Famous Jamaican Men
Home to the suavest fictional sleuth in history — James Bond, Jamaica has always ranked high as one of the world’s most frequented backpacker’s destinations. And while there is no denying the physical charms of the country with its pristine white sands and azure waters forming the perfect backdrop for a perfect getaway, know that there is more to this Caribbean nation than its tropical bounties. That is true! Did you know that Jamaica was one of the first Caribbean countries to foray into Olympics? Or that only United States has clinched more World and Olympic medals than Jamaica? Bet you did not know that Jamaica was the first Western nation to build a railroad? With so many exciting and laud-worthy accomplishments in its kitty, isn’t it worth that we explore the masterminds, the real force behind such exemplary exploits? Hop on as we trail the successful lives of some such Jamaican men in the biographies recorded below. Their timeline, trivia and lesser-known facts will enlighten your minds to the kind of lives these exemplary Jamaicans led.
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1
Bob Marley(Jamaican Singer, Musician and Songwriter Who is Considered One of the Pioneers of Reggae)
Birthdate: February 6, 1945
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Nine Mile, Jamaica
Died: April 11, 1981
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
2
Usain Bolt(One of the Greatest Sprinters of All Time)
Birthdate: August 21, 1986
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sherwood Content, Jamaica
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
3
Patrick Ewing
(Jamaican-American Basketball Coach and Former Basketball Player)
Birthdate: August 5, 1962
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 7'0" (213 cm)
4
Chris Gayle(One of the Greatest and Most Destructive Batsmen To Have Played Twenty20 Cricket)
Birthdate: September 21, 1979
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
Birthdate: January 9, 1973
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
6
Marcus Garvey(Jamaican Political Activist, Journalist and Founder and First President-General of the Universal Negro Improvement Association)
Birthdate: August 17, 1887
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Saint Ann's Bay, Jamaica
Died: June 10, 1940
7
Shaggy(Reggae Musician & DJ With Hits Like 'It Wasn't Me'. 'Boombastic' and 'In The Summertime')
Birthdate: October 22, 1968
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
8
Ziggy Marley(Jamaican Singer and the Son of Reggae Icon Bob Marley)
Birthdate: October 17, 1968
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Trenchtown, Jamaica
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Birthdate: January 7, 1976
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kingston
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Birthdate: July 21, 1978
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kingston
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
11
Shawn Rhoden
(Bodybuilder)
Birthdate: April 2, 1975
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
12
Yohan Blake
(Jamaican Sprinter)
Birthdate: December 26, 1989
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: St. James Parish, Jamaica
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Birthdate: May 19, 1972
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
14
Uriah Hall
(Jamaican-American Retired Mixed Martial Artist)
Birthdate: July 31, 1984
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Spanish Town, Jamaica
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Birthdate: October 19, 1944
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Westmoreland, Jamaica
Died: September 11, 1987
16
Safaree Samuels(Rapper and Songwriter, Best Known as the Cast of VH1 Reality Show 'Love & Hip Hop")
Birthdate: July 4, 1981
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
17
Stephen Marley
(Jamaican-American Musician and Son of Singer Bob Marley)
Birthdate: April 20, 1972
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Wilmington, Delaware, United States
18
Buju Banton(One of the Most Significant and Well-Regarded Artists in Jamaican Music)
Birthdate: July 15, 1973
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Birthdate: April 29, 1988
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
20
Roy Hibbert
(Jamaican-American Former Professional Basketball Player)
Birthdate: December 11, 1986
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Queens, New York, United States
Height: 7'2" (218 cm)
21
Masego
(Incorporating the saxophone into his musi)
Birthdate: June 8, 1993
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
22
Asafa Powell
(Jamaican Retired Sprinter and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Birthdate: November 23, 1982
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Spanish Town, Jamaica
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
23
Patrick Chung
(Jamaican-American Former Football Safety Who Played in the National Football League (NFL))
Birthdate: August 19, 1987
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
24
Jimmy Cliff
(Singer, Actor, Music artist, Artist, Musician)
Birthdate: April 1, 1948
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Saint James Parish
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
25
Courtney Walsh
(Jamaican Former Cricketer)
Birthdate: October 30, 1962
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
26
Ky-Mani Marley
(Reggae musician, Actor who received a Grammy Award nomination for his album, Many More Roads)
Birthdate: February 26, 1976
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Falmouth, Trelawny, Jamaica
27
Shabba Ranks
(Musician, Singer who is notoriously popular for "Mr. Loverman" and "Ting-A-Ling")
Birthdate: January 17, 1966
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: St. Ann, Jamaica
28
Michael Lee-Chin
(Chairman and CEO of Portland Holdings Inc)
Birthdate: January 3, 1951
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Port Antonio, Jamaica
29
Bunny Wailer
(Singer, Percussionist, Songwriter)
Birthdate: April 10, 1947
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kingston
30
Darren Moore
(Professional Football Manager and Former Player Who Played as a Centre-Back)
Birthdate: April 22, 1974
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Birmingham, England
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
Birthdate: September 3, 1986
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Clarendon
32
Gregory Isaacs
(Known as The Cool Ruler, he sang hundreds of Jamaican dancehall classics like "My Only Lover")
Birthdate: July 15, 1951
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Died: October 25, 2010
Birthdate: August 22, 1973
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kingston
34
Desmond Dekker
(Singer-songwriter)
Birthdate: July 16, 1941
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica
Died: May 25, 2006
Birthdate: September 15, 1889
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Clarendon Parish
Died: May 22, 1948
36
Bushwick Bill
(Member of the pioneering Texas hip hop)
Birthdate: December 8, 1966
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Died: June 9, 2019
Height: 3'8" (112 cm)
37
Toots Hibbert
(Reggae Singer & the Lead Vocalist for the Reggae and Ska Band 'Toots and the Maytals')
Birthdate: December 8, 1942
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: May Pen, Jamaica
Died: September 11, 2020
38
Burning Spear
(Jamaican Roots Reggae Singer-Songwriter, Vocalist and Musician)
Birthdate: March 1, 1945
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: St. Ann Parish, Jamaica
39
Donovan Ruddock
(Canadian Former Professional Boxer)
Birthdate: December 21, 1963
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
Birthdate: August 1, 1954
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Port Antonio, Jamaica
Died: October 28, 2006
41
Wes Morgan
(Former Professional Footballer Who Played as a Defender)
Birthdate: January 21, 1984
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Nottingham, England
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
Birthdate: January 31, 1950
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Spanish Town, Jamaica
43
Dustin Brown
(German-Jamaican Professional Tennis Player)
Birthdate: December 8, 1984
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Celle, Germany
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
Birthdate: May 17, 1991
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Spanish Town, Jamaica
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
45
Yellowman
(Singer, Songwriter)
Birthdate: January 15, 1956
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kingston
46
Lyriq Bent(Known for His Roles in the ‘Saw’ Film Series and in the TV Series ‘Rookie Blue’)
Birthdate: July 15, 1979
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kingston, Jamaica
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
47
Lee Perry
(Record Producer)
Birthdate: March 20, 1936
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kendal, Jamaica
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
48
Michael Manley
(Politician)
Birthdate: December 10, 1924
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Saint Andrew
Died: March 6, 1997
49
Marlon James
(novelist, writer)
Birthdate: 1970 AD
Birthplace: Kingston
50
Steve Bucknor
(Jamaican Former International Cricket Umpire)
Birthdate: May 31, 1946
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Montego Bay, Jamaica
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)