Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley, grandson of Bob Marley and son of Stephen Marley, has died on the age of 31.
A rep for Marley confirmed his demise to Rolling Stone. A reason behind demise was not instantly given.
Mark J. Golding, a Jamaican politician, the Opposition Chief, and president of the Individuals’s Nationwide Social gathering, mourned Marley’s demise on Twitter, writing, “I’ve simply discovered of the tragic lack of Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley. A proficient younger reggae artiste, son of Stephen Marley & grandson of Bob Marley at solely 31 yrs outdated. The loss of a kid is a devastating blow no mother or father ought to face, my condolences to Stephen & your complete household.”
Marley was born in Jamaica in 1992 earlier than shifting to Miami at age 11. He was surrounded by music and as a child, even taking the stage together with his father, in addition to Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers (the group comprising his uncle Ziggy and aunts Sharon and Cadella). Usually, as Marley instructed Rolling Stone in a 2014 interview, he and his cousin Daniel Bambaata Marley (Ziggy’s son) had been tasked with singing the Medley Makers’ 1989 music, “Look Who’s Dancing.”
Marley started writing his personal music in center college and launched his first official music “My Lady” (a collaboration with Daniel Bambaata) in 2010. 4 years later, Marley dropped his debut solo EP, Comfy, and in 2016 he joined his father on “Revelation Social gathering,” a music from Stephen’s album Revelation Half 2: The Fruit of Life. His most up-to-date venture, Everlasting — which featured collaborations with reggae and dancehall artists like Busy Sign, Black-Am-I, and Kabaka Pyramid — arrived in 2021.
Within the interview with Rolling Stone, Marley spoke about rising up in a musical atmosphere. “It was a really magical factor, seeing these folks come round to the home and the way the entire work course of would occur,” he mentioned. “I might come residence and attempt to do homework, however I’d find yourself getting distracted and go peek within the studio. You’ll all the time wish to run in and run out to see what was happening.”
However for all of the historical past he was steeped in, he was adamant about carving his personal path: “I’m one of many new technology of Marleys, however I’m nonetheless experimenting on the identical time,” he mentioned “My plan is to do one thing new with my roots.”
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