- Joseph Mersa Marley was a Jamaican American reggae artist.
- He was notably one of the grandsons of the late music legend Bob Marley.
- On Dec. 27, 2022, The Daily Mail along with Tidal reported that Joseph had died at the age of 31.
“Is This Love” hitmaker Bob Marley, who died in 1981, was a proud father to 11 kids. His kids also had children, resulting in a plethora of grandchildren for the late reggae singer. One of those grandkids was Joseph Mersa Marley, who reportedly died at the age of 31 on Dec. 27, 2022, per Rolling Stone. Below are five things to know about the late singer and grandson of the music legend, Bob Marley.
1. Joseph Mersa Marley Died At 31 Years Old
Joseph (AKA Jo Mersa) reportedly died at 31 years old on Dec. 27, 2022, according to multiple reports. The Jamaican American singer was reportedly “found unresponsive” in a vehicle in the United States that day, according to The Daily Mail. He also reportedly suffered from asthma during his life, the same outlet reported.
South Florida radio station 92.7/96.1 FM WZOP/WZPP RADIO also confirmed the news of Jo’s death that Tuesday via Instagram. “In sad news, Jo’Mersa Marley, son of Stephen Marley, grandson of Bob Marley, has allegedly passed away today from an asthma attack. The WZPP family would like to send our deepest condolences to the Marley family during this difficult time,” the outlet captioned the post. HollywoodLife has reached out to his father’s reps to confirm the news of Jo’s passing.
Jamaican politician Mark J. Golding, the Opposition Leader and president of the People’s National Party took to Twitter on Dec. 27, 2022 to mourn Jo. “I’ve just learned of the tragic loss of Joseph ‘Jo Mersa’ Marley. A talented young reggae artiste, son of Stephen Marley & grandson of Bob Marley at only 31 yrs old. The loss of a child is a devastating blow no parent should face, my condolences to Stephen & the entire family,” he tweeted.
2. He Was The Grandson Of Bob Marley
Jo inherited his love of music from his grandfather, Bob. The late “Sun Is Shining” singer tragically died from cancer in 1981 at the age of 36. Bob is considered by many to be one of the pioneers of reggae and has a successful music career to this day. Some of Jo’s grandfather’s hits include “Jamming”, “War”, “Soul Rebel”, and many more. The late music legend is considered to be a major influence on many modern artists today, including rapper Snoop Dogg, who released the reggae album Reincarnated in 2013.
3. Joseph Was Also A Musician
As mentioned above, Jo was a lover of music as well. In fact, he went on to pursue a career in music like his grandfather. Some of Jo’s songs include “Burn It Down”, “Hurting Inside”, and “That Dream.” His most recent album release was in 2021 when he dropped the album, Eternal. On Oct. 11, 2022, just over two months prior to his death, Jo collaborated with some of his musician family members on the song “Blessings.” He took to Instagram to announce the song with a video. “#Blessings @maffio ft uncle @maestromarley [Ky-Mani Marley] and uncle @julianrmarley [Julian Marley] and me @jomersamarley,” he wrote.
4. He Was The Son Of Stephen Marley
Aside from being the grandson of a music icon, Jo was also the son of the talented singer Stephen Marley. The 50-year-old welcomed Jo along with Kerry-Ann in 1991. Stephen also has over a dozen kids from numerous partners including daughters Zipporah Marley, Shacia Marley, Summer Marley, and sons Jeremiah Marley, Bengimen Marley, Yohan Marley, to name a few. Jo’s dad is also the sibling to some pretty famous singers too! Stephen is the brother to hitmakers Ziggy Marley, Rohan Marley, and Damian Marley to name a few. Stephen is currently married to Kertia DeCosta Marley.
5. Joseph Was A Husband & Father
Jo was a proud husband and father who often posted about his family via Instagram. His wife, Qiara, was featured on his Instagram from time-to-time along with their daughter, Sunshine. “Me telling my wife sunshine needs a sibling Look at their facial expressions,” he wrote on Dec. 17, 2019. And on April 20, 2019, he shared an adorable photo of his dad holding his baby girl. “Blessed earth strong to my father @stephenmarley #TheTeacher #TheGeneral,” Jo wrote.