Jimmy Cliff Cause of Death: Reggae Legend Passes Away at 81

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We have sad news to report from the world of music today.

Jimmy Cliff, the reggae musician who became an icon of the genre during his many years of performing, has passed away at the age of 81.

News of Cliff’s death comes courtesy of his wife, Latifa Chambers.

Musician Jimmy Cliff attends the 6th Annual Focus For Change: Benefit Dinner And Concert at Roseland Ballroom on December 2, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)

“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,” Chambers wrote on Instagram Monday morning.

The music icon reportedly passed away in his native Jamaica.

Cliff had several hit singles over the course of his career, including “Many Rivers to Cross” and “The Harder They Come,” the title track from the 1972 film in which he starred.

The well-received crime drama helped popularize reggae worldwide and made Cliff a global icon.

Singer Jimmy Cliff visits SiriusXM Studio on November 29, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)

In addition to his original songs, Cliff scored hits with several covers, including “Hakuna Matata”, Cat Stevens’s “Wild World” and Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now,” which was featured on the soundtrack of the film Cool Runnings.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

News of Cliff’s passing made him an instant trending topic across social media, as family, friends, and a legion of adoring fans rushed to pay tribute.

His widow concluded her announcement with a message of support to Jimmy’s many fans throughout the world:

Singer Jimmy Cliff performs onstage during day 1 of the 2012 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Field on April 13, 2012 in Indio, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Coachella)

“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,” she wrote, adding:

“He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.

“Jimmy, my darling, may you rest in peace. I will follow your wishes. I hope you all can respect our privacy during these hard times. Further information will be provided at a later date.”

Our thoughts go out to Jimmy Cliff’s loved ones during this enormously difficult time.

We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.

Jimmy Cliff Cause of Death: Reggae Legend Passes Away at 81 was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.

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