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Throughout his life, Bob Marley was a high-profile advocate of Rastafari beliefs. Seventy years after his birth in the melting pot of Jamaica—and almost 35 years since his death on May 11, 1981—Newsweek explores the music, ideology and life of this revered artist in a 70th Anniversary special edition. July 23, 1892, saw the birth of a prince in Ethiopia whose life and legacy would have implications no one could have then known. Standing just 5'4" when fully grown, Ras Tafari Makonnen was physically unimposing, yet by the time he ascended to the ancient throne that was his birthright as a descendant of the biblical King Solomon, it was said that even those closest to Ras Tafari were unable to look him in the eye. Meanwhile in the Christian melting pot of Jamaica, where Catholics, Methodists, the Church of England, Calvinists, Jehovah’s Witnesses and numerous other sects had found a home, biblical scholars were beginning to pay attention to Ras Tafari in the context of the biblical prophecy that stated a King of Kings, of Jesse’s line, would be crowned in the land of David. This King of Kings was said to be the second coming of Jesus, and the scholars who attached the Ethiopian prince to the savior with woolen hair and feet as black as burning brass were effectively the first Rastas. Odd and ominous stories began to pop up regarding Ras Tafari —in one, a priest who looked at his palms was said to have seen the wounds of stigmata, as well as a lifeline that bent back on itself into the symbol for infinity. By the time the emperor visited Jamaica in April 1966, the Rasta faith had grown to such proportions that 100,000 people crowded the tarmac near Kingston. Bob Marley’s life was unknowingly changed by Haile Selassie I’s visit to Jamaica. Bob’s new wife, Rita, put on her finest dress on April 21, 1966, and made her way to Palisadoes Airport with a group of friends. But along the way to the airport, they were impeded by a crowd welcoming Selassie’s motorcade. As the car passed, Rita made eye contact with the emperor and claimed to see stigmata wounds on his hands. The person closest to Bob was converted, and before long Bob himself was meeting with Rasta leader Mortimer Planno, who was of such high standing in the community that it was he who calmed the crowd at Palisadoes Airport when Haile Selassie I arrived. Planno took Bob along with him, after much theorizing and commiseration in Trenchtown, to Rasta encampments in the interior of Jamaica and introduced him to the Rasta way of life, from growing dreads to keeping rigid dietary restrictions to smoking “herb” to the elaborate ceremonies conducted on April 21 to commemorate Haile Selassie’s Jamaica visit. As Rasta spread from Jamaica across the world to the West African diaspora and the Western markets alike, it was the music of Bob Marley and the Wailers that, more than any other act, carried the movement’s ideals to new ears. As police in Jamaica continued to treat Rastas as second-class citizens, their creeds were accepted by the world with aplomb. By the time the band was named Rolling Stone’s band of the year in 1976, Haile Selassie I had passed, but Bob summed up the beliefs of every Rasta with the lyrics “Jah lives, Selassie I live, children.” This article is excerpted from a Newsweek Special Edition, Bob Marley—The Official 70th Anniversary Tribute, by Issue Editor Tim Baker.

Trinidad and Tobago-based production houses Simply Natural Family (SNF) and Bar16 Music conjure power soca vibes on the JuJu Riddim , available worldwide from all major digital retailers on January 15, 2016,with pre-order available now, from FOX FUSE . The high-energy, power soca compilation boasts four tracks and includes Skinny Banton featuring Mr. Killawith “We Pumping,” Remixah with “Ricochet” and Marlon D Manager with “ Jumbie, ” along with the“ Juju Riddim (Instrumental) .” SNF was established over five years ago and is fronted by producer Robert “SN” Baptiste , who has been crafting a special brand of soca music to satisfy carnival-lovers year round, and the JuJu Riddim keeps that mission alive. TRACK LIST 1. Skinny Banton Featuring Mr. Killa - We Pumping 2. Remixah - Ricochet 3. Marlon D Manager - Jumbie 4. Simply Natural Family and Bar16 Music - Juju Riddim (Instrumental)

AdvoKit Production ups the ante for the 2016 Trinidad Carnival season with its new hit compilation Road Trip Riddim , available worldwide from all major digital retailers on January 15, 2016, with pre-order available now, from FOX FUSE. AdvoKit Productions ended 2015 on a high note with its massively successful Kan Kan Riddim being one of the top releases in soca music, and looks forward to delivering these new anthems for the soca massive globally. The smooth and groovy Road Trip Riddim spawns four tracks and is helmed by soca star Machel Montano with his invitation to the masses to join him on a “ Road Trip ” to Carnival. Soca senstation Dale Ryan promises he is different with “ Find Meh (Different)” and AdvoKit sings an ode to the ladies with “ Pretty. ” Based in Diego Martin in Trinidad and Tobago, AdvoKit Productions is captained producer Kitwana Israel, who had been producing music for over 12 years as a hobby, before officially establishing his professional production house in 2012. He ups his game as an artist and “ Pretty ” is his debut release, under his fitting performer name AdvoKit. With fingers on the pulse of soca music, AdvoKit Productions is bound to have another success year, taking all of us along for this thrilling road trip. TRACK LIST 1. Machel Montano - Road Trip 2. Dale Ryan - Find Meh (Different) 3. AdvoKit - Pretty 4. AdvoKit Productions - Road Trip Riddim (Instrumental)

West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle has been fined $10,000 for the incident and his club, the Melbourne Renegades, for an " inappropriate conduct " after he asked a TV reporter for a date in a live interview. He was speaking to journalist Mel McLaughlin during a Big Bash League T20 match in Hobart on Monday. Gayle was answering questions from Network Ten's McLaughlin after a match when he made the remark, which was widely condemned as sexist. "To see your eyes for the first time is nice. Hopefully we can have a drink afterwards. Don't blush baby, " he said. Gayle has since apologized, but that the reaction was "out of proportion". The former West Indies Test captain told reporters on Tuesday: " There wasn't anything meant to be disrespectful or offensive to Mel. If she felt that way, I'm really sorry for that. "It was a simple joke. The game was going on. Entertainment, things get out of proportion but these things happen." McLaughlin has said his date request was "a little bit disappointing because I'm not used to seeing that" It’s not the first time Gayle has been involved in an inappropriate interview. In 2014, he responded to a female reporter’s question about pitch conditions by saying, “Well I haven’t touched yours yet, so I don’t know how it feels.” Do you think Gayle went too far with his comment?

Misleading headline alert: I do indeed deem Villa Being the most fabulous villa on the Caribbean island of Tobago. But in fact the uber-chic property actually feels not like one villa but many—a collection of marvelous mini-homes that seem to have miraculously sprouted in the hills of a lush tropical rainforest, obliterating the line between inside and out. Villa Being, Tobago The property is just 20 minutes from the airport, in the town of Arnos Vale , but you’d never know it; 180 feet above the Caribbean Sea, nestled amid the mangoes, coconuts and papayas of a five-acre organic-fruit estate, Villa Being is not so much otherworldly as no-worldly: Stay here and suddenly there is no world but this very lovely, very faraway one. The décor is essentially Caribbean chic—think bright tropical colors, vivid Carnival CCL -0.61% masks and Caribbean culture books scattered about—but postmodern-pastiche touches, like church-style spires and a bit of Spanish hacienda flair, are playfully perfect. Behold the best features of this best villa: THE BEING SCULPTURE It’s the first thing you lay eyes on upon entering the villa gate: a blue-tiled square in the midst of a grassy terrace, surrounded by four white pillars. What is it?A Yoga pavillian? A funky walk-in sculpture? The caretaker said something about Feng Shui and “cleansing energy” and morning meditation, but whatever it is, I love it. THE POOL It’s said to be an engineering marvel: the only pool in the Caribbean built entirely on stilts. And it feels like one, so precipitously perched over a seaside cliff that every time you swim in the salt water—no chlorine here!—you imagine you’re about to plunge directly into Caribbean waters. Infinity pool at Villa Being THE ROMANTIC ROOM Villa Being has three separate bedrooms, a glass-enclosed living room, a high-tech kitchen and several open dining areas, all connected by stone walkways and grassy lawns. But the “Romantic Room” is the crown jewel of them all. A four-poster bed is surrounded by a dozen doors opening to the sea; a charming loft overhead provides access to a private-pool terrace, and the spacious bathroom is in its own luxurious cove next door. THE SHOWERS Each bedroom features an outdoor shower. Not just any outdoor shower: Like the pool, all hang dramatically over the cliff, as if suspended in mid-air. I waved to passing yachts while washing my hair. THE SOUNDS Nature’s orchestra can be heard at all times, from anywhere in the villa. Cicadas in the bush, frogs in the mini-pond, wind whistling through banana trees, and, most prominent of all, the 220 native species of birds that make Tobago a birder’s paradise: it’s nothing short of a Villa Being symphony. Being-tobago.com (Forbes) ......................................................................................................... About the author, Baz Dreisinger I am: writer, globetrotter, professor, culture-hound. Born and raised in New York City, with one foot fixed in the Caribbean, I have written about travel, the arts and identity politics for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and many more; I produce on-air segments about global music and culture for National Public Radio (NPR). I am ceaselessly curious, fearless in my journeys, relentlessly ravenous to see and learn more. My global routes marry luxury with local, which is the essence of this travel blog: Welcome to a place where wanderlust meets culture-lust, where otherworldly high-end meets rootsy down-home.

WIZ Records propels classic soca sounds on its latest compilation De Throwback Riddim , available worldwide from all major digital retailers on January 8, 2016, with pre-order available now, from FOX FUSE . Producer Shawn “Mr. Roots” Mitchell, who is at the helm of WIZ Records, has seen plenty of his recent releases become mainstays on soca charts and playlists, and have been taking center stage at the various carnival celebrations around the Caribbean. De Throwback Riddim features four groovy tunes and showcases soca stars Benjai with “20/20,” Ricardo Drue & Blaxx with “Day Ones (Good Company),” Cassi with “Two Dumplings” and P upa Leendi with “Rum.” The calypso-infused, groovy soca rhythm scores another set of hits for WIZ Records, and keeps the studio and the respective artists in steady play for the 2016 Carnival season. TRACK LIST 1. Benjai - 20/20 2. Ricardo Drue & Blaxx - Day Ones (Good Company) 3. Cassi - Two Dumplings 4. Pupa Leendi – Rum

Trinidadian pistol Edghill “MX Prime” Thomas fires off two new hits with “ City Of Love” and “ Hot Like Fiyah, ” both now available worldwide from all major digital retailers (released on December 18, 2015), from FOX FUSE. MX Prime , formerly known as Maximus Dan , is a well-known radio personality-turned soca entertainer and his ragga soca-meets-EDM fusion brings a unique flair to soca music. “ City Of Love ” and “Hot Like Fiyah” are both high-energy, up-tempo dance tracks fueled with rapid-fire lyrics from MX Prime , and are bound to get your hands and flags up whenever you hear them. The thrilling tracks are sure club bangers and shine a spotlight on dance and EDM music originating from the Caribbean. Both tracks are produced by MX Prime , as he evolves as a bonafide triple threat, from radio deejay to soca star and music producer, finding even more ways to reach the ears of his fans across the world.

A cricket star’s comments to a female reporter during an interview broadcast live on Australian television is drawing scorn. Chris Gayle, who plays for the Melbourne Renegades of the Big Bash League, while leading his team to a win Monday night, suggested to television reporter Mel McLaughlin that the pair go out for a drink. He added, “Don’t blush, baby,” during an awkward pause in the interview. The comments drew heavy criticism on social media and were described by Anthony Everard, head of the BBL, as “disrespectful and simply inappropriate.” Channel 10 head of sport David Barham was quoted by the Herald Sun newspaper as saying the network was deeply offended and was seeking an apology. The BBL, one of a growing number of domestic Twenty20 cricket tournaments, is a TV ratings winner in Australia and drew a crowd of 80,000 for a game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground over the weekend. “I wanted to have an interview with you as well, that’s why I’m here,” Gayle said live on national television. “I get to see your eyes for the first time, it’s nice. Hopefully we can win and go for a drink after.” As part of the broadcasts, some players wear cameras on their caps or batting helmets and are involved in live interviews during the action. Barham told the Sun Herald that Gayle would no longer be fitted with a microphone for on-field comments. Renegades chief executive Stuart Coventry said he agreed that Gayle’s comments were out of line. “We’ll certainly be talking to him in association with Cricket Australia about it,” Coventry said. “The Melbourne Renegades is all about its appeal to kids, families and females. “There’s just no place for that sort of behavior.” With AP and News.com.au

Grenadian hit house Monsta Entertainment is armed with new jams on its latest compilation Greenz Warriors Riddim, available worldwide from all major digital retailers on January 8, 2016, with pre-order available now, from FOX FUSE. Short and sweet with three tracks, the Greenz Warriors Riddim delivers dancehall and hip hop fusion sounds. It showcases Grenadian entertainers Muddy with “The Streets” and Mighty Flex with “ Mama Crying Out ,”along with the “ Greenz Warriors Riddim (Instrumental).” Monsta Entertainment , formerly known as J.R.E Productions, is helmed by producerJude “J.R.E” Robertson, who first made a name for himself in the music game by crafting hits for most of Grenada’s top artists. He continues to bring Grenadian music to the international audience and the Greenz Warriors Riddim is another great addition to his growing catalog. TRACK LIST 1. Muddy - The Streets 2. Mighty Flex - Mama Crying Out 3. Monsta Entertainment - Greenz Warriors Riddim (Instrumental)

Trinidadian hit house MillBeatz Entertainment adds another jewel to its fan favorite Orchestra Riddim with “Soca Virus” by Destra Garcia , available worldwide from all major digital retailers on January 8, 2016,with pre-order available now, from FOX FUSE. The riddim was originally released in late 2015 and now adds this brand new tune for 2016 Trinidad Carnival season, much to the delight of soca fans everywhere. Producer David “ MillBeatz ” Millien teams the “ Queen of Bacchanal ” for this infectious track, which was penned by Garcia and Anthony “ Breezy 868 ” Joseph. The groovy rhythm brings beautiful island vibes for revelers beyond carnival and is bound to find a home on playlists internationally. Regularly combining native sounds including soca, chutney, calypso, Latin, reggae and dancehall, Millien has managed to capture and fuse the essence of Caribbean music into each of his productions for MillBeatz Entertainment. This strong addition to theOrchestra Riddim keeps the studio on the frontlines for the 2016 soca season

Recently the second cycle of Caribbean's Next Top Model came to an end and after weeks of intense competitions and exciting challenges, Kittisha Doyle from Grenada capped the title. Doyle, is nineteen and six feet tall, has been modelling for a number of years and began making her dream a reality by signing with a modelling agency in Grenada. As the winner of Caribbean's Next Top Model Cycle 2 , Doyle was awarded US$25,000 in cash, an international modelling agency contract with Mint Model Management NY , a cover feature and editorial in SHE magazine , an iPhone with three months of free calls up to $500 USD per month, a digital painting by Tani Kunitake of Cyber Blue Productions , which will be featured in the graphic story book for the film ' Cerulean' by Tani Kunitake shot by Pedro Virgil Photography, and an invitation for a walk-on role in the film 'Cerulean.' Caribbean's Next Top Model Cycle 2, is sponsored by Flow and is produced by Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam . The reality television competition is based on the original production America's Next Top Model . The series is hosted by Fitzwilliam who is accompanied by fellow judges; international photographer, Pedro Virgil and Caribbean fashion expert, Richard Young . Over 20 finalists from across the Caribbean vied for the top spot in the competition. Casting calls were held in Barbados, Cayman, Jamaica and Trinidad, as well as online. To be part of the next Caribbean's Next Top Model - Season 3 Visit here. Casting ends January 31, 2016

Dancehalll recording artiste Kirvan Cole , known as Desperado , will be changing his very popular stage name to ‘ Prado’ to start the New Year. The artiste, who re-energized his recording career in 2015 after being off the scene for a number of years, sees this rebranding move as a positive one for 2016. “The change has to do with a fresh new look, sound and attitude, reinventing Desperado as Prado relates to what is going on now for my career. It is also an acronym that stands for Proud, Righteous And Determined One ” Desperado shared. Desperado ; who first propelled to stardom in the early 2000’s with singles like Line-up/ Style-up on the Applause Riddim, Big Pimpin on the Juice riddim, and Desperado on the Diwali Riddim, has seen his career blossom in 2015 with the brand new single Turn Wid Yuh Liquor. The single hit number 1 for two weeks on the Jamaica Dancehall Single Charts and climbed on charts in U.S., Italy, Germany, the UK and other parts of Europe. Turn Wid Yuh Liquor also hit the Reggae Top 10 Playlist in the United States. The music video for the single also charted on Entertainment Report on TVJ, Hype Tv and other video charts in Jamaica. With the rebranding to Prado , Desperado believes this continues his 2015 mandate, presenting the people with a new and improved sound and image, releasing new material that consists of the high energy dancehall feel, social commentary and other hardcore and conscious songs. “I definitely have lots to say and will allow the music to speak for itself in 2016, prepare for a combination’ of fun songs and conscious material from Prado” Desperado added. For 2016 Prado is putting energies behind new singles while still keeping the attention on his hit single ‘ Turn Wid Yuh Liquor ’. New singles include ‘Wild Out’ on the Wild Out Riddim produced by Baby G as well as ‘No Prison’ produced by chart topping artistes RDX on their Apt. 19 label.