"Live for yourself and you will live in vain. Live for others, and you will live again." Throughout Bob Marley's illustrious career, he inspired many to live a happier and more compassionate life though the emotional words of his music. His music was not just about making money, but about enlightening other people. Bob Marley grew up in the dangerous slums of Trenchtown, Jamaica during the 1950's. He was surrounded by crime and poverty, but instead of letting this hold him back, he pursued his dreams and eventually achieved them. He joined a group called the Wailers with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer. Within a few years, they achieved success throughout Jamaica. In 1975, the group broke up and Marley went solo (Salewicz 46-48). .
Unlike many artists, Bob Marley wanted more than money and fame. He wanted to make a change in the world by spreading his ideas through music. His lyrics changed the lives of many people throughout the whole world. He was given many awards such as Jamaica's Order of Merit and the U.N Peace Medal of Third World Nations. Bob Marley was inspired by his troubling upbringing, religion, and want for peace in the world to inspire other people in the world, and in return he achieved feats that many musicians only dream of accomplishing. To begin, growing up in Trenchtown was a big inspiration to Marley's success and contribution to the world. Trenchtown was a harsh slum filled with crime and poverty. Many of Marley's friends never made it out of Trenchtown and lived in poverty for most of their lives. Instead of being involved with gangs and crime, he focused on his music and spirituality. He used his tough upbringing to influence his song writing and philosophy on life. "In his brief life, Bob Marley rose from poverty and obscurity to international stardom, becoming the first third world artist to be acclaimed to that degree" (Goldsworthy 138). Marley was one of the few to make it out of Trenchtown, which is a common occurrence in many slums throughout the world.