Bob Marley performing in Zurich, 1980. Photo: wiki commons.

Today would have been the 67th birthday of Bob Marley – the reggae musician who created the legendary hits “I Shot the Sheriff”,  “One Love”, “Iron Lion Zion”, and countless others.

The musician had direct links to the Jewish community and his son Ziggie, who is also an acclaimed musician told Ynet last year:

“The history of our connection to the roots of Israel, to David, Solomon, goes way before I met my wife. My father, my Rastafari culture, has a tight link to the Jewish culture. We have a strong connection from when I was a young boy and read the Bible, the Old Testament.”

DeScribe, the Brooklyn based hasidic rapper who is friendly with Rohan Marley – another of Bob’s sons – spoke to The Algemeiner on Monday about reggae’s leading family and their relationship with the Jewish community.

“Bob Marley had a Jewish father.  He was a British Jewish guy.  They take a lot of pride in their Jewish connection, the Marleys,” he said.

DeScribe added that while Marley was a Rastafarian, “everyone loves Bob Marley, it doesn’t matter what religion they are.”