Joseph Marley prefers to be referred to as Jo Mersa professionally. Although he did not really explain exactly why he decided to use a different name from his famous surname, one can only deduce that it might have something to do with his legacy and building his own image and career.
While he has deviated from the world-renowned surname, Mersa was still on his way to making it big in the reggae music scene in his own right.
In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, the reggae star opened up about forging his own career despite being the grandson of the genre's icon.
"I am one of the new [generations] of Marleys, but I am still experimenting at the same time," he said. "My plan is to do something new with my roots."
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Music, Family, and More
Not a lot is known about the late reggae star, but his social media suggests that he had two loves in his life: music and family.
Being exposed to music at a young age, Mersa fell in love with music and music-making, and he began working on his own music.
By 2014, he had released his debut studio album, "Comfortable" and his sophomore album "Eternal" in 2021.
Aside from music, he was a big family man. Sadly, Mersa left behind numerous loved ones when he tragically passed away.
Reports say that he had a wife and a young daughter, Qiara, whom he often posted about on his social media accounts.
He clearly doted on his daughter and spoke about what she should learn in school.
"Well, first and foremost it would have to definitely be history!" he said in a 2021 interview.
"History is one of the main things I would like to see the education system really get down on to make that impact there, first and foremost."
The Marley family is a huge one, and according to reports, the Jamaican musician had a big family, with 11 children with seven partners.
Mersa is the child of Stephen Marley, one of the 11 children, who are mostly musically inclined just like Marley.
US Magazine reported that Mersa has worked with several of his family members throughout the years, like Ky-Mani Marley and Julian Marley.
Mersa's loss was devastation not only to his family but to his fans and other music audiences who have seen what the reggae star could offer if he lived longer than he did.
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