Ziggy Marley — the eldest son of Reggae icon Bob Marley and an eight-time Grammy Award winner — has accused a luxury villa on Jamaica’s North Coast of discrimination.

Marley, who recently wrapped up filming of the Paramount Studios Bob Marley biopic on the island, said he attempted to book the Sea Salt Villa at Old Fort Bay near Ocho Rios last month, but the owner allegedly refused because he “does not rent his property to Jamaicans.”

However, when DancehallMag contacted Sea Salt for a response to Ziggy’s allegations and to confirm whether or not Jamaicans are blacklisted from staying at the property, a manager said the singer’s account of the matter was “absolutely inaccurate” and that he is still welcomed to stay at the villa on the condition that he follows their rules.

Ziggy had discussed the matter with Kabu on Irie FM this morning on a “The Africa Forum: Running African” program titled “The Privatization Of Jamaica’s Beaches.”

According to the singer, he could now relate first-hand to the discrimination many Jamaicans have complained about, as similar treatment had been meted out to him.

“We even face it wiself.  Becaw me face it di odda day.  Meck mi tell yuh weh mi mean.  Mi a try rent a place – wi come Jamaica, wi a work pon di movie- Trench Town, Jungle Bull Bay all ova.  Enjoy di time, hard work suh wi finish dat now, an mi seh mi family come, mi wife come, mi yute dem come,” said Ziggy.

“Suh mi find a nice place, a like villa someweh fi enjoy some beach life and what have you.   Old Fort Bay right yah suh, a Ochi a place name Sea Salt, a likkle villa name Sea Salt.  Only fi find out seh di man seh, when him hear seh a we, him seh him naw rent di place to no Jamaican,” Ziggy added.

He continued: “Mi a seh, wait a wha kind a place wi a live inna?  A discrimination… Yuh si even though mi a Ziggy Marley, mi still nuh roll inna certain circles.  My circle dem still deh inna di roots.  Suh dem still feel seh bwoy if dem rent Ziggy Marley a place, maybe some a di roots or suppm.”