Jamaica and the global music community are mourning the death of reggae legend Jimmy Cliff, who passed away at age 81. His wife, Latifa, confirmed the news in an emotional Instagram post on Monday morning, saying he “crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia.” 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. Jimmy Cliff (born James Chambers in 1944 in St. James, Jamaica) began writing songs as a child and moved to Kingston at 14 to pursue music. His breakthrough came with the 1972 film and soundtrack The Harder They Come, which introduced reggae to global audiences and solidified his status as a foundational figure in the genre. Cliff later contributed to major soundtracks most notably “I Can See Clearly Now” for Cool Runnings and appeared in several films. Across his career, he collaborated widely, earned two Grammy Awards, released new music into his late 70s, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010. He is the only reggae musician to receive Jamaica’s Order of Merit during his lifetime.
