Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley, son of musician Stephen Marley and the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley, has reportedly died. He was 31.
The Jamaican American reggae artist was allegedly discovered unresponsive in a car, in line with an preliminary tweet by journalist Abka Fitz-Henley on Tuesday, the New York Post studies
South Florida radio station WZPP posted on Instagram that it had confirmed Jo Mersa’s passing and mentioned he died of an bronchial asthma assault, although it didn’t specify a location the place it occurred. It famous that the singer leaves behind a spouse and daughter.
The Post has contacted representatives for Jo Mersa for remark.
His grandfather was a pioneer within the reggae motion and identified for songs together with “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” “Get Up, Stand Up,” “Is This Love,” “I Shot the Sheriff,” “No Woman, No Cry” and extra.
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Bob Marley died in 1981 of melanoma at solely 36. He had 11 kids with seven totally different ladies.
Stephen Marley moreover has a daughter, Mystic Marley, who can be a musician. Stephen’s siblings embody musician Ziggy Marley and entrepreneur Rohan Marley.
Jo Mersa spent his early years in Jamaica earlier than he moved to Florida in highschool. He studied studio engineering at Miami Dade College, in line with a 2014 Jamaica Observer story.
He launched an EP, “Comfortable,” in 2014 that included the title monitor.
In a 2021 interview with the Jamaica Gleaner, timed to his second EP “Eternal” — which featured Melii, Black-Am-I, Busy Signal and Kabaka Pyramid — Jo Mersa opened up about his songwriting prowess.
“In all honesty, it depends on the vibe because sometimes you will have a tune or idea, like a whole tune is in your head but no beat, and other times, you have a beat and no tune,” he mentioned.
“That’s for me, of course. I can’t speak for everyone. Some songs I am able to finish in a night, and some take longer.”
In the 2014 Jamaica Observer story, he instructed that following in his father’s footsteps was difficult.
“My father has created a legacy by putting out songs with meaning,” he mentioned. “It’s something I have to live up to.”
He did declare in one other interview, although, that there was “no pressure” to stay as much as his final title.
“There’s things that you have to overcome and things you just have to do and that’s how it is. We have to go through life you know? There’s no pressure for me,” he advised the leisure web site the Pier that very same yr.
“I give thanks for being a Marley. I’m very appreciative and thankful that I am born where I am born and put where God has decided. I’m very thankful about it and proud.”
He additionally opened up about his grandfather’s legacy in 2021, saying that his household usually regarded again on it yr after yr on the anniversary of his loss of life. “We always hear those reflections, speaking about those things, about the role that he played not only as family member and father, but also in the world and the impact he had on the Reggae community and the Reggae culture, the roots, bringing forward the message of Rastafari and love, over all love,” he advised Reggaeville.
This article initially appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission.
