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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Ben Beaumont-Thomas

Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican reggae singer, actor and cultural icon, dies aged 81

Jimmy Cliff photographed in 2021.
Jimmy Cliff photographed in 2021. Photograph: Vision Addict

Jimmy Cliff, the singer and actor whose mellifluous voice helped to turn reggae into a global phenomenon, has died aged 81.

A message from his wife Latifa Chambers on Instagram reads: “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. 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.” Her message was also signed by their children, Lilty and Aken.

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