Jimmy Cliff has died at the age of 81 due to pneumonia, his wife announced Monday via his official social media accounts.
Born in 1944 in Somerton, Jamaica, Jimmy Cliff, whose real name was James Chambers, was a singer-songwriter present at the birth of modern Jamaican music, helping spread the influence of reggae around the world through his albums and starring role in the landmark film The Harder They Come.
He achieved global recognition with hits like Many Rivers to Cross, You Can Get It If You Really Want, Wonderful World Beautiful People and Sitting in Limbo.
He also created Hakuna Matata, the iconic song from Disney’s animated film The Lion King, performed by characters Timon, Pumbaa, and Simba in the 1995 release.
A singer, songwriter, actor, and cultural ambassador for Jamaica, Cliff was honoured with Jamaica’s Order of Merit in 2003 and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.
A reggae legend, Cliff performed in Belgium about ten times, including five appearances at the Couleur Café festival. His final performance at the Brussels event took place in 2013.
