Reggae Giant Jimmy Cliff Has Died, Aged 81

"Cliff was a native Jamaican with a spirited tenor and a gift for catchphrases and topical lyrics who joined Kingston's emerging music scene in his teens and helped lead a movement in the 1960s that included such future stars as Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert and Peter Tosh. By the early 1970s, he had accepted director Perry Henzell's offer to star in a film about an aspiring reggae musician, Ivanhoe "Ivan" Martin, who turns to crime when his career stalls."

"The Harder They Come, delayed for some two years because of sporadic funding, was the first major commercial release to come out of Jamaica. It sold few tickets in its initial run, despite praise from Roger Ebert and other critics. But it now stands as a cultural touchstone, with a soundtrack widely cited as among the greatest ever and as a turning point in reggae's worldwide rise."

"In the early 1960s, Jamaica was gaining its independence from Britain and the early sounds of reggae - first called ska and rocksteady - were catching on. Calling himself Jimmy Cliff, he had a handful of local hits, including "King of Kings" and "Miss Jamaica," and, after overcoming the kinds of barriers that upended Martin, was called on to help represent his country at the 1964 World's Fair in New York City."

Jimmy Cliff was a Jamaican singer, songwriter and actor known for spirited tenor vocals, topical lyrics and memorable catchphrases. He achieved local hits in the 1960s and helped lead Kingston's emerging music movement alongside figures such as Bob Marley, Toots Hibbert and Peter Tosh. Cliff starred in the landmark film The Harder They Come, which, despite initial limited box office success, became a cultural touchstone with a widely acclaimed soundtrack that boosted reggae's global profile. Cliff represented Jamaica internationally, including at the 1964 World's Fair, and left a legacy of songs promoting joy, defiance and resilience.

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