In 1976, while on assignment in Jamaica for Time magazine, David Burnett photographed Bob Marley for the first time, and Burnett became so entranced by Marley’s charisma that he continued to document the reggae king throughout his groundbreaking European “Exodus” tour.
Burnett’s vision, coupled with Marley’s larger-than-life charisma, resulted in an amazing collection of images, only a handful of which appeared in the Time article. The other photos - more than 200 in all - appear for the first time in Soul Rebel.
This stunning visual biography offers a rare look at Marley’s personal life in Jamaica, as well as the exodus from his home country that culminated in his tragic death in 1981. Though it focused on Marley, Burnett’s work also canvassed a wide array of up-and-coming reggae talents, providing striking early looks at Peter Tosh, Lee Scratch Perry, Burning Spear, and Ras Michael. Compelling and incomparably candid, Soul Rebel is a remarkable testament to the legacy of a legend.
