Reggae Legend Jimmy Cliff has passed

Jimmy Cliff (born James Chambers on July 30, 1944) was a pioneering Jamaican musician, singer, and actor who played a central role in popularizing reggae music globally. He died on November 24, 2025, at the age of 81 in Kingston, Jamaica, following a seizure and a bout of pneumonia.

• Film Pioneer: Cliff starred as Ivanhoe Martin in the 1972 film The Harder They Come, the first major commercial film from Jamaica. Its soundtrack is credited with introducing reggae to a massive international audience.
• Hall of Fame: In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, making him one of only two Jamaicans to receive the honor (the other being Bob Marley).
• Grammy Awards: He was a two-time Grammy winner, earning Best Reggae Album for Cliff Hanger (1985) and Rebirth (2012).
• National Honor: He was awarded the Order of Merit in 2003, Jamaica’s fourth-highest honor, for his contributions to the arts.