Bob Marley's long-lost son?

Thirty-one years since the death of reggae icon Robert Nesta Marley, another reggae artiste has emerged claiming to be his offspring.

Forty-two-year old Fabian 'Gong Kid' Marley, says he is also a son of Bob Marley, which would make him the second sibling following Ziggy Marley, who is forty-four. Both Fabian and Ziggy were born in Trench Town.

According to Fabian Marley during a recent interview with Saudicka Diaram on Dwrap, his mother left Trench Town with him while he was just a child and he does not remember much about his father.

"Mi madda carry mi guh check him, but mi a baby, mi neva know nothing much dem time deh. But after dat, she leave out of the ghetto for some reason sey she wah uplift from the ghetto, suh a so me lose contact as a youth. Getting back contact now a when mi a big youth - because my bredda dem know mi," he said.

According to Fabian Marley, persons are curious as to where he was over the years and even question the authenticity of his claim.

"Most people marvel and sey, 'wait deh a wey him did deh?' But it's nothing for them to be surprised, because mi fada did sey dem a guh tired fi see him face. Di whol' world see it and know it because nobody cyah come imitate nuh Marley, from dem look and see, dem know sey a muss di man pickney," he said.

Noticed a transformation

Fabian Marley also believes that his musical calling was summoned by Bob Marley's spirit.

"My father spirit nuh leave me. About a month ago, I vision see him at the studio where I was. He was in a full blue suit and he came with a mic in a box, a cordless mic and a brand new guitar, an him sey 'gwaan duh wey yu a duh mi son'. From that, I notice a transformation in my voice and when I am rehearsing and recording I feel the presence of him," he said.

The WEEKEND STAR made attempts to get a follow-up comment from Fabian Marley, however, efforts proved futile.

His local manager Neil Walters informed The WEEKEND STAR, however, that Fabian Marley experienced trouble getting his music played because of uncertainty on the part of disc jocks.

"The only thing left to do is to just make the world know that he is Bob Marley's son. We have had some trouble getting DJs to play his music, because they are not sure if he is real," he said.

"His song Gong Kid is doing good and it is being distributed by Johnny Wonder, and now everybody is calling him Gong Kid. He has a real reggae vibe and he sounds like his father Bob Marley," Walters said.

The WEEKEND STAR contacted Bob Marley's best friend, iconic footballer Allan 'Skill' Cole about this new revelation. However, Cole says Bob made no mention about having another son.
"I know the person, but I have never heard him mentioned by Bob before ... but anything is possible, I cyah say yes and I cyah say no. I don't know of that relationship, but anything is possible. All he has to do is a DNA test, simple as that," Cole said.

In the meantime, Fabian Marley is working on his debut album called Nature's Valentine and is set for a December release.

(from Jamaica Star)