Jo Mersa Marley

Jo Mersa Marley
Born
Joseph Marley

(1991-03-12)March 12, 1991
Kingston, Jamaica
DiedDecember 27, 2022(2022-12-27) (aged 31)
Miami-Dade County, Florida, US
Alma mater
OccupationMusician
Years active2014–2022
FatherStephen Marley
Relatives
Musical career
GenresReggae
InstrumentVocals
LabelGhetto Youths International

Joseph "Jo Mersa" Marley (March 12, 1991 – December 26, 2022) was a Jamaican reggae singer.[1] He was the son of Stephen Marley and Kerry-Ann Smith and the grandson of reggae legend, Bob Marley.

Personal life

Marley spent his early years in Jamaica, where he attended Saints Peter and Paul Preparatory School, before moving to Florida to attend Miami Palmetto Senior High School and Miami Dade College (where he studied studio engineering).[2] His maternal aunt is the artist, Dancehall Queen Carlene.[3]

Career

Marley debuted in 2014 releasing the EP "Comfortable[4] through iTunes and Spotify. He also appeared on a Grammy-winning album Strictly Roots by Morgan Heritage.

In 2015, Marley played Reggae Fest in Philadelphia along with his father, Stephen and uncle Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley during the Catch a Fire tour.[5] In 2020, he released the song Nothings Gonna Harm You dedicated to his young daughter.

He released his second EP "Eternal" on 21 May 2021, which included the single Made It.[6] Dancehall Magazine recommend it as one of its 21 top albums of the year.[7] Of the album, the magazine said "he reveals himself as a lyric spitting melody-making contender in reggae music" and singled out the song Guess Who’s Coming Home as the one in which he "stand[s] out vocally from the other Marleys.[8]

Posthumously, the magazine identified his five best songs as Burn It Down ft. his brother Yohan Marley, Made It ft. Kabaka Pyramid, Yo Dawg ft. Busy Signal, Rock and Swing, and his own take on Bob Marley's Hurting Inside.

Death

On December 27, 2022, Marley died unexpectedly in Miami-Dade County, Florida,[9] of acute asthma exacerbration.[10] He was only 31.[4] He was survived by his wife and one daughter.[4] He was interred in Nine Mile, St. Ann Parish, Jamaica along with his grandfather.[3]

Discography

  • Comfortable EP (2014)
  • Eternal (2021)

References

  1. ^ "Happy Birthday Joseph "Jo Mersa" Marley!". www.reggae4u.org. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  2. ^ "Jo Mersa Marley: Comfortable in his own Skin". Jamaica Observer. June 6, 2014. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018.
  3. ^ a b Mallick, Dani (March 14, 2023). "Marley Family Pays Tribute To Jo Mersa On His 32nd Birthday". DancehallMag. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  4. ^ a b c "Reggae artist Jo Mersa Marley, Bob Marley's grandson, dies aged 31". ABC News. December 28, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  5. ^ Jordan, Sarah (August 27, 2015). "The First Family of Reggae Returns to Philly this Saturday". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  6. ^ Campbell, Joel (May 4, 2021). "Jo Mersa Marley Releases 'Made It'". Voice Online. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  7. ^ Lee, Sasha (December 26, 2021). "The 21 Best Dancehall And Reggae Albums Of 2021". DancehallMag. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  8. ^ Watkis, Donovan (May 22, 2021). "Jo Mersa Marley: 'Eternal' EP Album Review". DancehallMag. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
  9. ^ Blistein, Jon (December 27, 2022). "Jo Mersa Marley, Grandson of Bob Marley and Son of Stephen, Dead at 31". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  10. ^ "Cause of Death Revealed for Bob Marley's Grandson Jo Mersa Marley". E! Online. July 12, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
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