You recently moved back to Ghana with your entire family: all your immediate family and children plus 37 grandchildren…
Ha! No, it’s not like that. Don’t believe everything you read Josh. Sometime the media takes things out of context. You know? I would love to do that, I am looking forward to doing that but they do come, like in singular, on my birthday and things like that, they will come. Nothing like moving 37 grandchildren, no, no, no. Not going to happen so sudden. Everything takes time, you know?

What made you move?
Home. Just want to be home, you know? We talk about this, coming from the ghetto, look towards Africa as the motherland. So it’s not anything that’s come out of the blue. It’s all in our lifestyle, all in our culture, one of our aims in life. Mentally I was prepared for it before I went there physically.

Why not to say, Ethiopia?
It’s a neighboring country. I’m between Ghana and Ethiopia like Miami, Kingston. That’s how I’m actually feeling out Africa now. I’m due to go for my birthday, I was invited by the president of Gambia to go down for my birthday along the Gambia river. Now could you refuse that?

Certainly not.
[laughter] Exactly, I think what we toil for we’re getting paid for now in terms of having access to Africa. It’s a blessing for me. It’s not an adventure, it’s a blessing.

What’s the music scene in Ghana like? I know there’s the high life style of music, but else is happening there?
It’s close to Jamaica so much, you wouldn’t believe it. The music sound like it have some reggae in it. Every country all over the world trying to adapt Jamaican music, you know?

Is there a lot of dancehall type music in Ghana?
Yes, in all Africa. Rap is too. Problem is I’ve been watching OsuBisi Africa while I’m there, and other African countries, and their music is bad. Wicked, you know? Yeah man, music is music, international, and music is a universal language so it goes all over the world and it carries a message. And Bob Marley’s music stands among all the other musics. Bob Marley is still rated at the top of the list, you know?

One of your album titles is Harambe that means, basically, “let’s pull together.” Is there a greater sense of black repatriation to Africa at the moment?
As far as I can see, I would yes, especially with the black Americans. There’s a lot of repatriation and a lot of visitation every year between July and August, you have a lot of black Americans going to Ghana, to the coast where they transferred the slaves. It’s like an in thing now whenever black people consciousness turn towards Africa, some trying to find their roots, some trying to find gold and diamond.

I heard you recently discovered a new aphrodisiac in Ghana: boiled ripe breadfruit mixed with a Guinness and condensed milk.
[laughter] Where did you see that? I had that in Jamaica, I don’t remember having in Africa. But I had an old friend in Jamaica who would fix that for me, yes, it was delicious.

In your early days, you worked with Coxonne Dodd. As you know, he passed away in May and I’m wondering if you could tell me what it was like working with him.
You know, I am very vague about it because… it’s all in the book. To me, Coxonne was a father figure, to us. Meaning the Wailers, Marcia Griffths, all the artists that was brought up in ya one, you know? He was like a godfather to us and to us, Studio One was like a Motown in Jamaica. So we respect and love what he had to offer at that time without any knowledge or exposure, that was a fairly great start or beginning that was good for us, you know? Actually I’ve names my studio in Ghana Studio One. Yes, it brings a lot of vibrations to me. I say this is it, this is where we started [tk].

There’s been quite a lot of press about your recent book, particularly your charge that Bob raped you.
No. That was misinterpretation and taken out of context and this is why I am asking you to read the book and maybe we could continue the interview cause all that you’re asking, the answers are in the book.

Well, I’ll try and carry on with questions whose answers aren’t in the book.
No, no not to worry, you go on and do what you want to do and I’ll just answer you the way I think I should do.

You’re determined to carry on your husband’s memory and music but with this book, it would seem peoples’ memories or perceptions of him are changing. Was it tough for you to write this book or was it more of a release?
It’s a part of my life. Everyone has their life and lived the life they love, and loved the life they lived. And I think I have a privilege to write some of my life, but that’s not all of my life. Life goes on, you give it a little and if there’s more that if you want to give you can give. You don’t just give it all at one time. “You give a little and you take a little,” as Bob says, “one more time.” [laughter]

The I-Threes last album was over ten years ago. Might you tour or record again?
Yeah mon! We’re recording. We did the I-Threes sing the Best of Bob Marley. And our first album was called Beginning [1986]. [tk] Presently we are doing a tour of South Africa in August. We do the Bob Marley Bash almost every year in Orlando at the Bob Marley venue. So we’re still sisters and always will be.

There’s obviously another big Marley tour this summer, the one here in the U.S. with all your children.
Oh, you heard about that? That’s going to be great.

Are you going to be able to check any of that out?
You bet! Of course, my boys, of course yes. I’m looking forward to that.

Might we see you come out at all?
Yes, I’m going to ask Ziggy if we can cause I know our fans are out there looking for us. It’s going to be a whopper, you should go and catch it. I’m looking forward to it.

How did Bob Marley change Jamaica or change the live of Jamaicans?
Music. It’s the music… remember Bob said, “Music is going to teach them one lesson.” So Bob didn’t have to use any other thing but his music. He didn’t have anything else to use. He didn’t use money, he didn’t use gun, you know? But the music, as Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers say, “All we have is just the music.” When the lights are down and the food run out, all we have is the music. So that is Bob Marley music, it’s his weapon. He’s a master of music and that works well because music teaches, heals. There is a whole therapy about music that is so well being. I’m sure it’s not taken for granted because so many millions sell over the years from the frank message cause the message is in the music.

Rita Marley was interviewed by Josh Baron.