Who be Jimmy Cliff, di reggae legend wey die at 81

Jimmy Cliff, wey be one of di most popular and loved evangelist for reggae music don die at di age of 81.

E don be star since di 1960s and some of im worldwide hits include Wonderful World, Beautiful People and You Can Get It If You Really Want.

Im acting as di lead for di 1972 crime drama, The Harder They Come wey pipo see as one of di top feems for Jamaican cinema, na wetin pipo believe say carry reggae go America.

Na im wife, Latifa Chambers, na she announce im death wit statement for Instagram.

"Na wit big sadness wey I go share say my husband, Jimmy Cliff, don cross ova sake of seizure and pneumonia later", Latifah write.

She add say, "I dey grateful for im family, fellow artists and coworkers wey share im journey wit am. To all im fans worldwide, please know say, juna support, bin dey as im strength for im whole career".

She come address di late star say, "Jimmy, my darling, you go rest in peace. I go follow your wishes".

Dis statement also dey signed by dia pikin dem wey be Lilty and Aken.

Dem born Jimmy Cliff as James Chambers for 1944 as eighth of nine pikin wey bin dey live inside deep poverty for di parish of St James, Jamaica.

E bin start to dey sing for im local church by di age of six.

Wen e go reach 14 year old, na im e carry im kaya move go Kingston and change im last name to Cliff to show di level wey im wan reach.

E come record plenti singles bifor e blow for Jamaica wit im song, Hurricane Hattie.

For 1965, e come relocate go London wit Island Records wey Bob Marley later join, but di label no fit fit im sound wit rock audiences dat time.

But e go make am wit di 1969 single upbeat, feelgood anthem Wonderful World, Beautiful People, and di more political ginger song Vietnam wey Bob Dylan call "di best protest song wey don dey ever written".

Di song bin tell di tori of one young soja wey bin dey write from di war, as e dey promise im mama say e go soon dey house only for dem to send di mama telegram di next day say e don die.

For 1986, Cliff reflect for di song and tell reggae archivist Roger Steffens: "di essense of my music na struggle. Wetin dey give am icing na di hope of love".

Cliff bicom worldwide star wit di song The Harder They Come wey im write for di feem wit di same name. E aslo act inside as Ivan Martin wey be young man wey wan enta Jamaica corrupt music industry.

Cliff remember say, "di feem open door for Jamaica. Dis na wia music come from".

Clif bin sing four songs for di sountrack wey include di gospel hymn Many Rivers To Cross, wey bin dey about how e first start as strugglinh artist for di UK.

E bin remember say, "I still be teenager. I bin come wit plenti ginger. I go blow. I go blow like di Beatles and di Stones".

E add say, "and e bin no dey work like dat, I bin dey tour for clubs but no breakthrough. I bin dey struggle wit work, lie, my identitu. I bin no fit find my place. Na frustration be di fuel for id song".

Di feem and im soundtrack give am international accolades. Indact, Rolling Stone magazine call am say e be one of di top 500 albums of all time.

For di 1980s, im do collavo wit di Rolling Stones for dia Dirty Work album. By 1993, e enta back for di US charts wit im cover of di I Can See Clearly Now wey dey di soundtrack for di feem Cool Runnings wey dey about di waka wey Jamaica bobsled team do.

Im oda songs like di Grammy Award winning albums Cliff Hanger (1985) and Rebirth (2012) carry nostalgia as e go back to form.

By 2010, Cliff don enta di Rock and Roll Hall of Fame wey e call "a great thrill and an honour".

As dem bin dey induct am, di Fugees star, Wyclef Jean tok say e bin dey inspired by Cliff success as small pikin for Haiti.

E tok say, "wen we see Jimmy Cliff, we bin see ourselves".

Cliff continue to dey tour till old age as e play Glastonbury legends slot for 2003, and even perform for id 2010 Coachella Festival.

Jamaica hail im work for dia culture and music for October 2003 wen e get di kontri prestigious Order of Merit.

But di singer tok say im connection of fans na im dey more important ot am pass any oda honour.

E tell di US radio station NPR for 2012 say, "wen pesin come meet me say, 'I be dropout for school den I come hear your song You Can Get It If You Really Want, and dat song make me go back school and now I be teacher wey dey use your song teach my stidents', dat one for me na success".