Musician and Bob Marley’s Grandson, Jo Mersa Marley Pass Away at Age 31
Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley, a highly-respected reggae musician in his own right and the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley as well as the son of Grammy Award-winning musician Stephen Marley, passed away at the age of 31, according to US media.
Marley’s death was verified to Rolling Stone by a representative, who did not provide a cause of death. He was discovered in a car after having an asthma attack on Tuesday, according to WZPP Radio in Miami, where the musician lived for a significant portion of his life.
In a tweet, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness expressed his “deep sadness” over the news of the passing of Marley and sent his condolences to his parents, Stephen and Kerry.
He continued, “A big loss to the music as we look to the next generation, my profound sympathies to Joseph’s friends and associates, to the Reggae music fraternity, and to the listeners everywhere.”
In 2016, Jo Mersa issued his self-titled debut album. Two years later, in 2021, he published “Eternal.”
Jo Mersa talked about being surrounded by musicians as a child in a 2014 Rolling Stone interview, including his father and his uncle Ziggy.
At the time, he observed, “Watching those folks come around to the house and how the entire work process would happen was a very beautiful thing. I would try to finish my homework when I got home, but I always ended up getting sidetracked and peeking in the studio.”
He added that despite having a musical background, he had always aspired to forge his own path.
Jo Mersa told the newspaper, “I am one of the new Marleys, but I am still exploring at the same time. “I want to use my roots to create something fresh.”
Marley is survived by a wife and a daughter, according to WZPP.
