Décès de Jimmy Cliff : Portrait d'une légende du reggae
He had natural charisma, a radiant smile, and a gentle voice. Jamaican singer Jimmy Cliff, a reggae legend born James Chambers, died of pneumonia at the age of 81.
"Jimmy, my darling, rest in peace. I will follow your wishes. I hope you can respect our privacy during these difficult times," read a message signed by his wife Latifa on her Instagram account on Monday.
"To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his career. He truly appreciated each and every one of his fans for their love," she added, promising information about his funeral at a later date.
The artist, internationally renowned but not yet reaching the career heights that some predicted for him at one time, notably signed the global hits "Many Rivers to Cross", "The Harder They Come", and "Reggae Night".
In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "I grew up listening to rock and roll, in addition to our native Jamaican music," he explained at the time. "Music is about being inspired."
Praised by Bob Dylan and Paul Simon, notably for his song "Vietnam", he declared, according to the website of the institution dedicated to preserving the history of music: "the essence of my music is the struggle. What gives it the final touch is the hope of love".
Born in July 1944 into a large, penniless family in St James, near Montego Bay (northern Jamaica), he has always been interested in multiple musical influences - soul, ska, funk, punk, folk - while maintaining an engaged political discourse.
He listens to Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, and Jimi Hendrix. Over the years, he also collaborated with groups like The Clash.
Kool and the Gang, Sting, Annie Lennox, but also the Frenchman Bernard Lavilliers.
Throughout his life, he would remain deeply marked by his origins and by the injustices of the modern world.
"I was inspired by the London riots (in 2011), but also by the 'Arab Spring'," he told the daily newspaper Le Monde in 2012, also mentioning "social injustices, religious hypocrisy, and political clans."
But he will never reach the heights of the god of reggae, Bob Marley.
"Jimmy Cliff is a paradox of Jamaican music," writes the record company Universal France on its website.
"Recognized from his ska period, the first reggae artist to sign for (the label) Island, actor and singer (...), author of multiple global hits, star in Latin America and Africa", he also remained "unloved by the reggae public because of his 'variety', 'mainstream' image and his very self-assured star side, far from the usual rasta imagery - he is not one anyway".
He also collaborated with cinema on several occasions. Notably for the musical film "The Harder They Come" ("Tout, tout de suite", 1972), considered to have enabled the breakthrough of reggae, and in which he plays a criminal.
His song "I Can See Clearly Now" also made the comedy "Cool Runnings" (1993) a hit.
Shortly after the announcement of his death, Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the country was "taking a break" to honor Cliff, "a true cultural giant whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world."
"His music lifted people up during difficult times, inspired generations and helped shape the global respect that Jamaican culture enjoys today," he added.
"Walk well, Jimmy Cliff. Your legacy lives on in every corner of our island and in the hearts of the Jamaican people."
The British reggae group UB40 also paid tribute to him. "He has finally crossed the last river. Rest in peace Jimmy, your music will live forever," they wrote on their official account on X.
Commentaires (9)
Un grand s'est éteint. Comme l'un de ses titres "traverser bcp de rivières ", il vient de traverser la dernière rivière. RIP (rest in peace).
C'est pas la dernière rivière
Pour un site sénégalais, on s'attendait à ce que vous parliez aussi de ses multiples passages au Sénégal d'où il s'était converti à l'Islam. C'est un passage de sa vie qui mérite d'être cité. RIP Legend !!
Inaalilahi firdawsi
Il a visité touba
House of exill
Les musulmans.
toujours vouloir faire une recuperation n'importe ou, n'importe quand.
Qu est ce que vous avez cre' dans ce monde.
Tout est cre' par les autres religions, et quand on rentre dans vos maisons, on verra nettemenet ca.
So Please!
repose en Paix Jimmy.
Baayil sissou bi
+Grand artiste Reggae. Mais il a raté la touche Rastafarienne!!!!!
may his soul rest in peace
N'aime bâcher Mbacké son nom musulman. Il a été à tomba, il a participé à la prière du vendredi diouma à la grande mosquée des hlm1 accompagné par son interprète talion djimbiri sakho ) j y etais)
Lire Naîm Bachir Mbacké
Il s'était donné le nom de Bassirou Mbacké Cliff
House of exile, un chef-d'oeuvre absolu avec une voix extraordinaire. Un géant s'est éteint, paix à son âme
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