On August 4, VH1 premiered the “Marley” documentary chronicling the life and legacy of the reggae superstar and cultural icon. The network will not be replaying the program again but it will be available on DVD starting August 7. There have been numerous books written on Marley and even a Biography Channel tell-all but none compare to the depth and detail of this one. What makes “Marley” effective is that his inner circle including his widow Rita, his longtime companion Cindy Breakspeare, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell, his children, and countless members of his band and entourage tell his story. With all the music that we’ve heard from Marley, many in his family members were not aware of a song he recorded called “Cornerstone” that is played for his half-brother and half-sister for the first time during the documentary. The track was written after he was rejected by his white father after seeking his help for transporting his records. The song’s hook shows Marley’s incredible songwriting in its early stages as it repeats, “The stone that the builder refused will always be the head cornerstone.”
While the film portrays Marley as a musical genius it also shows him as a womanizer who had 11 children by nine different women. But even though Marley is no longer here, the movie still allows his to answer the questions of his apparent infidelity He is also labeled as politically naïve for constantly putting himself in danger for causes he believed in.
The “Marley” DVD will be available on August 7 but only Best buy offers the best price at $12.99 as well as an exclusive bonus disc featuring three Manhattan Center concert performances from June 21, 1975 and a photo gallery slideshow.