The only child of Jamaican table tennis champion and Reggae Icon legend BOB MARLEY AND ANITA BELNAVIS, Ky-Mani was born in Jamaica. He spent many summers with his father and his wife Rita as a child.

Ky-Mani moved to the U.S. at the age of 9 settling in Miami. He inherited a love of sports from his mother and father and never intended to play music, until his mother encouraged him to take piano and guitar lessons. Eventually he ended up as the trumpet player in his high school band.

Also based in Miami producer/manager Clifton "Specialist" Dillon who had mega-success in the early 90's with Shabba Ranks, Patra and Mad Cobra saw the potential in Ky-mani's hybrid of reggae/dancehall with the American music forms he grew up listening such as hip-hop and R&B. Ky-Mani signed to Specialist's label Shang Records and recorded several singles including, "Judge Not" with label-mage Patra and the Sly Dunbar produced "Dear Dad" in which he put to music a letter that he had written to his dad who passed away when Ky-Mani was only 5. Ky-Mani is no longer with Shang Records as of September 2004.

Lyrics: "Dear Dad - I really didn't get to know you / and sometimes I sit and wonder and it makes me blue / But there is one memory that stays on the back of my mind / and this memory got me thinking 'bout you all the time / Wow! I swear we miss you so / and I wish that you were here to see your boys grow / In case you're wondering, mommy she's doing fine / And she tells me stories 'bout you


Papa all the time ..."

His collaboration with Pras from the Fugee's on the cover of Eddy Grant's "Electric Avenue" brought him to the national spotlight. The buzz was out that this was a Marley marching to the beat of a different drum. The labels came bidding, and under the guidance of Specialist and Shang (whom he is no longer with) he eventually signed an album deal a New York based independent label called Gee Street/V2. His debut album "The Journey " hit the streets in 1999 to much critical acclaim and anticipation. In addition to "Dear Dad" it also featured "Country Journey" recorded with Morgan Heritage at their studios in New York.

After touring the World in support of "The Journey " and often joining his brothers Damian, Stephen and Ziggy on stage he released his sophomore CD, "Many Roads." Not only has Ky-Mani made a name for himself, he starred with dancehall deejay Spragga Benz, and Jamaican actor Paul Campbell in the movie "Shottas" directed by Cess Silvera that told the story of two young gangsters hustling and running drugs in both Kingston and Miami. Ky-Mani is slated to start filming the sequel of Shottas late fall 2004! He is also appeared in another movie called "One Love" a modern Romeo and Juliet story, as the lead character 'Kassa.' “One Love” is the longest running film in Jamaica to date and it should be out worldwide Fall 2004. Ky-mani is in the studio currently working on his third album.