00:00In other news, he helped to transform his homeland's rhythmic music into a global cultural phenomenon.
00:06Tributes are pouring in for the charismatic reggae pioneer and actor, Jimmy Cliff, who's died at the age of 81.
00:14Here's Emerald Maxwell with a look back at his life and legacy.
00:21The film that gave Jimmy Cliff his breakthrough.
00:24The Harder They Come tells the story of an aspiring musician looking for work in 1970s Jamaica.
00:30I can't sing to you, no sir. I like the chance to make a record.
00:33Everybody want to make a record.
00:35You almost ready?
00:35But I have a boss song, you know sir. This one must sell.
00:39Despite his character's tragic spiral into crime and violence, the musician's struggle to get heard is not too far from Jimmy Cliff's own tale.
00:48Born James Chamber into a modest family in Jamaica in 1944, he began writing songs while still at primary school.
00:55By 14, he'd moved to the capital and took on his stage name.
01:00After his first hit in 1962, he signed with Island Records and helped lead a movement that included such future stars as Bob Marley.
01:09He got his starring role in The Harder They Come in the early 1970s.
01:13The film became the first major commercial release to come out of Jamaica.
01:17Its soundtrack, featuring two of Cliff's most famous songs, Many Rivers to Cross, and You Can Get It If You Really Want, took reggae way beyond Jamaica's borders.
01:26Jimmy Cliff worked steadily for decades, collaborating with the likes of Wyclef Jean, Sting, and Annie Lennox, and reached a new generation with his cover of Johnny Nash's I Can See Clearly Now for the film Call Runnings.
01:40From soul to ska, via funk, punk, and folk, he never stopped exploring.
01:46Music has always played an integral part in changing the world. Why? Because music is the universal language.
01:55So music does it better than religion or politics.
02:01Nominated for seven Grammy Awards, Jimmy Cliff won two in 1986 for Cliffhanger and in 2012 for Rebirth.
02:10In 2010, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
02:13Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness today hailed a true cultural giant, whose music carried the heart of our nation to the world.
02:26Well, for more, we're joined now by Jem Aswad, Executive Music Editor at Variety.
02:32Jem, thanks so much for being with us on the programme this evening.
02:35Firstly, for you, how will Jimmy Cliff be remembered?
02:38Well, he was what we call an OG in reggae.
02:44He actually, I wouldn't say he discovered Bob Marley, but he led him to Leslie Kong, who was ultimately a producer for both of them.
02:53This was in the early 60s.
02:55And really, the harder they come, was a hit before Bob Marley was.
03:00Marley is always associated as being sort of, you know, the pioneer of reggae.
03:04But Jimmy Cliff came before in at least two examples.
03:08So I think that's what it was.
03:10He got a lot of his legendary work done early in his career, like most musicians, but it was really all that he needed.
03:18And speaking of Bob Marley, then, why did he never reach quite the same heights as his compatriots?
03:25Well, I don't know that most human beings don't have the level of charisma that Bob Marley had.
03:31So I think that's got a lot to do with it.
03:33There was a lot of sort of messianic following around Marley.
03:36And Marley was also, I would say he was better at networking, for lack of a better word.
03:44Like, you know, a lot of major white rock stars like Keith Richards and Mick Jagger really sort of were big fans of his.
03:52And, you know, his music was more rebellious.
03:57Jimmy's was more about feeling good and overcoming obstacles and things like that.
04:02Marley was much more rebellious.
04:04And tributes, many tributes being paid to him today for helping to transform reggae into a cultural phenomenon.
04:11How exactly did he do that, Jen?
04:13Well, it was really through the songs, like they say, you know, I mean, those many rivers to cross, the harder they come and you can get it if you really want it.
04:23Those three songs, the spirit behind those songs says, you know, there's so much yearning in them and the film as well.
04:32You know, I mean, I don't know if you've ever seen the film, but I saw it in college and my roommate had the soundtrack.
04:38So I feel like that's a similar story for a lot of people, at least in the United States.
04:43That film, his role in it and that album, which is, you know, largely highlighted with his songs, really was a sort of introduction to the world of reggae for so many people.
04:54And, Jem, you're in the U.S., as you say, what is his legacy in Jamaica?
04:59He was Ward of the Country's prestigious Order of Larratt in 2003.
05:05I mean, he is in the very, very top echelons of legendary reggae performers.
05:11He was, like I said, an OG.
05:15And he also said that his connection for him with his fans was more important than any honour that he received during his lifetime.
05:22Why do you think that was?
05:24Well, I think that's a pretty common sentiment for a lot of musicians.
05:30You know, what really matters to them is what their music is doing for their fans rather than something like an honour.
05:37And there may be some cynicism coming with that in the sense of, like, you know, I mean, people sometimes get awards for maybe not the reasons that they're purported to be given for.
05:49You know, they can get very political in terms of business and things like that.
05:53And that may have been what he was responding to, or it may have just been the natural sentiment.
05:58You know, people often say one person coming up to me and saying that this song helped them matters more than a Grammy award or whatever.
06:05And speaking of the political, he wasn't just known for being an actor, for being a singer, for winning all those awards.
06:11Talk to us a little bit about how he addressed issues like politics, like poverty, like injustice.
06:18It was usually with positivity.
06:23You know, Marley was a lot more confrontational in the things that he said.
06:27But there was there was just not to say that Marley's music wasn't positive.
06:31But Jimmy was just more about, you know, humanity and feeling good and finding the good in situations and finding the inner strength to overcome things.
06:46Many Rivers to Cross is a song that is applicable to so many situations.
06:50And that's why it's been covered so many times.
06:53And how did he influence those musicians who came after him?
06:57Well, it's funny the way it so often works with reggae.
07:02What happens is whenever white musicians go and record in the Caribbean, they think they can play reggae.
07:09And there's there's a lot of subtlety and nuance in reggae.
07:14It sounds simple, but it's not.
07:16And you can tell that when you hear the kind of terrible things that some white musicians have done with reggae songs.
07:24But, you know, the influence, the influence is very important.
07:28You know, I mean, groups, a lot of groups incorporated it authentically.
07:34The Clash did a decent job with it.
07:36Not a great one necessarily.
07:38There was a British punk group called The Ruts who actually played it extremely well.
07:42And, you know, a lot of a lot of R&B musicians can pull it off.
07:47But, you know, there have been an awful lot of it.
07:50And it's hard to say if that's necessarily a good thing.
07:53You know, I mean, it's it's true with black music, with basically every form of black music.
07:58But, you know, I mean, I first heard The Harder They Come when it was covered by Joe Jackson when I was in high school.
08:04You know, a white British musician.
08:06So I feel like there is ultimately good in it.
08:09Even if as you get older, you realize, wow, they really didn't know what they were doing.
08:13And do you think, Jim, that his move to the UK was a critical moment for him?
08:18I feel like it was because Chris Blackwell, who founded Island Records and was as responsible as anyone, quite honestly, for bringing reggae to the world.
08:29That's where his base was, even though he was Chris Blackwell was raised in Jamaica.
08:34So I do think it was important for establishing Jimmy Cliff's career, because that's where his first non-Jamaican hits were.
08:44In 1969, he had, I think, a top six, number six song in the UK.
08:49And obviously that established him.
08:51And then he could, you know, move to Miami or move to Jamaica or wherever.
08:55So it was important for that reason.
08:57But he hated living in London.
08:59He said that he had never encountered such racism in his life.
09:01So it was probably positive for his career, maybe less positive for his personal life.
09:08Jim, we'll have to leave it there for now.
09:09We do appreciate your time, though, for joining us on the program.
09:12That's Jim Aswan, Executive Music Editor at Variety.
09:16Well, that's it from us for now.
09:18Stay with us, though, for more World News on France 24.
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