Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff, has passed away at the age of 81.

The news was confirmed by his wife, Latifa Chambers, via his official Instagram account.

Cliff, whose career spanned over six decades, was a trailblazer in bringing the sound of Jamaica to a global audience.

Known for hits like Wonderful World, Beautiful People and You Can Get It If You Really Want, he became a symbol of reggae’s international appeal. His performance in the 1972 film The Harder They Come solidified his place in both music and cinema history.

The film, which featured Cliff as a rebellious figure in Jamaica’s music industry, is widely credited with introducing reggae to American audiences and becoming a cornerstone of Jamaican cinema.

 

In her tribute, Latifa Chambers shared that Jimmy Cliff died following a seizure and subsequent complications from pneumonia. “It is with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over,” she wrote. “I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists, and coworkers who have shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career. Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes.” The message was also signed by their children, Lilty and Aken.

 

Born James Chambers in 1948 in St. James, Jamaica, Cliff grew up in poverty as the eighth of nine children. He began singing in his local church at age six, and by the time he was 14, he had moved to Kingston, adopting the surname Cliff to symbolize his aspirations.

His breakthrough came with the song Hurricane Hattie, which topped the Jamaican charts in 1965. Soon after, he moved to London to work with Island Records, the label that would later sign Bob Marley. Though early efforts to adapt his sound for rock audiences didn’t fully take off, Cliff’s big break came with the 1969 release of Wonderful World, Beautiful People, an upbeat anthem that resonated worldwide. His politically charged protest song Vietnam was praised by none other than Bob Dylan, who called it “the best protest song ever written.”

 

Cliff’s rise to global stardom was cemented with The Harder They Come, where he portrayed Ivan Martin, a young man trying to navigate Jamaica’s corrupt music industry. “The film opened the door for Jamaica,” Cliff later reflected. “It said, ‘This is where this music comes from.'”

 

His illustrious career included several iconic albums, such as Cliff Hanger (1985) and Rebirth (2012), which earned him a Grammy Award. In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, further solidifying his legacy as a pioneer of reggae and a global music icon.

Jimmy Cliff leaves behind an enduring legacy, one that shaped not only reggae but also the cultural landscape of the 20th and 21st centuries.

 

 

Source: Punch