner of a self-titled fashion brand, which manufactures pieces from ethically-sourced material.

Stephanie Marley

Born to Rita and a man named Ital, on Aug. 17, 1974, Stephanie was adopted by Bob and bears the Marley name. According to Today, she’s worked with the Bob Marley Museum and the Bob Marley Foundation. The 52-year-old is currently the director of the Rita Marley Foundation.

Julian Marley

Julian is the only one of Bob’s sons to be born in the United Kingdom, where he grew up with his mother, Lucy Pounder. Like many of his siblings, he’s had a successful music career, releasing his first debut album, Lion In The Morning, in 1996. A Time & Place, Awake, and As I Am, followed. Though Awake and As I am earned the singer Grammy nominations, it was 2023’s Colors Of Royal that gave Julian a golden gramophone of his own in 2024, the Grammy Awards reported.

Ky-Mani Marley

Ky-Mani Marley, Bob’s son with Anita Belnavis, was born on Feb. 26, 1976. He, too, is an accomplished musician, having also worked with the Fugees. He has released seven studio albums since his 1996 debut, Like Father Like Son.

Damian Marley

The youngest of Bob’s children, Damian was born to Miss World 1976, Cindy Breakspeare, on July 21, 1978. Of course, he is also a celebrated and Grammy-winning musician. He has also dabbled in the cannabis/CBD industry. According to Billboard, in 2016, he converted a California prison into a weed farm. He also owns a dispensary in Colorado.

Though he hasn’t released a studio album since 2017’s Stony Hill, he’s been featured in several singles over the years, including Karol G’s “Love With A Quality,” Common and PJ Morton’s 2020 song “What Do You Say (Move It Baby), and Sean Paul’s “No Fear.” He made his solo artist comeback in July 2023, when he released a cover of George Harrison’s classic 1970 song “My Sweet Lord.” The following year, he released “Wiseman,” which he also produced,, the Jamaica Star reported.

Makeda Marley

Makeda Jahnesta Marley owns a cannabis business in New JerseyMarley’s youngest child, Makeda Jahnesta Marley, whose mother is Yvette Crichton, was born just weeks after he died in 1981, Today reported. After legal troubles involving marijuana in 2020, she’s gone on to own a cannabis business that was given the green light in New Jersey in 2022. Her Instagram bio says she’s a DJ and motivational speaker.

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