May 21st, 1981, and the Caribbean, and the Caribbean Island of Jamaica comes to a standstill to mark the life of one of the country's most famous sons,

reggae singer Bob Marley.

There was an amazing crowd, a massive crowd and the procession went on and on along the streets miles of people on the street.

Young and old from all backgrounds turn out to honor their hero.

People from across Trenchtown, the Prime Minister, everyone was there.

Bob Marley was just 36. He died 10 days earlier in a Miami hospital after losing his

battle with cancer.

I just wanted to cry, cry, cry.

You're listening to Bob Marley, an extraordinary day on the BBC World Service.

And now you're coming to tell me.

But it's not true.

Hi, I'm Benjamin Zephan. I'm a writer and dub poet from the UK. I'm the son of a

postman from Barbados and a nurse from Jamaica. My roots are very much in the

Caribbean.

And I remember hearing the news about Bob Marley's passing.

The world was still coming to terms at the assassination of John Lennon just six months earlier.

I wrote to Bob Marley when I was very young and

then a few years later I actually met him. I had the pleasure of spending a

couple of hours with him in his home in London and what really surprised me about him was that he remembered

my letter and was able to quote my poetry back to me.

Bob Marley's life was cut short far too soon and Jamaica turned out in force to remember and

celebrate his contribution to the world. The outpouring of emotion was

...