Ziggy Marley Teaches Us How to Listen to Reggae

This week on the Track Star Podcast, Ziggy Marley joins us to talk about his passion for reggae, the musical inspirations that shaped him, and the legacy he carries as part of reggae’s most influential family. Jack guides Ziggy through a conversation about the genre’s legends, and together they explore some of the artists who helped define reggae from its earliest days.

The discussion begins with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, who, alongside Bob Marley, formed The Wailers in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1963. From those Jamaican roots, the conversation travels through time to other pivotal voices in the genre, including Toots Hibbert and Burning Spear. Along the way, Ziggy reflects on the powerful role community played in shaping reggae and driving its message from the very beginning.

The episode also turns to Ziggy’s work as a producer on the biopic Bob Marley: One Love, which tells the story of his father’s life and legacy. Jack and Ziggy discuss the unique power of music in film, highlighting figures like Jimmy Cliff, who starred in one of the first Jamaican feature films to introduce reggae music to a global audience.

This Episode’s Tracklist:

00:00 - Intro

00:30 - Simmer Down - Bob Marley & The Wailers

3:08 - The Tide is High - The Paragons

3:38 - The Tide is High - Blondie

5:45 - Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear

11:10 - Equal Rights - Peter Tosh

14:06 - Pressure Drop - Toots & The Maytals

17:35 - Tomorrow People- Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

18:48 - Genius Love - Tom Tom Club

20:35 - The Boy’s Doin’ It - Hugh Masekela

21:47 - Here Comes the Hotstepper - iNi Kamoze

24:45 - Racism Is A Killa - Ziggy Marley

27:57 - No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley & The Wailers

32:24 - The Harder They Come - Jimmy Cliff