With a legendary lyricist like Lauryn Hill as his mother, it’s no wonder that Joshua Nesta Marley (known to the world as YG Marley) is following in her footsteps already. The 22-year-old is a natural on the stage as he’s been joining his mom since childhood, and has been performing original material for audiences since 2013. A decade later, his debut single “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” landed Marley on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song samples his late grandfather, Bob Marley’s 1978 hit, “Crisis,” and that nostalgia is just part of what helped the track go viral on TikTok. As a result of his hard work, the New Jersey-raised creative was invited to perform at Coachella in 2024, though some would say YG Marley’s parents’ famous names helped land him the gig too.
Who Are YG Marley’s Parents?
Hill spent 15 years by Jamaican footballer Rohan Marley’s side, and while the pair was never legally married, they did create a unique spiritual union that saw the birth of five children. Their eldest, Zion Marley, was born in August 1997, and the “Ex-Factor” hitmaker credits him as a lesson in choosing herself. “Having Zion helped me realize what was really important,” she shared the year after his birth.
“I had made a lot of decisions for other people more than myself – which women tend to do. A lot of people were against my having a child so early, and at that point in my career. After the success of ‘The Score,’ I was suddenly forced to go off the road, because I was seven or eight months pregnant. It was one of the first things I did where I put my happiness first. Zion is now the father of Zephaniah and Azaria, making Lauryn and Rohan proud grandparents.
The famous duo’s second child is multi-talent Selah Marley, who came in November 1998. After the awesome success of her debut LP, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, she chose to focus on her family instead of further pursuing myself. It seems the former Fugee singer’s talent lived on through her children, as both Selah and her younger brother Joshua have released music in recent years. YG Marley’s parents are supportive of his artistic career, and they even performed “Praise Jah in the Moonlight” and “Survival” together on The Tonight Show in May 2024.
Hill and Marley’s final two children, John and Sara, were born in 2003 and 2008 respectively. At the time, the athlete spoke to People about his partner’s decision to step out of the spotlight. “She loves [suburban life], being with her children, seeing them grow and instilling our teachings of righteousness into them,” he said.
Even after their 2009 split, they do their best to co-parent their five children respectfully. “As a man, there are certain things I don’t accept. And it just so happened that I didn’t accept certain things [in the relationship]. It doesn’t mean she’s a bad person, or I’m a bad person; it just didn’t work out,” Marley told The Voice in the years after ending their spiritual marriage. “In terms of being a mother and father to our children, it’s good. It’s not as perfect as one might want it to be, it’s just the way the road went.”
Rohan Marley Has 12 Children With Numerous Women
YG Marley’s parents do their best to show up for their five kids, but outside of that, Rohan has seven other children from different relationships. The Jamaican has two kids from his marriage to Geraldine Khawly, who he divorced in 1996 and he welcomed another with Brazilian model Barbara Fialho. Marley and the latter were wed in 2019 only to divorce in 2020, but that hasn’t stopped him from looking for love again. Most recently, the 52-year-old has been spotted with Cuban-American model Maytee Martinez, who helps keep him disciplined.
“My Cuban girlfriend ain’t playing that… She love my children. She give me that respect… but to do that, you have to be a father and you have to be committed to your children and you have to know that it’s your responsibility as a man,” he shared on Drink Champs. Elsewhere on the show, Marley explained his approach to fatherhood, saying, “I feel like I have a lot of children that I need now to build them, build their characters build leaders and have my own little army.”
Retired Footballer’s Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Will Go to Trial
The retired CFL player’s energy can’t be solely dedicated to his kids as he’s up against a sexual harassment and hostile work environment lawsuit. His company’s former CEO, Chloe Villano, claims that Marley demanded sexual exclusivity from her during her one-year stint as an employee from 2021 to 2022. In addition, the father of 12 allegedly demanded permission to impregnate his CEO in exchange for her stake in the company. In February 2024, a judge denied Marley’s request to have the case thrown out after ruling it could proceed to trial the month before.
Lauryn Hill Halted Her Music Career to Focus on Motherhood
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill remains one of the most-talked-about hip-hop albums to this day, and many music lovers fail to understand why the genius behind it stepped away from the industry after such a positive reaction. Those with children of their own naturally have more empathy for the 49-year-old’s decision; because she put herself and her offspring first, Selah, YG and their siblings can thrive in the world of entertainment. “My mom had a studio in our house and I would go there and she was always making music and she was always doing something creative on tour. It definitely really inspired me,” the former dished to W Magazine in 2017.
It turns out YG Marley’s parents both have children with other people; Lauryn’s sixth, Micah Hill, was born in July 2011. In a statement on Twitter/X, the Grammy Award winner confirmed that Rohan isn’t the father of her youngest, and to this day the young boy’s paternal roots remain unknown. “Contrary to the numerous reports, Mr. Marley did not abandon me wile pregnant with his child,” the “Killing Me Softly” songstress shot back at gossip blogs. “We had had long periods of separation over the years but our drive children together remain a joy to both of us.”
