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Tuff Gong/Ghetto Youths International approached me to shoot the album and publicity photos for Julian Marley's Grammy Nominated album "Awake". The artwork was done by ILLESTR8.
Recording artist Julian “JuJu” Marley is excited to announce the release of his highly anticipated record, Awake via Ghetto
Youths/Universal. Recorded at the Lion’s Den in Miami, Florida, and Tuff Gong in Kingston, Jamaica, the music and message presented throughout
Awake is rife with the inspiration of all the family who have come before. This set of hypnotic beats and soulful vocals was inspired by life
and spirituality and incorporates the roots-reggae sound that Julian has made his own, infused with street-energy hip-hop, bubbling dancehall,
and a smooth combination of R&B and reggae. The album features collaborations with brothers Stephen Marley on “Little too Late” and Damian “Jr.
Gong” Marley on “Violence in the Street” and rapper Mr. Cheeks on “Oh Girl.” First single “Boom Draw,” an easy roots-dancehall tune will impact
radio on XX and is now available exclusively on iTunes. The release of Julian’s 1996 debut album, Lion in the Morning, launched the talented
musician into the public eye. The record was followed by a successful international tour with The Uprising, performances with the Ghetto Youths
Crew, an opening act slot with the Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers world tour, a Marley Magic family performance during New York City’s Central
Park Summer Stage series and a featured artist position on the 1997 rock-oriented Lollapalooza tour. Julian has toured extensively with Damian
and worked together with Stephen and Damian on the 1999 production of the platinum-selling Chant Down Babylon, a remix album by various hip-hop
and rock artists covering Bob Marley & The Wailers songs.
The last year was an exciting and eventful one for the young Marley. Julian’s performance in Guinea, Africa, brought his conscious, uplifting
roots-reggae music to a new and appreciative audience while the Africa Unite concert held in Jamaica in February 2008 brought the brothers
together again. At the invitation of the Jamaican government, Julian Marley and The Uprising performed during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing,
China, and celebrated alongside Jamaica’s Gold medal-winning runner, Usain Bolt. All of these experiences have played a significant role in shaping
Julian into who he is today, and, in the creation of Awake. A new decade has inspired new projects. Julian joined siblings Stephen, Cedella, Damian,
and Ky-Mani to contribute a version of “Master Blaster” for Stevie Wonder’s 2003-tribute album, Conception: An Interpretation of Stevie Wonder Songs.
That same year Julian released his second CD, Time and Place, a family-produced album that also featured brothers Ziggy and Rohan Marley, followed
by a world tour to support the release. The Roots Rock Reggae Fest in 2004 united all the Marley brothers for their first stateside tour while the
Marley family Africa Unite concerts in Ethiopia in 2005 and Ghana in 2006.
www.myspace.com/julianmarley
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