Iconic Jamaican artist, Jimmy Cliff, credited with helping to globalise reggae music, has passed away at the age of 81.
eelive.ng reports that Cliff’s wife, Latifa Chambers, announced his death in a statement released 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.
She expressed gratitude to fans and collaborators around the world, adding that their support was his lifelong strength.
Her message was also signed by the couple’s children, Lilty and Aken.
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A towering figure in the genre since the 1960s, Cliff brought the rhythms and stories of Jamaica to international audiences through timeless classics like Wonderful World, Beautiful People, and You Can Get It If You Really Want.
His performance as the rebellious Ivan Martin in the 1972 film The Harder They Come remains a landmark in cinematic and musical history, widely regarded as the project that introduced reggae to American mainstream culture.