Bob Marley’s grandson Joseph Mersa Marley dies aged 31 

Jamaican-American reggae artist Joseph Mersa Marley has been found dead The rising star,31, was found unresponsive in a car on Tuesday The artist – who went by his stage name Jo Mersa – had reportedly suffered from asthma his entire life He is grandson of iconic reggae star Bob Marley and the son of Stephen Marley.

“May he find Eternal Peace as we mourn his loss during this season of goodwill,” Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness wrote in a tribute to Joseph “Jo Mersa” Marley following his death on Tuesday

Born in Jamaica in 1991, Jo Mersa moved to Miami at the age of 11, according to Rolling Stone. He attended Palmetto High School before enrolling at Miami Dade College, where he studied studio engineering. Jo Mersa was exposed to music at an early age while being raised by his father Stephen, 50, one of Bob’s 11 children who followed in the late reggae artist’s footsteps÷ ..,

After beginning to write music in middle school, Jo Mersa released his first song”My Girl” — a collaboration with his cousin Daniel Bambaata Marley — in 2010. In 2014, Jo Mersa dropped his first EP, titled Comfortable. His latest and second EP, Eternal, was released last year.

While promoting the tracks, Jo Mersa opened up about his grandfather — who died in 1981 at the age of 36 — telling Reg;7p6 gaeville.com about his legacy and sharing that his family remembers the late singer by reminiscing about the memories they had with him.

“We always hear those reflections, speaking about those things, about the role that he played not only as a family member and father culture, the roots, bringing forward the message of Rastafari and love, over all love,” he explained at the time.