After the release of the highly-anticipated biopic Bob Marley: One Love, many people might be wondering how many women Bob Marley cheated with. The legendary reggae musician was married to Rita, but was known to have many children from extra-marital affairs.
Bob Marley was born in Nine Mile, Jamaica, on February 6, 1945, and became friends with Bunny Wailer with whom he would eventually form Bob Marley and the Wailers. He converted to Rastafari, where his songs “Redemption Song,” “Jah Live,” and “So Jah S’eh” were influenced by his own beliefs. Other popular songs of him include “Buffalo Soldier,” “No Woman, No Cry,” and “Three Little Birds.”
Bob met the young Alfarita “Rita” Constantia Anderson in the mid-1960s and eventually married in 1966. The two have had a tumultuous, but loving, relationship as they continued their music careers. Both Bob and Rita had affairs and had children with each other people, but they continued to love each other until his death.
Bob’s life is now the subject of a new biopic titled Bob Marley: One Love. The movie stars Kingsley Ben-Adir as the musician while Bob Marley’s son Ziggy produced the film. While debuting the film details at CinemaCon in 2023, Ziggy revealed that the movie will be able to deepen their connection with the late icon and learn more about the adversity he faced in spreading his layered messages of rebellion, love and unity. Ziggy also gave “huge thanks” to the people of Jamaica “who were critical in ensuring the authenticity of this production.”
So who did Bob Marley cheat with and who are his children’s mothers? Read more to find out.
Pat Williams is the mother to Bob Marley’s child Robbie. In an interview with Collider, Robbie talked about his father’s peaceful ways. “There was one time when me and Steve were fighting and I got a smacking, and then later on he came to me under the table, and he was just telling us that brothers shouldn’t fight and brothers should love one another,” he recounted. “It’s been love, not just family, but across the board worldwide for me since.”
Janet Hunt is the mother to Bob Marley’s son Rohan. Rohan went to live with Rita and her kids after the death of Bob. Rohan is also a father to five children with rap legend Lauryn Hill.
Lucy Pounder is the mother of Bob Marley’s son Julian Marley. Julian is the only son of Bob who was born in the UK. Julian won his first Grammy at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.
Anita Belnavis is the mother of Bob Marley’s son Ky-Mani Marley. Anita was a Jamaican table tennis champion. Like many of his brothers, Ky-Mani grew up to be a musician, and was nominated for a Grammy for his album Many More Roads.
Janet Bowen is the mother of Bob Marley’s daughter Karen. She was raised by Rita and grew up surrounded by her step-siblings. Karen talked to Rolling Stone about the pressures of the Marley name. “Sometimes when I speak about my dad it is a little touchy for me. I wanted to just live without someone going, ‘Oh, there’s Karen Marley.’ I have to put my name out there because I opened a business … I’m not a musician. I like to be a little bit under the radar.”
Cindy Breakspeare is the mother of Bob Marley’s son Damian Robert Nesta “Jr. Gong” Marley. Cindy talked about her relationship with Bob in an interview with Ron Fanfair. “When I met him and began to know him, he was on the brink of stardom,” she told the publication. “He supported me going to Miss World which has a big profile. Bob was not a household name then in England, but that changed after I won Miss World and the press got wind of our relationship.”
“At the time, there were flats in the compound and me and my older brother resided in one of them,” she continued. “The Wailers rehearsed at the back of the building and Bob started to spend more time there. In the comings and goings, we started chatting here and there, the conversations became longer, sparks started to fly and we became romantically involved. It was a bit scary because ‘uptown’ girls of light complexion didn’t have relationships with Rastas. I knew I was crossing that invisible line in the sand. I don’t think I need to explain to anyone what the magnetism was all about. Bob was a man on a mission who knew what he was about. He was very purpose-driven, inspirational and influential all rolled into one. I knew that if I became involved with Bob, it would change my life forever.”
Bob met the young Alfarita “Rita” Constantia Anderson in the mid-1960s and eventually married in 1966. The two have had a tumultuous, but loving, relationship as they continued their music careers. Both Bob and Rita had affairs and had children with each other people, but they continued to love each other until his death.
“I never see myself as Bob Marley’s widow,” Rita said in 2000 to Rolling Stone. “I still feel I’m working with him. I feel I’m still his partner.”
Bob and Rita have 3 kids together:
Bob and Rita Marley have also adopted Sharon Marley, born 23 November 1964, a daughter of Rita from a previous relationship, and Stephanie Marley, born August 17, 1974, whose father was Owen “Ital Tacky” Stewart, a former Jamaican soccer player. Rita also gave birth to Serita Stewart, was born August 11, 1985 after Bob’s death.
