Jimmy Cliff, the reggae musician who became an icon of the genre during his many years of performing, has passed away at the age of 81.
News of Cliff’s death comes courtesy of his wife, Latifa Chambers.
“It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia. I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists, and coworkers who have shared his journey with him,” Chambers wrote on Instagram Monday morning.
The music icon reportedly passed away in his native Jamaica.
Cliff had several hit singles over the course of his career, including “Many Rivers to Cross” and “The Harder They Come,” the title track from the 1972 film in which he starred.
The well-received crime drama helped popularize reggae worldwide and made Cliff a global icon.
In addition to his original songs, Cliff scored hits with several covers, including “Hakuna Matata”, Cat Stevens’s “Wild World” and Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now,” which was featured on the soundtrack of the film Cool Runnings.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
News of Cliff’s passing made him an instant trending topic across social media, as family, friends, and a legion of adoring fans rushed to pay tribute.
His widow concluded her announcement with a message of support to Jimmy’s many fans throughout the world:
“I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him. To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career,” she wrote, adding:
“He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.
“Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes. I hope you all can respect our privacy during these hard times. Further information will be provided at a later date.”
Our thoughts go out to Jimmy Cliff’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.