Entertainment
Ky-Mani's book stirs controversy
Dear Dad — the story the Marley family didn’t want you to know
AFP
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
MIAMI, USA (AFP) -- A son of reggae legend Bob Marley, Ky-Mani Marley, has written a new book claiming he was deprived of his father's fortune for years unlike his half-brothers and half-sisters, sparking a row that could trigger legal action.
Ky-Mani Marley's Dear Dad hit booksellers' stands February 6, when the late reggae icon would have turned 65.
It has quickly become a major headache for this 34-year-old son of Marley.
The author, aware of the family squabbling it could unleash, tried to delay its release, and to tweak the content -- but he failed.
Now, there is a dispute between Ky-Mani Marley and his editor Farrah Gray, a young businessman of 24, over the veracity of content of the book. Their clash could end up in court, both told media in the United States and Jamaica in recent days.
"The book was not an attack on my family. I love my brothers and sisters more than anyone can know," Ky-Mani Marley, a Jamaican actor and musician who is a son of Bob Marley and table tennis champ Anita Belnavis, said in a statement on his MySpace page.
The book says on its cover that it contains the "story the Marley family apparently didn't want you to know".
Among other themes, the book claims its author was kept from accessing his fathers' fortune by Marley's widow Rita. It also claims Rita Marley tried to keep the money for her children with Marley while denying financial support to his children with six other women.
"I did not expect that Dr Gray would have unprofessionally and maliciously twisted my words or use things that were discussed in confidence to create controversy in an attempt to sell a book," Ky-Mani Marley added.
"During the final edit of the book, I spoke with my sister, Cedella, and I advised Dr Farrah Gray that some changes had to be made and until the changes were made, I was not willing to do any promotion for the book," the author added.
But the editor was unmoved by what he said was the younger Marley's backtracking.
"His denials have thrown me and the publishing company under the bus. I didn't write his book, I published it. This is his story; these are his words and now I have to prove it," Gray argued.
 
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3/17/2010
KY-MANI MARLEY and DR. FARRAH GRAY MAKE AMENDS and BEGIN 27-CITY BOOK TOUR
I stand behind the content of my book “Dear Dad” 100%, published by Farrah Gray Publishing.
My story is “my story”, and I don't deny who I am or my experiences. My issue was with the subtitle only.
During the final edit of the book, I spoke with my sister, Cedella Marley, CEO of Tuff Gong Records, and I advise Dr. Farrah Gray that some changes had to be made, by the time I had the changes ready, it was the day of the printing, which would have obviously complicated the logistics, causing Farrah Gray Publishing damages and disruption. Farrah Gray Publishing felt as if the subtitle was needed to explain the complexity of the situation.
After my approaching Dr. Farrah Gray again and expressing my limited concerns, Farrah Gray Publishing has agreed to modify the subtitle on all new copies of “Dear Dad” and we are celebrating the resolution of this modification.
Dr. Gray and I will be going on a 27-city tour, both domestic and international and persevere above it all.
I have not only written and performed songs of redemption around the world like my father, but I have lived and survived to tell my own personal inspiring redemptive story in the face of abandonment.
I encourage my fans and my father's fans to read “Dear Dad”, the title derived from my hit song “Dear Dad”.
There is another issue that has hit close to home for both Dr. Gray and I: Farrah’s sister, the late Greek Gray, was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and he became the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) spokesperson. I have two young sons that suffer from sickle cell disease, ultimately inspiring me to establish my charitable “Love Over All” Foundation (LOAF).
However, here's the irony: a bone marrow transplant match is the best hope for a cure or a longer life for those afflicted with leukemia and sickle cell disease.
During the 27-city tour, he and I will launch a nationwide public awareness campaign to educate the public about the need for more Black and African American bone marrow, blood stem cell, and umbilical cord blood donors to join the NMDP Registry.
Ky-Mani Marley – Book Signing + Performance (Media Tour)
April Events
MIAMI - Thursday, April 8 – 7:30 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Kendall Village West
12405 N. Kendall Drive
(305) 598-77277
PITTSBURGH - Saturday, April 10 – 2 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Waterworks Mall
926 Freeport Road
(412) 781-2321
ATLANTA - Wednesday, April 14 – 7 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Buckhead
2900 Peachtree Rd NE
(404) 261-7747
DETROIT/DEARBORN - Friday, April 16 – 7 p.m.
Borders
5601 Mercury Drive
(313) 271-4441
COLUMBUS, OH - Sunday, April 18 – 2 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Lennox Town
1739 Olentangy River Road
(614) 298-9516
CLEVELAND/WOODMERE - Tuesday, April 20 – 7 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Eton Collection
28801 Chagrin Blvd
(216) 765-7520
OAKLAND/ALAMEDA - Thursday, April 22 – 7 p.m.
Borders
2245 South Shore Center
(510) 522 6446
LAS VEGAS - Saturday, April 24 – 1 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
3860 Maryland Parkway
(702) 734-2900
PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE - Monday, April 26 – 7 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
Desert Ridge Marketplace
21001 N. Tatum Blvd.
(480) 538-85207
SAN FRANCISCO - Wednesday - April 28 - 7 p.m.
Borders
Stonestown
233 Winston Drive
(415) 731-0665
LOS ANGELES - Friday, April 30 – 7 p.m.
Barnes & Noble
The Grove at Farmers Market
189 Grove Drive, Ste.K30
(323) 525-0270
3/17/2010
I am surprised that the children of bob`s other relationships find it difficult to tell the truth considering the difficulty that they had in being recognized. Rita was an understandingly a very angry and humiliated woman but the wrong crowd had to suffer for Bob`s infidelities as I saw firsthand with Kymani in Falmouth: his hometown. It is a widely held view that Bob`s widow saw his death as an opportunity to keep the food (wealth) from the mouths of the other children and also the remainder of the Wailers. For those who remember the court actions that the Wailers and Cindy Breakespeare (Damian`s mother) had to go through to receive their rightful share. For even a precursory idea of the fight one only need to visit the comments of the wailers during the combative years
3/17/2010
The book claims that Rita Marley tried to keep all the money for her children while denying finacial support for his outside children. Please don't blame Rita on this because these women were committing adultery. These women should be the ones in the first place to think about their children by preventing from having them since they were having sex with a married man. I strongly believe that financial support should be given to these outside children but respect should be given to Rita because it is not easy to shoulder all this burden when these women knew what they were doing. Women we should stop sleep with other women husbands!!!
3/17/2010
The CURRENT update is KY-MANI MARLEY and DR. FARRAH GRAY MADE AMENDS and have already began their 27-CITY BOOK TOUR .. All details can be found at http://kymani-marley.com/statement.php . Please update storyline with their current status. Much Thanks.
An Excerpt from Statement:
During the final edit of the book, I spoke with my sister, Cedella Marley, CEO of Tuff Gong Records, and I advise Dr. Farrah Gray that some changes had to be made, by the time I had the changes ready, it was the day of the printing, which would have obviously complicated the logistics, causing Farrah Gray Publishing damages and disruption. Farrah Gray Publishing felt as if the subtitle was needed to explain the complexity of the situation.
After my approaching Dr. Farrah Gray again and expressing my limited concerns, Farrah Gray Publishing has agreed to modify the subtitle on all new copies of “Dear Dad” and we are celebrating the resolution of this modification.
Dr. Gray and I will be going on a 27-city tour, both domestic and international and persevere above it all.
3/17/2010
This seems to be a trend with the Marley family. Didn't the son (Julian) just had the same issues with his book, where he, like Kymani, coauthored a book but wanted it changed when the Marley clan found out that what was written was unflattering to the family dynamics they like to portray.
Let’s face it, as children from Bob Marley's extramarital affairs, it is clear that they were not raised with the prestige and wealth of his children by marriage. So why should his children by marriage, or anyone in the Marley clan expect their half siblings to sugar quote their life experiences and relationship (or lack of relationship) with their father?
And another point, I strongly doubt the co-authors of these books wrote anything that was misleading or untrue. I am sure that the information in these books must have been given to them by Julian and Kymani based on some type of contractual agreement. So why tell an author something that could potentially be placed in the book & then create a fuss when your siblings are not pleased? They really don’t come off as being very smart.
3/17/2010
Ky-Mani should be free to tell his own story, which is after all, quite a common one that highlights the issue of children born of multiple relationships. I admire him for wanting to reach out to his siblings in the spirit of One Love and hope they heed his heartfelt messeage.
3/17/2010
Good job Mr. Editor. This book will be a big seller. Controversy sells!!
3/17/2010
anything for a story...that is why before you make a book deal you must make sure all "i" are dotted and "t" crossed.
3/17/2010
Did the author not read and sign off on the final draft? I smell a rat here... A pressure a reach de author yute!
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