Jimmy Cliff, reggae music and Jamaican cultural icon, dies at 81

Reggae music icon Jimmy Cliff, whose unique tone, lyricism and groundbreaking silver screen role helped make the music of his native Jamaica part of popular culture around the world, has died aged 81, his family says the statement shared Monday on social media.

“It is with deep sadness that I announce that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has passed away due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” Latifah Chambers said in a statement posted on Cliff’s Instagram account. “I am grateful to his family, friends, fellow artists and colleagues who shared his journey. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support has been his strength throughout his career… Jimmy my dear, rest in peace. I will follow your wishes.”

The couple's children, Lilti and Aken, also signed the statement.

Cliff was one of the first international stars of Jamaican music, emerging in the 1960s and early 1970s as reggae evolved from the sounds of ska and rocksteady. His starring role in the timeless classic The Harder They Come, an all-Jamaican production, in 1972 cemented his legacy not only as a musician, but also as a cultural phenomenon.

Cliff plays Ivanhoe “Ivan” Martin, an aspiring singer who faces the harsh reality of a music business run by self-interested producers at the expense of the artists, and the many pitfalls for young Jamaicans trying to survive the violent gang crime epidemic sweeping the country.

“Ivanhoe was a real character to Jamaicans,” Cliff told Variety in a 2022 interview marking the 50th anniversary of the film’s release. “When I was a little boy, I heard about him as a bad man. A very bad person. No one in Jamaica had guns at the time. But he had a gun and he shot a policeman, so he was something to be feared. [director] Perry [Henzel] wanted to make a name for himself as an anti-hero, the way Hollywood turns bad guys into heroes.”

The messages in the film, like its music, were timeless.

The title track from “The Harder They Come”, along with familiar hits including “Many Rivers to Cross” and “You Can Get It If You Really Want”, talks about the struggles of Jamaicans at the time, but they continue to resonate with audiences around the world since he wrote them.

Cliff, along with other icons such as Bob Marley And Toots Hibbert helped give the music and culture of their relatively small Caribbean country a global influence that continues today and far exceeds the size of Jamaica in terms of economic population.

His animated stage presence and high tone were unmistakable. Cliff released his last single, “Human Touch,” just four years ago. According to the Associated Press, Cliff has been nominated for a Grammy award seven times and won twice, winning best reggae album in 1986 for “Cliff Hanger” and again in 2012 for “Rebirth.”

IN tribute Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, posting on his social media accounts early Monday morning, called Cliff “a true cultural giant whose music brought the heart of our nation to the world.”

“Jimmy Cliff told our story with honesty and heart,” Holness said. “His music helped people get through difficult times, inspired generations and helped shape the global respect that Jamaican culture enjoys today. We thank him for his life, his contributions and the pride he brought to Jamaica… Be kind, Jimmy Cliff. Your legacy lives on in every corner of our island and in the hearts of the Jamaican people.”