Ziggy sent along some pictures from the studio to share. Progress continues on his next album, which will be a children's record. Some contributors to the work include: Producer Don Was, Toots (sans The Maytals), Willie Nelson, and Mickey Raphael (Willie's harmonica player).

Click here to see bigger versions of the pictures

Click here to buy from iTunes

The New:

A new album from Ziggy soon come! Here is the word from Ziggy about it:

"I decided to do a record focusing on children after finishing the Love Is My Religion tour. Now that I am finally doing it I realize I was always being led in this direction. Slowly but surely over the years the children's world became more pronounced in my world. From Sesame Street, Arthur, Nickelodeon, Shark Tale and playing pre-concert children's shows, it just kept knocking at my door. I finally realized what the Universe was telling me. It is time to make a children's record. There is a reason for this. What has been hidden from the wise and the prudent is revealed to the babe and the suckling. The message is for the children and Jah says it is time to make music for the children."

The Conversation:

Below are links to a couple articles mentioning Ziggy which he found interesting. He'd like to hear your opinions and thoughts about them.

- the first is in regards to the smoking ban at the Del Mar Concert series: Click here to read it.

- the other is from a Rolling Stone article about the differences between main party candidates in recent presidential race: Click here to read.

Please click on the "Comments" link below if you'd like to add your thoughts.

Big Congrats to Brandolynne Foster, Annabelle Knight, Carol Fitzgerald, Adam Jenkins, Kimberly June, and Carl Green. They are among the ten winners of a new signed DVD!

Two more e-mails have just been mailed out...check your inbox!

Winners were drawn from those who signed up for Ziggy's newsletter or updated their information.

If you missed this contest...you are still very welcome to sign up the newsletter at any time...there just might be other special treats just for those signed up.

Click here to sign up for Ziggy's Newsletter.

Ziggy's mother, Mrs. Rita Marley, is involved in many projects and charity events. In addition to participating in URGE events, she does even more through The Rita Marley Foundation.

To learn more, please click here to read her Foundation's latest newsletter.

For the month of October if you sign-up for Ziggy's Newsletter OR update your information, you become eligible to win a signed "Love is My Religion" Live DVD. Ten will be given away.

That's for either new sign-ups OR updaters! So even if you are already signed up for Ziggy's Newsletter, you can still add current information to be entered into the contest.

Results will be announced soon!

Mrs. Marley recently made a trip to the Bustamante Hospital for Children in Kingston, Jamaica.

During her visit, she met with young patients, the hospital staff, and presented a donation from Ziggy's charity, U.R.G.E.

Donations were made to the Surgical and Burnt Wards, which included:
* Truphatek Fibre Optical Laryngoscope Sets
* Blood Pressure machine
* Chairs for visiting parents and nurses
* Mayo Stand for the operating room
* Stand-mounted Sunction Pump
* Metro Basic Crash Cart for bedside treatment of emergency cases

Photos of the visit were taken by Mitzy Evans. Click here to see all the photos.

Click here to read a news article about Mrs. Marley's visit.

In support of Tony Bennett's Exploring the Arts Charity, Ziggy will open the doors to his studio while he's working on his next record.

This special studio visit with Ziggy is up for auction!

For more details, and to place your bid, click here.

Ziggy will be featured in a "pass-it-on" moment during the show, "Battleground Earth: Ludacris vs. Tommy Lee". The show is on Discovery's Planet Green this Sunday, September 21 at 10/9 central.

Click here for more details about the show

Click on the image to see some photos from the school in Jamaica which U.R.G.E. assists.

And locally, U.R.G.E. recently made a generous donation to the 2nd Annual Kidstock Music and Art Festival in support of One Voice / Scholars program. 100% of the high school seniors who participate in this program have been accepted into four year colleges such as Amherst, Barnard, Reed, Scripps, Wellesley and Williams

Click to play!

Click here to see more URGE pictures!

Dawn and Drew share their interview with Ziggy Marley! Click here to check it out.

AND....

They've plenty of pictures from their days hanging out VIP style at the 'Fest!

Click here to check them out

Come out to Booksoup on July 20th for a very special book reading with Ziggy and Julius, Paul Frank's famed wide-mouthed monkey!

Ziggy will help Julius present his new book and discuss the importance of creativity and reading. Books will be autographed and money with be raised for First Book.

Click here or on the picture to see the full size flyer of information

For Immediate Release

Kingston, Jamaica

19th June 2008

URGEnt HELP FOR JAMAICAN HOSPITALS

In 1991 Ziggy Marley made his first donation to the Bustamante Hospital for Children and ever since has continued assisting this institution. In early 2008, Ziggy Marley’s family foundation, URGE (Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment) donated (10) Laryngoscope sets, blood pressure machines, a Metro Basic crash cart and a Stand Mounted Suction Pump to this hospital that was in need of equipment.

URGE also responded to an appeal by Chain of Hope Jamaica and paid for a pacemaker for 5-month old baby Shinnia Porteous, who at the time...(read full press release)

a few months ago i attended a red cross charity event. i was seated with a few people, one of them being mr. bobby shriver. we were introduced and i was told he was involved in a campaign called product red that donates money to fight aids in africa. obviously, i was very interested as africa is a priority for us. right away i said to myself i must say something to him before i leave. i was interested in giving my support in whatever way i could to a cause such as this. not for any other reason but to be of service.

after outbidding the ladies from the tv show greys anatomy for a case of wine ( the money goes to charity ), taking pictures, listening to honorees speak, which was very good because all of them were local heroes like firemen, doctors and public servants, it was time to leave. on the way out i stopped at mr. shrivers'chair and told him i was very interested to be of service to this cause~. he seemed happy to hear that. we exchanged numbers and said goodbye. about two weeks ago we met at his office in santa monica, california. i know i had heard and saw the red campaign before, the actor chris rock and a few more celebrities were promoting it at the time. however, i really didnt know the depths of it.

as we entered his office we saw some of the red products being dispalyed, t- shirts, sneakers, hallmark cards etc. cool, i thought. we then met mr. shriver and the red team. it was a relaxed atmosphere, just my kind of vibe, everyone was cool. after a little get to know eachother talk he started explaining the concept and idea of product red. how much they made, how it is distributed, the people that have been helped, etc. the more i heard and understood the more confident i felt that this product red thing was for real and not just another publicity stunt or ego trip.

my thoughts now went to how i could help to spread this. anything for africa. i asked some questions and we reasoned on for a little while. the red team was very open and asked if we had any ideas. already, no pretense , no protocol, no corporate hurdles, no contracts, no b.s. we had become a part of the team in a very organic way. i had no reservation in giving ideas and speaking freely and felt a real spirit of community, of people who are in it for the right reasons. nice.

one of the ideas we shared was to try and bring the awareness of product red to a grass root level. kind of like what i'm doing right now. people spreading the message through more than the established methods. getting the awareness of product red to the masses. i offered my concerts as one of the platforms that could be used, and told them the first thing i was going to do was put a link for product red on my website. every little helps.

everyone was happy to hear and see this enthusiasm to participate and we continued to exchange ideas for a few more minutes. the meeting ended well and we said goodbye. i felt really good about everything. we accomplished something positive. there was no exchange of money, no photo ops, no press. just the act of taking a step to help people in any way we can is something accomplished. making yourself available to give service to a cause such as this is spiritually uplifting and rewarding.

so check it out. their website is www.joinred.com

see how you feel. if you love it, do it. spread red.

one love, ziggy

Ziggy has compiled a collection of reggae classics called "Ziggy Marley in Jamaica". His choices include songs by Peter Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Culture anad Toots & the Maytals, and the mega-hits "You Can Get It If You Really Want It", "Israelites", "Skylarking" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner".

This compilation disc will be available on July 15th, released in the states on, Tuff Gong Worldwide.

It will be available at iTunes, we'll update you with the link as soon as it is available.

Click here for more information

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kingston, Jamaica

May 21, 2008

PACEMAKER FOR INFANT DONATED BY URGE

The public appeal by Chain of Hope Jamaica for a pacemaker for 5 month old baby Shinnia Shauna-K Porteous was answered by Unlimited Resources Giving Enlightenment (URGE), the charitable organization founded by Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.

Baby Shinnia is now resting comfortably at home with her mother, Carin Crooks who has expressed thanks to the many Jamaicans who called to convey their concern and to give their support to her family.

URGE would like to thank Dr. Roger Irvine and his staff at the Bustamante...(read full press release)

We love you Grandma.

Ziggy recently visited Belvedere Middle School arranged by the Little Kids Rock Music Education Program.

Lovelove love lovelovelove love love.  Love lovelove love lovelovelove love love.  Love love lovelove.  Lovelove love lovelovelove love love love love .  Lovelovelove love love, "Love, love love lovelovelove".

Love love lovelove.  Love.  Love love love.  Love lovelove love love lovelove love.  Love lovelove lovelove love.  Lovelovelove love love love lovelovelove.  Love love love.

Lovelove love lovelovelove.  Love, love love lovelove love.  Love love love lovelovelove.  Love love, "Love".  Love lovelove.  Love love love lovelove love love lovelove.

Lovelovelove love love love love.  Lovelove love love lovelovelove.  Love love lovelove.  Love, love lovelove love lovelovelove.  Lovelove love lovelove.  Love.  Love lovelove love love love lovelovelove lovelove.

Love.

It only takes a small spark to start the biggest fire and a small axe can cut down a big tree. What we endeavour to do does not take money and it does not need to be institutionalized.

All we need to do first is talk to eachother. Yes talk. There is a saying that talk is cheap, but when these talks eventually cause action, we will have achieved a great return on our investment. We are here to talk about african unity, to discuss it, to debate it, to get it on our minds, to put the conversation of african unity back on the peoples agenda, around the fires, the bars, the schools, the football games, the dinner table, the bedroom, and eventually the continent. When was the last time you thought about it, when was the last time you heard an african leader mention it, maybe they speak about it in their bedrooms.

I believe in african unity but I know not all who are on the continent believe or are willing. Many are called few are chosen. Some countries will some won't, for whatever reason they choose. Yet those who do not wish to be partners in this union, cannot stop it. After all there is a fire that no water can put out. I have many questions for africa, like why is this idea not on the forefront of our minds and our policies . Is there a force out there that does not want this idea to become a reality. Well maybe its my fault or yours, maybe we have become so focused on all the problems we face that we think of african unity as some fairytale, some long lost dream of our forefathers that offers no real solution to our problems, well we disagree. We believe the unity of africa is fundamental in solving the problems africa face.

We know, there are many issues, aids, poverty, wars, malaria, genocides, some god made, some man made, some we made, some they made and there has been many efforts to fix these problems, and for the worlds efforts we are very grateful.

However, the problems persist, and until we africans unite and work together as one continent with one people the band aids will not stop the bleeding. Obviously we hope that this idea would be developed and nurtured from the govermental side, but what are their incentives. Why would an african politician push for african unity, oh, maybe because its its good for africa and its people.

But is it good for the politicians?

We cannot depend on the system the way it is today to bring to us leaders who are selfless and brave enough to make african unity a real living agenda, and so we depend on ourselves, to instill it in our children, to instill it in ourselves so that when the time comes, when they are of age when our children become leaders they will not forget, and today, going forward we will not forget. In our thoughts, words and actions begin the process of reawakening the african consciousness. African unity will not happen in a day, but there will be a generation who will believe it did. One day they will awake and hear the celebrations in the streets. Like when Mandela was freed, and they will ask, "Whats happening"? And someone will tell them "africa unite".

-Ziggy Marley

Contest Winners

We'd like to send big congrats to all the winners of the "Love is My Religion" re-release contest.

The big winners are: Jeff Devlin, Chris Roberts, Julie Ferguson, Kimberly Ridgle, Troy Kasting, Noel Runions, David Silva, and Angelina Smith.

Photographer Made

Lilla Bergman shared a couple shots she took at Ziggy's show in Stockholm. We posted them on Ziggy's Flickr Gallery. Schmap Guides online saw the photo, and decided to include it in their Schmap Stockholm Guide.

Congrats to Lilla!

Ziggy's page

Ziggy has created a new page on the site to track cool stuff he finds.

Click here to see his new page of favs.

Ziggy Marley Sets a New Standard With The Release Of

LOVE IS MY RELIGION Live DVD

- In Stores February 12th -

Live Footage from an 18 month World Tour Showcases Marley at His Finest

Kingston, Jamaica (January 17, 2008) –  Reggae icon Ziggy Marley releases a full-length live concert DVD on February 12, 2008. The Love Is My Religion DVD, produced by Live Nation Studios, was taped live at Los Angeles’ Avalon Theatre in December 2006. The most extensive worldwide tour of his career that wrapped in December 2007, the Avalon show and the entire LIMR World Tour...(read full press release)