Julian Marley

We know what you're thinking. Another Marley? Truth be told, reggae legend Bob Marley had a lot of children, many of whom have chosen to follow in their father's footsteps. Julian was born in London in 1975 and moved down to Jamaica at 18. There he linked up with half-brothers Ziggy and Stephen Marley, both members of the Melody Makers and proprietors of the family-run Ghetto Youths International label/production company.

Julian's early material was a near-reflection of his father's more celebrated work. More recently, however, the youth has been moving into his own. Late last year saw the release of A Time and Place (Tuff Gong), a reflective and positive effort whose best moments recall the glory days of reggae music. Tunes such as "Build Together" and "Couldn't Be the One" are sheer roots anthems. Conversely, he's also found that fusing elements of jazz, funk, and hip-hop, as on the track "Harder Dayz," allows him to shake off the enormous expectations that surround him as a Marley. The album stands as yet another worthy effort on behalf of the extremely talented Marley clan.