Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff, star of The Harder They Come, dies at 81

Legendary reggae musician and actor Jimmy Cliff, one of the most influential figures in taking Jamaica’s sound to the world, has died at the age of 81.

His wife, Latifa Chambers, confirmed his passing in a heartfelt Instagram statement, saying he died after suffering a seizure followed by pneumonia. She thanked fans, collaborators and loved ones for standing by him throughout his long and celebrated career. “Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes,” she wrote on behalf of herself and their children, Lilty and Aken.

Born James Chambers in 1948 in rural St. James, Jamaica, Cliff rose from deep poverty to become one of reggae’s first global ambassadors. He began singing in his local church at age six, later moving to Kingston as a teenager to pursue music and adopting the stage name “Cliff” to symbolise the heights he aimed to achieve.

He quickly made a mark on the Jamaican music scene, scoring an early hit with Hurricane Hattie, a song he wrote himself. By 1965, he had moved to London and joined Island Records, the label that would later champion Bob Marley. Though early attempts to position him for mainstream rock audiences struggled, Cliff broke through with international hits like Wonderful World, Beautiful People and Vietnam, the latter famously praised by Bob Dylan as “the best protest song ever written.”

Cliff’s defining cultural moment came in 1972, when he starred in the groundbreaking Jamaican film The Harder They Come. His portrayal of Ivan Martin, an aspiring musician navigating corruption and desperation, became iconic. The film and its soundtrack introduced millions around the world to reggae, helping cement Jamaica’s place in global pop culture.

“The film opened the door for Jamaica,” Cliff later reflected. “It said, ‘This is where this music comes from.’”

Throughout his career, Cliff continued to release acclaimed work, earning Grammy Awards for his albums Cliff Hanger (1985) and Rebirth (2012). In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recognised as one of reggae’s foundational voices.

With a catalogue spanning decades and a legacy that shaped generations of musicians, Jimmy Cliff leaves behind a towering influence on reggae, world music, and Caribbean identity. His songs of hope, resistance, and resilience remain as powerful today as when they first echoed across Jamaica.