The singer was the son of Grammy-winning reggae star Stephen Marley.
Reggae singer Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley, grandson of late reggae legend Bob Marley, has died. He was 31. A representative confirmed to Rolling Stone that Marley died in Miami-Dade County, but the cause of death is unknown at this time.
Jo Mersa was a member of the Marley family reggae music dynasty. His father is Stephen Marley, who is a Grammy Award-winning reggae artist in his own right. His uncles are reggae stars Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley and Ziggy Marley. Reggae singer Skip Marley is his cousin.
Marley was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1991. He started his professional music career as a child in 2010 when he collaborated with his cousin, Daniel Bambaata Marley, on the song, “My Girl,” according to Deadline. He released his debut EP “Comfortable,” in 2014. His latest project was the 2021 EP, “Eternal.”
During a Rolling Stone interview, Marley spoke about charting his own course within his musical family. “I am one of the new generations of Marleys, but I am still experimenting at the same time,” Marley said. “My plan is to do something new with my roots.”
Andrew Holness, Jamaica’s prime minister, commented on the news of Marley’s passing with a thread of Twitter posts. “My heartfelt sympathies to Joseph’s friends and associates and to the Reggae music fraternity and fans everywhere,” Holness wrote. “May he find Eternal Peace as we mourn his loss during this season of goodwill when we celebrate with family and friends our love for each other.”
Mark J. Golding, president of the People’s National Party in Jamaica, also tweeted his sympathies to Marley’s father and loved ones. “The loss of a child is a devastating blow no parent should face, my condolences to Stephen & the entire family,” Golding wrote.
TheGrio music writer Matthew Allen contributed to this article.
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