“Hippies and flower children of the 60’s would always describe one sick beat of any nature as being “Groovy” or “Far out”. We feel the same way. It doesn’t matter if it’s guitar, bass, violin, piano, ukulele, anything! This is the beats that intoxicate our brains, blow our minds, and really send us …well… Far out man.”

—-> Got suggestions for music? E-mail Dignan

On May 11th, 1981, Bob Marley fell a fatal victim to melanoma of the toe, because his Rastafarian beliefs prohibited him from being buried an incomplete person. Born on February 6th, 1945, Bob Marley would have been 69 years old today, but even though he is gone his legacy still thrives through his songs, philosophy, and the emotional impact he played in radically changing the face of politics in an effort to preserve and promote peace. The father of Reggae, the burner of ganja, and the leader of a counter-culture movement, Bob Marley stands today as a prominent figure in the Stoner culture, where he represents, in an Obi-Wan Kenobi fashion, tranquility, Stoicism, and the ability to maintain an expressive and vehement free spirit. Among other decorations he achieved during his lifetime, Bob Marley has been immortalized in a variety of ways including being awarded the Jamaican Order of Merit in 1981, being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March of 1994, and receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in February of 2001. Today, the posthumously published album, Legend, enjoys the most album sales out of any other record with over 14 million copies sold worldwide, receiving outstanding reception as one of the most prolific pieces of music ever recorded. If you would like to learn more about Bob Marley, the man, the legend, the divine, then check out the following video entitled “Caribbean Nights,” as it covers the evolution of Bob Marley and the Wailers into the sensation that they were.

However, how can we pay respect to Bob Marley on his birthday today? There are a variety of ways to do this, but I will suggest a few that I have found to be especially spot on, coinciding with the types of activities Bob Marley would have done himself or that fall in line with his ideology, beliefs, and overall perspective. Therefore, here are three activities you can participate in on Bob Marley’s birthday.

Option 1 – Go to a Bob Marley Birthday Bash

Check out your local music venues for events paying tribute to Bob Marley on his birthday or near his birthday. This year his birthday falls on a Thursday, which is good considering it is a great night to go out, get alcohol at a cheap price, and meet a lot of interesting people, but some celebrations will begin on the weekend instead. At these small concerts you will be able to experience some of the best local Reggae available, and you better believe they will be playing some cover songs in remembrance of Marley’s awesomeness, alongside some new material. One of the biggest downfalls of attending these concerts is that you cannot smoke inside, unless you happen to live in a legalized state, but have no fear because there are other alternatives. Rather than waiting to smoke right before the concert, bake some muffins, brownies, or firecrackers and eat them as the first band is coming on stage. Halfway through the set list and you will be in the right state of mind for a night of Reggae and an infusion with Bob Marley himself.

Option 2 – Rastify Something

Red, Yellow, and Green, the colors of the flag of Ethiopia, the African homeland, represent the Rastafarian banner. These three colors magically fuse together on any medium in order to create a banner standing for Rastafarianism. Cupcakes, cakes, or any type of Rasta-colored food is an excellent option for celebrating Bob Marley’s Birthday, because it offers you something to eat after you have smoked out the whole house. However, you can go one further and make different things Rasta in name of Marley today. Perhaps, this means knitting a Rasta beanie, painting your bike in a Rasta colors, or something more extreme such as changing your wedding colors to a Rasta theme… OK maybe not that far. Bottom line, surround yourself with Rasta and your life shall become the Rasta.

Option 3 – Toke it Up

Of course, the only sensible and correlative conclusion for celebrating Bob Marley’s Birthday is to enjoy ganja as much as Marley did every day. Roll a massive blunt, smoke a cross joint, or fill up an extra large Volcano bag to commemorate this moment, this intersection in time between yourself, the Stoner, and Bob Marley, the majestic lion.

While these options may surprise some and others may enjoy them, these might not be the activities you find to be the most satisfying on Bob Marley’s Birthday, but that is why these are merely suggestions. If I were you, I would combine all three into a whole day of Stoner events! In short, anything you do to remember Bob Marley will be enough. Simply thinking back on his accolades, on his ideas, and on the influence he has had on the trajectory leading to our contemporary period is grounds enough to celebrate. For the best reason, consider Bob Marley’s No Woman No Cry, as he reminds us, “In this bright future you can’t forget your past.” We must not forget our shared histories, unless we wish to lose our luminous future.