The Legendary Jimmy Cliff, Music Superstar and Cultural Icon, Passes Away at Eighty-One Years Old
Global audiences mourns the passing of the iconic Jimmy Cliff, the renowned Jamaican-born musician and actor whose captivating voice was instrumental in popularizing the reggae genre worldwide. The artist has died at the age of 81.
“It’s with profound sadness that I announce that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has passed away due to a seizure and subsequent pneumonia,” wrote his wife Latifa on social media. “I am thankful for his loved ones, close friends, peers in the arts and coworkers who shared his journey. To all his supporters around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career … Jimmy, my dear, may you rest peacefully. I will follow your wishes.” The message was also signed by their children, Lilty and Aken.
Jimmy Cliff gained fame for hit songs such as You Can Get It If You Really Want, I Can See Clearly Now and “Wonderful World, Beautiful People”. His upbeat musical style and uplifting temperament earned him a large and longstanding fanbase.
Beyond his music achievements, Cliff took the lead role in the 1972 drama film The Harder They Come, a role that received critical praise and is viewed as a cornerstone of film in Jamaica.
Jimmy Cliff was one of just a handful of musicians, including Bob Marley and other greats, to be awarded the prestigious Jamaican Order of Merit.
More to follow…
