Bob Marley, Jamaica's roots superstar, is the only Third World musician I can think of whose music is known right across across the globe. There are others, such as Fela Kuti and Hugh Masekela who achieved superstar status within the continent of Africa but never had truly international appeal.
Only Marley managed to make the crossover, not just because of the English lyrics but also because of the universal appeal that all great songwriters have. His music, although rooted in black Caribbean culture and Rastafarian ideology, nevertheless speaks to many millions who have little or no knowledge of those things.
Bob credited his most famous song, "No Woman, No Cry" to his friend and 'saviour' Vincent Ford, known as Tartar, who ran a kitchen in Trenchtown which saved the lives of many hungry children, including the young Bob. Really great songs like this have a universal appeal which breaks right through cultural, political or any other kind of barrier, and Bob Marley wrote many songs which did that.
That the world lost such a great musician at just 36 years of age sounds a warning about what too many these days have come to regard as a harmless drug. Marijuana is an integral part of the religion that was at the core of Bob's being. It may have nourished his soul while he was alive, but in the end it played a significant part in destroying his body.