Ziggy Marley Explains Why He Said He Is Not Black

Bob Marley’s eldest son Ziggy Marley explains why he famously said he is not black.
Ziggy Marley recently wrote on Facebook that he is not black and received some backlash for it. I should also note that he also said he is not white either. According to the reggae legend, some fans just misunderstood what he said and the broader messaging that he was conveying. If he is not black or white, then what is he?

A source close to the singer told Urban Islandz that Ziggy Marley sees himself as a black man of African ancestry, but also sees himself as a human being. “We are all humans whether you’re black, white, brown, or purple, and that is just what he is saying ‘I am human,’” sources told us.

When Ziggy Marley made the statement, he was promoting his self-titled album which was released in 2016. The project is centered around the theme of who we are as a human being with singles like “We Are The People,” “I’m Not Made Of Stone,” and “Better Together” where Ziggy sings about love and unity among the human race.

In 2015, Ziggy Marley shared this poem.

I’m not a Buddhist, I’m not a Christian, I’m not a Muslim,
I’m not a jew.
I’m not a what, I am a who.
I’m not black, I’m not white, I’m not yellow, I’m not blue.
I’m not a what, I am a who.
I’m not a communist, I’m not a capitalist, I’m not a socialist
I’ve got a view.
But I’m not a what, I am a who.
A being free minded, labels just won’t do
my life isn’t predetermined, I evolved as I grew
so when we meet don’t ask me what I am but ask me who,
and I’ll tell a deep tale of a person just like you.
I am not a what, I am a who. Who Are You?