Joseph ‘Jo’ Mersa Marley, the grandson of reggae legend Bob Marley and son of Stephen Marley, has died at age 31, TMZ reports.
The specifics of Jo’s death have not been announced, but he reportedly passed away due to asthma-related conditions. A representative for Jo, who released his most recent project Eternal last year, confirmed that he had passed away on Dec. 26 in Miami-Dade County, Florida, per Rolling Stone.
Born in Jamaica in 1991, Jo moved to Miami at age 11 and had been involved in music from an early age. He had appeared onstage with his father, Ziggy Marley, and the Melody Makers before pursuing a solo career just over a decade ago. His first official release came in 2010 with the Daniel Bambaata collaboration “My Girl,” which he followed with his debut solo EP Comfortable in 2014.
Jamaican politician Mark J. Golding was among those to share his condolences upon hearing the passing of Jo. “I’ve just learned of the tragic loss of Joseph 'Jo Mersa' Marley," wrote Golding, the president of the People's National Party. "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."
RIP.
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