Jimmy Cliff, one of the most prominent and beloved proponents of reggae music, has died at the age of 81.
A star since the 1960s, he helped to bring the sound of Jamaica to a global audience through hits such as Wonderful World, Beautiful People, and You Can Get It If You Really Want.
His lead role as a gun-toting rebel in the 1972 crime drama The Harder They Come is a cornerstone of Jamaican cinema, and was attributed as the movie that brought reggae to America.
Cliff's wife, Latifa Chambers, announced his death via a statement on Instagram.
It's with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia, 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.
Born James Chambers in 1944, Cliff grew up as the eighth of nine children in abject poverty in the parish of St. James, Jamaica. Blessed with a sweet, mellifluous voice, he began singing at his local church at the age of six. He was inspired to write his own material when he heard ska pioneer Derrick Morgan on the radio.
He eventually struck gold with the 1969 single Wonderful World, Beautiful People, an upbeat, feelgood anthem; and the more politically-charged Vietnam, which Bob Dylan called the best protest song ever written. Cliff became an international star with The Harder They Come, where he played Ivan Martin, a young man trying to break into Jamaica's corrupt music industry.
Over the decades, he received numerous accolades, including a Grammy Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. Cliff continued to tour late into his life, maintaining a connection with fans worldwide.
His legacy, steeped in messages of hope and resilience, remains influential in the landscape of music to this day.
