Jimmy Cliff, the Jamaican legend who helped push reggae into every corner of the world, has passed away at 81. His family shared the news on Instagram, where his wife, Latifa Chambers, wrote, “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.”

Cliff gave the world classics like “Many Rivers to Cross” and “The Harder They Come,” which anchored the 1972 film that carried Jamaican music to a global stage. That soundtrack became a cultural reset and opened the door for reggae to reach audiences far beyond the island.

“His music lifted people through hard times, inspired generations, and helped to shape the global respect that Jamaican culture enjoys today,” Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. 

Cliff remains one of only two Jamaicans ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, joining Bob Marley. He entered in 2010 with Wyclef Jean delivering the introduction. Writer Rob Bowman wrote in his tribute that Cliff’s role in “The Harder They Come” alone would have earned him a place in the Hall.

His legacy runs deep in the roots of Jamaican music. At Beverley’s Records, he worked as an A&R rep discovering talent for a label that helped shape ska, rocksteady, and reggae. That era produced names like Desmond Dekker and a young Bob Marley.

Even later in life, Cliff kept creating at a high level and worked with artists far outside reggae, including the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon. Bruce Springsteen and Willie Nelson also recorded his songs. After releasing his Grammy-winning 2012 album “Rebirth,” he said on his website, “Now, I feel I have not completed what I’m here on this planet to do. I have to say what I have to say and do what I have to do via music and films. Every morning I wake up, that keeps me going.”