Stephen Marley,
Grammy winning artist and producer has announced that
he is launching a much anticipated tour this spring.
Kicking off on Friday, March 30, the tour is
happening in association with the Ghetto Youths
International Foundation and will feature special
guest 'Jr. Gong.' The tour will run through May, hitting
more than 40 cities with acclaimed artist K'naan also
in tow.
Billed as the Mind Control North American tour, Ghetto
Youths International will contribute one dollar from
every ticket sold to the Marley's homegrown charity,
The Ghetto Youth Foundation, which provides aid and
programs to children struggling in impoverished and
war-ravaged conditions around the globe.
Highlights of the 3-month tour of Canada and the
US will also include performances at the World
Ski & Snowboard Championships in Whistler,
British Columbia on Sunday, April 15, Coachella
Music Festival in Indio, CA on Friday, April
27, and Jazzfest in New Orleans on Saturday,
May 5.
Stephen is preparing the cross-country trek in support
of his soon-to-be released solo debut album Mind
Control (Tuff Gong/ Ghetto Youths/ Universal-Republic)
released on March 20, 2007. The album has been
receiving accolades in the press with early reviews
calling the release "irresistible...an
impressive offering" (Urb Magazine) and "4
stars...heir to reggae's royal family honors dad's
legacy....dance-hall-inflected reggae/ hip-hop jams,
carefully balancing political fire and island-life
vibe. His ease with both elements would make his father
proud" (Spin Magazine).
Stephen will be showcasing new songs from the release,
which includes guest appearances from Mos Def
and Ben Harper. Standout tracks include gems
such as the mesmerizing Chase Dem, and the
soulful serenade Hey Baby. The album also features
the hit track The Traffic Jam, which is currently
exploding onto charts in Jamaica and England and showing
early spins on several US Rhythmic/Crossover stations.
Marley, along with Damian, debuted the track live
this past month on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.
For Stephen, 2006 was a coming-out party of sorts.
He scored his fifth Grammy award for his triumphant
co-production work on brother Damian 'Jr.Gong' Marley's
acclaimed RIAA certified Gold disc Welcome To Jamrock,
to date garnering him the most Grammy awards of any
Marley and more than any other Reggae artist in history.
Stephen also embarked on two U.S. concert tours last
year, including the acclaimed "Bob Marley
Roots, Rock Reggae Festival," where brothers
Stephen and Ziggy Marley joined together for the first
time ever with reggae pioneer Bunny Wailer.
Music heads have been up on Stephen's work for years,
whether for collaborations with R&B stars like
Erykah Badu or his part on the dancehall burner It
Was Written, and especially after Chant Down
Babylon, the platinum-selling star-studded Bob
Marley tribute he produced. A veteran of the family's
fertile launching pad, Ziggy Marley and The Melody
Makers, Stephen has emerged in recent years as a pivotal
production and creative force, helping to oversee
Marley enterprises like Tuff Gong Records and
its umbrella imprint Ghetto Youths.