Jamaican singer‑songwriter Jimmy Cliff—best known for the anthem “You Can Get It If You Really Want” and his iconic role in the 1972 film _The Harder They Come_—passed away on Nov 26 2025. His wife, Latifa Chambers, announced the news on Instagram, saying he died from a seizure followed by pneumonia
Born James Chambers in 1944 in St James Parish, Jamaica, during a hurricane that destroyed his family home, he grew up in poverty, singing in church before adopting the stage name Jimmy Cliff
– He moved to Kingston in 1961, scoring his first hit at 14 with “Hurricane Hattie,” then relocated to London where his debut album blended R&B with emerging Jamaican sounds
Wonderful World, Beautiful People,” “Vietnam” (praised by Bob Dylan as the “best protest song ever written”), and a cover of Cat Stevens’ “Wild World” The Harder They Come_, in which he played aspiring musician Ivan Martin. The movie’s soundtrack, featuring songs he wrote, helped introduce reggae to U.S. audiences and turned Cliff into an international star Induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010, the only Jamaican besides Bob Marley to receive that honor 
Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness called Cliff “a true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world Fans and fellow artists flooded social media with memories of his enduring impact on reggae and global music.
Jimmy Cliff leaves behind his wife Latifa, their children Lilty and Aken, and a legacy that helped shape reggae’s voice worldwide