The reason behind the death of Joseph ‘Mersa’ Marley, Bob Marley’s grandson, has been disclosed.
The musician, who was 31 years old, was subsequently declared deceased in Florida on December 26, 2022, following the discovery of their unresponsiveness in a vehicle.
Joseph was the grandson of the deceased reggae icon Marley and the son of musician Stephen Marley.
The cause of Joseph’s death was not disclosed at the time, but now a coroner’s report has been released.
Rolling Stone acquired records from the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office, which indicate that Joseph passed away due to ‘acute asthma exacerbation’ following exposure to a common cold virus.
In March 2022, Joseph, a musician who had a history of bronchitis and asthma, visited a hospital in Florida for treatment. Unfortunately, at the time of his death, he was not taking his asthma medication and also had pneumonia.
Additionally, alongside the black discoloration in his lungs, the Medical Examiner’s Office also discovered that Joseph had ‘hypertrophied glottic tonsils’ and a smoking background.
A toxicology report was conducted and it revealed the presence of naloxone, ethanol at a concentration of 0.08%, and THC, the active compound in marijuana, in his system.
The report highlights that an acute exacerbation of asthma is a common occurrence due to a non-allergic viral illness. It is important to note that smoking chronic products like marijuana or tobacco can be dangerous for individuals with asthma.
Supposedly because of his respiratory condition, he was not feeling well, Joseph mentioned that he had a conversation with his mother on Christmas Day, which was the day prior to his passing.
Joseph, who originated from cancer, was raised in Jamaica prior to relocating to Miami. He successfully established a music profession, following in the footsteps of his family members, which notably includes his renowned grandfather Marley. Marley, a trailblazer in the realm of reggae music, tragically passed away at the young age of 36 in 1981.
In 2014, Joseph released his debut EP Comfortable featuring six songs and guest appearances from reggae musicians Wayne Marshall and Jemere Morgan.
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His sophomore album, Eternal, was dropped in 2021 and showcased the talents of Busy Signal and Melii.
Besides collaborating with his father Stephen, Joseph also featured on the Grammy-winning record Strictly Roots by Morgan Heritage.
He pursued studio engineering during his time at Miami Dade College.
I am deeply saddened by the news of Joseph Marley’s death, son of Reggae star Stephen Marley and grandson of Reggae superstar Bob Marley. Many paid tribute to Joseph after the news of his death, including Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Sport, Entertainment, Gender, and Culture, who tweeted about it.
‘We were graced by Joseph,whose stage name was Jo Mersa, performing at our Jamaica 60 Launch in Miramar, Florida, USA in May.
I would like to extend my deepest condolences to Joseph’s friends, family members, and associates, as well as the other Marleys and Kerry mom Jo’s, as fans of Reggae music are found everywhere.
When we celebrate love, family, and friends during this season of goodwill, may we find Eternal Peace as we mourn his loss. She added that the passing at the young age of 31 years old is a significant loss to the music industry, as we look towards the next generation.