Joseph Marley, commonly known as “Jo Mersa,” was a Jamaican reggae artist who was the first child of Stephen Marley’s twelve children and the grandson of the legendary reggae musician Bob Marley.
The 31-year-old Joseph was confirmed dead on December 27, 2022, when his unresponsive body was found in his vehicle in Miami, USA, after reportedly suffering an asthma attack.
Born in Jamaica and raised in Miami, Marley followed in his family’s musical footsteps, taking the stage with his family’s band, Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers.
He began writing music when he was in middle school and made his musical debut in 2010 with the release of the single “My Girl,” on which he collaborated with his cousin Daniel Bambaata Marley. In 2016, he collaborated on a song with his father for the latter’s album, “Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life.”
Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Andrew Holness, paid tribute to Jo Mersa following his death, calling it a huge loss to the music as we look to the next generation.
“My heartfelt sympathies go to Joseph’s friends and associates, and to the reggae music fraternity and fans everywhere,” he added.
At the time of his untimely death, Jo Mersa was survived by a wife, daughter, and siblings.
His grandfather, Bob Marley, was a major contributor to the popularisation of reggae music. Some of his hits included “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” “Get Up, Stand Up,” and “Is This Love,” among others.
