For most people, Bob Marley will always be the undisputed king of reggae. But for reggae purists, there's another person who deserves mention alongside the king. As Marley's youngest son Damian recently told NPR, "If they say that Bob Marley is the king of reggae music, then Dennis Brown is the crown prince." Though it's been over a decade since Brown's death at the age of 42, the accolades for his body of work, and for his uniquely mellifluous voice, have only grown louder. Since recording his first single, 'No Man Is An Island,' at the ripe old age of 11, Brown went on to record over 75 albums in a career that spanned a full three decades. Fellow reggae artist Freddie McGregor says that Brown "was our child prodigy. Although I started recording way before Dennis, when Dennis started recording, he immediately became successful."When asked about the first word that comes to mind when listening to Dennis Brown's music, Damian Marley simply responded, "joy." "He was one of those persons who made it cool to smile in reggae music," the youngest Marley said. "When I listen to his music, I can hear that he really loved singing. It almost sounds like he smiles while he's singing."
