On May 11, 1981 the King of Reggae Bob Marley died of cancer, at the age of 36 in Miami, Florida. Marley was a singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist who achieved international fame and took reggae to the world. Starting in 1963, with the group The Wailers, he forged a distinctive songwriting and vocal style that would later resonate with audiences worldwide.

After the Wailers disbanded in 1974, Marley pursued a solo career upon his relocation to England that culminated in the release of the album Exodus in 1977. This established his worldwide reputation and produced his status as one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time, with sales of more than 75 million records. Exodus stayed on the British album charts for fifty-six consecutive weeks. It included four UK hit singles: “Exodus”, “Waiting in Vain”, “Jamming”, and “One Love”. In 1978 he released the album Kaya, which included the hit singles “Is This Love” and “Satisfy My Soul”.