Truth Behind The Recording of 'Jah Live' by Bob Marley and the Wailers

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In 1975, the world was told that Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia and divine figure in Rastafari, had died while under house arrest. To many Rastas, this was a spiritual crisis. But Bob Marley responded not with debate, but with music—recording “Jah Live” just days later as a defiant message of faith.
The song draws from Psalm 14:1, rejecting claims that Jah could die. Marley’s voice became a shield for the Rastafari community—reminding them that truth lives beyond headlines, and that Jah is eternal.

The news even affected fellow artist Junior Byles, who fell into mental illness after Selassie’s reported death—showing how deeply the moment shook the roots of belief. Years later, Selassie’s remains were found buried under a toilet in the palace—a final act of disrespect by the regime. But for Rastas, you can’t bury Jah.
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