Reggae legend Jimmy Cliff has passed away following a seizure and pneumonia, his wife, Latifa Chambers, announced on his official Instagram account.
“I am grateful to his family, friends, fellow artists, and coworkers who shared his journey,” she wrote. “To his fans worldwide, your support was his strength throughout his career.”
Over more than four decades, Cliff blended reggae with folk, soul, ska, and rock, creating songs that tackled politics, poverty, injustice, and war. A multi-instrumentalist, he is best known for hits like You Can Get It If You Really Want and The Harder They Come, and is regarded as reggae’s most influential figure after Bob Marley.
Cliff gained international fame with the 1972 film The Harder They Come, which he starred in and which drew on his experiences growing up in poverty, introducing him and reggae music to a global audience.
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness paid tribute, calling Cliff “a true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world.” He added, “His music uplifted people, inspired generations, and shaped the global respect Jamaican culture enjoys today. Walk good, Jimmy Cliff—your legacy lives on across our island and in the hearts of the Jamaican people.”
