This is sad news for the music world. Artist Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley, son of Stephen Marley and grandson of Bob Marley, has died aged 31. Indeed, the singer’s representative announced the sad news in Rolling Stone magazine on Tuesday, December 27.
Joseph Marley was born in Jamaica in 1991 and spent the first 11 years of his life there. He then moved to Miami and attended Palmetto High School and then Miami Dade College where he studied studio engineering. After growing up in a world rocked by reggae, Bob Marley’s grandson decided to get into music. In 2010 he released his first song, My Girl, in collaboration with his cousin Daniel Bambaata Marley, Ziggy’s son. Four years later, he released his first EP entitled Confortable before unveiling the second, Eternal, in 2021.
Joseph Marley died of an asthma attack
According to preliminary information, Joseph Marley was found unconscious in his vehicle in the United States, at an unspecified location, on Tuesday, December 27. Shortly after this news, the media TMZ as well as the radio station WZPP in Florida revealed that the grandson of the legend of reggae would have died following an attack of asthma. Indeed, the young man had suffered from respiratory problems since his childhood.
For the moment, the relatives of Joseph Marley have not confirmed the causes of his death and an autopsy must be performed in order to confirm the hypothesis of the investigators. On Twitter, Andrew Holness, the Prime Minister of Jamaica spoke after the tragedy. “I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of Joseph Marley, son of reggae star Stephen Marley and grandson of reggae superstar Bob Marley,” he wrote. A tragedy for those close to him, especially since the young artist leaves behind his partner Qiara and his daughter.
Joseph Marley © Instagram @jomersamarley
