Profile Text
Birth Name: Joseph Marley
Date of Birth: March 12, 1991
Place of Birth: Kingston, Jamaica
Date of Death: December 27, 2022
Place of Death: Miami-Dade County, Florida, U.S.
Ethnicity: African-Jamaican, one quarter German, some English
Jo Mersa Marley was a Jamaican reggae singer.
He was the son of Kerry-Ann Smith and Jamaican-American musician Stephen Marley, and the grandson of reggae singer and songwriter Bob Marley .
Jo was a nephew of reggae singers/musicians Sharon Marley, Cedella Marley, and Ziggy Marley , and of dancer Carlene Smith (also known as Dancehall Queen Carlene); and a half-nephew of entrepreneur and professional football player Rohan Marley , reggae musician and songwriter Julian Marley, reggae musician Ky-Mani Marley, and DJ, singer, lyricist, and rapper Damian Marley . He was a cousin of filmmaker, activist, and actress Donisha Prendergast, and musicians Bambaata Marley and Skip Marley ; and a half-cousin of professional football player Nico Marley, model and singer Selah Marley , and singer and songwriter YG Marley .
Jo’s mother is said to be the daughter of a Jamaican father and a German mother.
Jo was married, and had a daughter.
Jo’s paternal grandfather was Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley (the son of Norval Sinclair Marley and Cedella Editha Malcolm). Bob was born in Nine Mile, Saint Ann, Jamaica. Norval was born in Clarendon, Jamaica, and had English, and a small amount of African, ancestry. He was the son of Albert Thomas “Robert” Marley, who was born in South Weald, Brentwood, Essex, England; and of Ellen Ann Bloomfield. Jo’s great-grandmother Cedella was born in Saint Ann’s Bay, Saint Ann, and was a black Jamaican. She was the daughter of Omeriah/Amariah “Custus” Malcolm and Alberta/Albertha Melida Willoughby/Whilby.
Jo’s paternal grandmother was singer Rita Marley (born Alpharita Constantia Anderson; the daughter of Leroy Anderson and Cynthia “Beda” Jarrett). Rita was born in Cuba, to Jamaican parents.
Sources: Genealogy of Jo Mersa Marley (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Genealogies of Jo’s paternal grandfather, Bob Marley – http://www.wargs.com https://www.wikitree.com https://www.findagrave.com