Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - Reggae music icon Jimmy Cliff has d!ed at the age of 81, his family said in a statement shared on social media.
"It's with profound sadness that I share that my
husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by
pneumonia," Latifa Chambers said in a statement posted on Cliff's
Instagram account. "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 couple's children Lilty and Aken also signed the
statement.
He was best known for songs including "Many Rivers to
Cross," and "The Harder They Come," the title song for the movie
of the same name from 1972, which featured Cliff. The film's soundtrack was a
major international success and helped spread the appeal of Jamaican reggae.
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said in a statement:
"His music lifted people through hard times, inspired generations, and
helped to shape the global respect that Jamaican culture enjoys today."
Born in Jamaica in 1944, Cliff scored his first local hit
aged just 14 with "Hurricane Hattie" and would go on to win two
Grammy awards and pick up seven nominations.
He was only one of two Jamaicans to be inducted into the
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, alongside Bob Marley. He was inducted in 2010,
with an introductory speech from Wyclef Jean.
An essay commemorating Cliff from writer Rob Bowman said
that if he had done nothing but star in "The Harder They Come," he
would have merited inclusion.
Cliff was a foundational figure in the Jamaican reggae
scene. He worked as an A&R man, discovering new talent for Beverley's
Records. This legendary label promoted ska, rocksteady, and eventually reggae,
and played a role in the discovery of both Desmond Dekker and a young Bob
Marley.
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