Damian Robert Nesta Marley, also known around the world as “Junior Gong” and more recently as “Gongzilla” was born in 1978 to parents Bob Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, Miss World 1976.  As a young adult, he developed a passion and a gift to speak for those who cannot always speak for themselves. A self-proclaimed ‘Spiritual Revolutionary’, Damian has worked assiduously to carve his own niche in music history and to add a new perspective to the Marley legacy for the 21st century. 

At the age of 13, Damian began performing in a group called “The Shepherds” which comprised of Shiah Coore (son of Third World guitarist Cat Coore) and currently a member of his band, and Yashema Beth McGreggor, daughter of reggae singers Freddie Mcgreggor and Judy Mowatt and then began touring with his brothers, Stephen, Ky-mani, Julian and Ziggy. 

By 1996, Damian had already made his stamp as a different kind of Marley when he released his first solo album “Mr. Marley”, a heavily dancehall-influenced album produced by his brother Stephen Marley.  His second album “Halfway Tree” was released in 2001 by a major record label and showcased Damian’s unique gift for blending dancehall, reggae and hip-hop styles.  This album won Damian much recognition and remained on the Billboard Top Reggae Album Charts for 158 weeks and earned him his first Grammy for Best Reggae Album in 2002. 
While honored by this recognition by the global music fraternity, Damian continued to work in the studio, laying the groundwork for the tracks that would become his highly anticipated album, “Welcome To Jamrock”. The lyrics in this album presented Marley as a true spiritual revolutionary, as he used his talent to evoke a spiritual change while trying to enforce a better way of thinking.  He is described as “rhyming with the conviction of a street preacher with the intellect of a university economist”.  

Damian’s hit single “Welcome to Jamrock” was listed as one of the Top 100 Songs of the Decade by Rolling Stone, and at the 2006 Grammy Awards, he won Best Reggae Album and Best Urban/Alternative Performance for Welcome to Jamrock. Damian is the only Jamaican reggae artist in history to win two Grammy Awards on the same night. He is also the only reggae artist to win in the Best Urban/Alternative Performance category at the Grammy Awards. The New York Times called Welcome to Jamrock the “best reggae song of the decade.” 
Welcome to Jamrock led the pathway to Damian’s critically acclaimed collaboration with Nas for 2010’s much lauded album “Distant Relatives” – a project which explored the relationships between reggae, hip-hop and Africa. The album title refers not only to the bond between the artists, but the connection to their African ancestry, which inspired the album both musically and lyrically. USA Today referred to the album as a “potent and often provocative collaboration” and by Rolling Stone as “an Afrocentric winner.” The album debuted at Number 5 on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart and Number 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Rap Albums and Reggae Albums charts, with Billboard heralding the album as “a dynamic hybrid.”    

The Distant Relatives Tour kicked off in 2011 and saw Damian traveling and performing for thousands of fans all over the world, including South America, Europe, The United Kingdom, The Caribbean and North America.  

Damian continued to cross musical boundaries in 2012, as he went on to partner with Skrillex for their groundbreaking track “Make It Bun Dem”, which Rolling Stone called “a monster mash up of dubstep and dancehall” and has led to several remixes of the original version.  Damian recently released two other singles; “Set Up Shop” and  “Affairs of the Heart” which both received widespread airplay. 

Damian continues to tour with his band all over the world as a way of entertaining and healing as he continues to spread the message for those whose voices cannot be heard. He is working with his brothers Stephen and Julian under their Ghetto Youths International Label, to discover, develop and sign gifted artistes by applying their musical talent and vast experience to create new and different styles of music.  

Damian is currently in the studio working on his upcoming solo album.

'Piano' is out now everywhere! ➡️ https://AvB.lnk.to/PianoYA

Armin van Buuren has been a global ambassador for electronic music for over thirty years, with a Grammy nomination, five #1 spots in the DJ Mag Top 100, and nine full-length artist albums to his name. Through his exemplary productions, groundbreaking live
shows (e.g. his new ‘THE ORB’ world tour) and his weekly A State of Trance radio show (44 million listeners from over 80 different
countries), event series and album series, he cultivates a massive global following.

Armin van Buuren headlines tens to hundreds of shows per year at leading festivals and venues around the world, including Electric Daisy Carnival (Las Vegas, New York), Ultra Music Festival
(Miami), Lollapalooza (Chicago. Berlin) and Tomorrowland (Belgium, Brazil), plus residencies on Ibiza and in Las Vegas, and his own A State of Trance events in Rotterdam, London, Mexico and beyond. 

As a producer, Armin van Buuren has joined forces with the biggest artists in dance music and beyond, from Hardwell, David Guetta and Martin Garrix, to Moby and Jon Bon Jovi. In June 2025, he released his ninth studio album, ‘Breathe’.

Armin van Buuren is also the co-founder of Armada Music, the world’s biggest independent dance music label.

Lewis Howes is a NYT bestselling author, Lifestyle Entrepreneur, former pro athlete and world record holder in football. The goal of the School of Greatness is to share inspiring stories from the most brilliant business minds, world class athletes and influential celebrities on the planet to help you find out what makes great people great.

DJ Lisa Lashes
For nearly three decades, Lisa Lashes has been at the forefront of the harder sounds of dance music, captivating crowds in over 50 countries with her electrifying sets. From underground raves to the world’s biggest festivals, she’s become a global icon in hard house, hard techno, and beyond. Known for her relentless energy, razor-sharp mixing, and unforgettable connection with the dancefloor, Lisa’s SoundCloud is a home for high-octane mixes and productions that keep the harder generation moving.

Join bloggers Kid Fury and Crissle for their weekly podcast covering hip-hop and pop culture's most trying stars. Throwing shade and spilling tea with a flippant and humorous attitude, no star is safe from Fury and Crissle unless their name is Beyoncé. (Or Blue Ivy.)

As transplants to New York City (Kid Fury from Miami and Crissle from Oklahoma City), The Read also serves as an on-air therapy session for two friends trying to adjust to life (and rats) in the big city.

The Read is part of the LoudSpeakers Network and is published every week on iTunes, iHeart Radio Talk, Soundcloud & Stitcher.  

Listen to 'ASOT Year Mix 2025 (Mixed by Armin van Buuren)' here: https://ASOT.lnk.to/YearMix2025SO

Discover the latest A State Of Trance Episode on your favorite video- or streaming platform! ASOTRadio.lnk.to/PLSO

A State of Trance is so much more than Armin van Buuren's record label, the weekly radio show or a tour that touches down all across the globe. A State of Trance is a movement, a following, a shared feeling. Built around Armin van Buuren's beloved radio show, listened to by more than 20 million music lovers each week, the A State of Trance record label continues to share its love for trance and all related genres. Discover new talents and enjoy the very best, by being part of A State of Trance!

British producer & international DJ based in London.

Ben Timira is following