He was recognised for hit tracks including ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want’ and ‘Many Rivers To Cross’, as well as his role in the 1972 film ‘The Harder They Come’
By Liberty Dunworth 24th November 2025
Reggae singer Jimmy Cliff. CREDIT: Shepard Sherbell/CORBIS SABA/Corbis via Getty Images
Tributes have been paid following the death of reggae and soul legend Jimmy Cliff.
News of the reggae legend’s passing was shared earlier today (Monday November 24) on his official Facebook page. In a new statement, his family shared that the singer and actor died “due to a seizure followed by pneumonia.” He was aged 81.
“I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him,” his wife wrote. “To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career. He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.”
She also went on to thank the doctors and medical staff who helped Cliff during his poor health, and shared that she and the rest of the family were grateful for everyone who has been “extremely supportive and helpful during this difficult process.”
“Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes,” she added. “I hope you all can respect our privacy during these hard times. Further information will be provided at a later date. See you and we see you, Legend.”
The Jamaican singer, actor and multi-instrumentalist is widely credited with helping bring reggae music to the global stage, and is best recognised for his tracks including ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want’ and ‘Many Rivers To Cross’.
He also shared a massively popular cover of Johnny Nash’s ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ for the soundtrack to 1993’s Disney film Cool Runnings, and took on an integral role in the classic 1972 film The Harder They Come.
Already, numerous fans have taken to social media to share their tributes for the late singer and remember how he helped shape the reggae genre throughout his career.
One paid their respects on X and called Cliff “the First King of Reggae,” while another agreed and added that his death comes as a “huge loss to the Music World”.
RIP Jimmy Cliff, the First King of Reggae. 🇯🇲 pic.twitter.com/dZE0UdDVoR
— Ben Sellers (@MrBenSellers) November 24, 2025
R.I.P. #JimmyCliff Huge loss to the Music World💔 pic.twitter.com/YF2Vbliw3H
— John Hoey (@hoeyjohn) November 24, 2025
“Jimmy Cliff, along with the likes of Billy Ocean and Eddy Grant, helped my love for Caribbean music grow as a child. Big loss for the Jamaican music scene,” shared a third, while someone else simply hailed him as “a true legend of the genre”.
“Sad news about Jimmy Cliff, seeing him at Glastonbury in 2003 was one of my favourite ever performances that i’ve seen there. RIP Jimmy,” someone else wrote, sharing footage from the gig.
Find more tributes below.
Jimmy Cliff, along with the likes of Billy Ocean and Eddy Grant, helped my love for Caribbean music grow as a child. Big loss for the Jamaican music scene 🇯🇲 https://t.co/5x59cQJxKq pic.twitter.com/HPdvuTsWBX
— Sᴛᴜᴀʀᴛ ᴍᴀᴄ (@ottawascot) November 24, 2025
RIP Jimmy Cliff. A true legend of the genre. pic.twitter.com/QrELPyU3gV
— 🏴☠️ Punk Rock Warlord 🏴☠️ (@s_ejmik) November 24, 2025
Sad news about Jimmy Cliff, seeing him at Glastonbury in 2003 was one of my favourite ever performances that i’ve seen there. RIP Jimmy https://t.co/kLrI0zc4di
— andypmfc (@TheOfficialAP26) November 24, 2025
Wow, the legendary Jimmy Cliff has passed.
Condolences to his family.
— Londie D. Murray (@londiemurray) November 24, 2025
Sad day, Jimmy Cliff was a hero of mine. pic.twitter.com/93WPX6JP19
— David (Warp Spasm) Talbot Glendon (@quiensabeband) November 24, 2025
R.I.P. #JimmyCliff Huge loss to the Music World💔 https://t.co/3fxTrDaQ0c
— Balfe Once💙🇪🇭 (@balfeonce) November 24, 2025
Born in Jamaica, Cliff was born James Chambers and began writing songs as a child, before kicking off his career at just age 14 with the local hit song ‘Hurricane Hattie’. He would move to the UK in the mid-’60s and signed with Island Records around that same time.
Aside from ‘You Can Get It If You Really Want’ and ‘Many Rivers To Cross’, other hit tracks of his included ‘Vietnam’ and ‘Wonderful World, Beautiful People’. His sound also evolved to include influences from soul and R&B, and he went on to collaborate with the likes of Joe Strummer, Annie Lennox and more.
Other acting roles he took on included a role in 1986’s Club Paradise alongside Robin Williams, and appearing alongside Steven Seagal in the 1990 film Marked For Death.
Cliff won Grammys for both ‘Cliff Hanger’ (1985) and ‘Rebirth’ (2012) albums, and was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2010.
