Following his passing on December 27, 2022, the friends and loved ones of reggae singer Jo Mersa Marley will bid their final farewell to the musician on Tuesday in St. Andrew at the Bob Marley Museum.

Aiding in the flourishing of the Marley reggae legacy, Mersa made his musical debut in 2010 alongside his cousin, Daniel Bambaata Marley. Born to Stephen Marley and Kerry-Ann Smith (sister of former Dancehall Queen Carlene Smith), Mersa appeared on his father’s album Revelation Part 2: The Fruit of Life in 2016 and went on to collaborate with artistes such as Busy Signal and Kabaka Pyramid.

The artiste passed away in the United States in South Florida of a suspected asthma attack and is survived by his wife Qiara and their 6-year-old daughter Sunshine. He was 31 years old at the time of his death.

Like his grandfather Bob Marley, who died in 1981, Mersa will be interred at Nine Miles in St. Ann. A private, all-white vigil was held for Mersa in Florida on January 10. The private ceremony was attended by the musician’s family, fellow artistes, and close friends, including Lauryn Hill, Cham, Shaggy, and Tarrus Riley.

The marketing director for Inner Circle and a close family friend of Mersa and the Marleys, Abebe Lewis, said that the vigil’s attendees were in great spirits and that Mersa’s influence on them was evident. Lewis shared that the last time he spoke with the singer was in November, while the pair discussed a potential performance at the Art Basel show, which was attended by Ky-Mani and Julian Marley. Lewis described his friend as a natural-born leader and a genuinely good person who always tried to keep everyone in high spirits.Dancehall veteran Bounty Killer expressed his respect for Mersa and his hopes that the artiste would have a “smooth transition to zion,” sharing Mersa’s funeral programme on his Instagram page on Tuesday.