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 to bring reggae music 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.
Born James Chambers in 1944, Cliff grew up as the eighth of nine children in abject poverty in the parish of St. James, Jamaica. He began singing at his local church at the age of six, eventually moving to Kingston where he adopted the surname Cliff to symbolize the heights he intended to reach.
In 1965, Cliff recorded his first hit, Hurricane Hattie, before moving to London and releasing the widely acclaimed Wonderful World, Beautiful People in 1969.
The soundtrack of The Harder They Come, which Cliff contributed four songs to, won him international acclaim and was recognized by Rolling Stone as one of their top 500 albums of all time.
Cliff's enduring contributions to reggae music and culture earned him the Order of Merit in Jamaica and an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
His legacy continues to inspire generations of artists and fans alike, as he demonstrated the transformative power of music.
