Jimmy Cliff Leaves Behind a Family That Meant ‘Everything’ to Him

Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff — whose voice, storytelling, and barrier-breaking career helped carry Jamaican music to every corner of the world — has died at the age of 81. While millions remember him for his songs and his unforgettable role in the movie “The Harder They Come,” those closest to him say the most important part of his life was not fame, but family.

Jimmy Cliff’s Wife and Children Announce He ‘Crossed Over’

Cliff’s wife, Latifa Chambers, announced his passing in a deeply personal statement shared on his official Instagram account.

“It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia,” Latifa Chambers said. “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 … Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes.”

Their children, Lilty and Aken, who he once claimed shared his musical talent, added their names to the statement, uniting the family in the message. The tribute made clear that Cliff’s legacy was not only artistic — it was deeply personal.

Born James Chambers on July 30, 1944, in Somerton, St. James, Jamaica, he grew up as the eighth of nine children in a household that often struggled financially. His earliest singing came in church, and at 14 he moved to Kingston, where he adopted the name Jimmy Cliff and scored his breakout hit with “Hurricane Hattie.”

“We were a really big family, and a Christian one. There were nine children and we had to compete for attention. There was about 10 years difference between us all and I was the second to last, which wasn’t so good because the bigger ones could always manipulate you. The competition did get quite messy at times but once we went to school we put away our differences if someone tried to come between us,” he told The Guardian in 2012.

Cliff often said that his greatest role was not a performer, but a father. Raised Christian, later converting to Islam, and eventually settling into his own personal spirituality, he explained that he raised his children with values rather than religious doctrine. He emphasized teaching right from wrong, putting family ahead of career demands, tours, and industry pressures.

Adding in the same 2012 interview, “So now family means everything to me. I have a career, which is important, but my family is the priority. First family, and then career. It’s a delicate balance.”

A Cultural Pioneer and ‘Reggae’s First Champion’

Cliff helped define the sound and soul of reggae as it evolved out of ska and rocksteady in the 1960s and 1970s. His starring role in the 1972 Jamaican film “The Harder They Come” brought him global attention and helped change how the world viewed both Jamaican cinema and music.

Cliff played Ivanhoe “Ivan” Martin, a character based on a real figure in Jamaican folklore.

“Ivanhoe was a real-life character for Jamaicans,” Cliff told Variety in 2022. “When I was a little boy, I used to hear about him as being a bad man… However, being a hero was the manner in which [director] Perry [Henzel] wanted to make his name — an anti-hero in the way that Hollywood turns its bad guys into heroes.”

His songs — from “Many Rivers to Cross” to “You Can Get It If You Really Want” — became universal messages of endurance, struggle, and hope. Alongside Bob Marley and Toots Hibbert, he helped give Jamaica a global cultural influence far beyond its size.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, celebrated as “reggae’s first champion.”

His loved ones say more details will be shared in the days ahead.

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