To many he was a rock star, a global reggae icon who achieved super-stardom, but, despite the larger-than-life persona he was afforded through fame, to Odessa Chambers and her siblings, James Chambers, more popularly known as Jimmy Cliff, was simply dad.

The reggae pioneer, whose music transcended geographic boundaries, transitioned on Monday, November 24, 2025 at the age of 81.

As one of Jamaica’s most decorated singers, the Harder They Come entertainer left behind a proud legacy. His enviable catalogue earned him the respect of an entire nation along with a worldwide following. Still, as his eldest daughter tells it, the greatest part of him were not witnessed on stage or even heard through his music; it was experienced in the quiet family moments away from the public spotlight.

“It’s hard to really sum up who my father was and still is in one word. He was a little bit of everything. He was a visionary, an activist, a humanitarian, a sociable speaker, but most importantly to us children, he was our father,” said Odessa. “He was so many things to so many people, but he was our mentor, our guiding light. Before social media, those who would see my father would always see him with his children. You would catch us at the beach, at the movies, at the circus, on tour with him, just us doing things together. We were always around him all the time, and he was a great father.”

Dubbing her father the ultimate teacher, Odessa said the singer always had a lesson at the end of every conversation, even if it was comical.

“Up to the last words that I spoke with my father we were cracking up laughing, but he would always end up teaching you something,” she said. “He would always use it as an opportunity to educate you on being yourself and a proud African and understanding who you are. Like I said in one of my posts on
Instagram, he always taught me to be authentically me.”

Odessa, outlining that pieces of her father will now live on in all 19 his offspring, said the best parts of the singer will undoubtedly transcend time.

“To him, it was important for you to understand who you are as a person. He was always his authentic self as well, so he practised what he preached. As the first-born daughter, they say that you’re just like your father, and I am,” she said. “I look like him, and I see a lot of him in all my siblings as well; we all have pieces of him, pieces of his personality, and we will carry those parts with us always.”

As Odessa and her family prepare themselves to share her father with the world one final time, she expressed that, as a man whose personal life was largely private, some core memories will remain intimate. She said those moments will be treasured forever.

“My Baba was also a very private man, and so we will still try to honour that by not revealing everything about him. I like that he was an enigma and we still want to keep personal things that we want to share within our circles,” she said.”We are very overwhelmed and very thankful for all the love and support that we’re getting. I am speaking on behalf of my siblings and the family when I say it’s been beautiful to see. We are giving thanks and feeling very blessed.

“We have always been extremely proud of our father, and we are honoured to know that he was a pioneer, that he started this thing in reggae and is one of Jamaica’s biggest global superstars,” she ended.

Back row, from left: Daughters Sana, Azama, Azza, and Safa.On sofa, from left: Jimmy Cliff, daughters Odessa and Aesha; granddaughters Zuri and Zoey, grandson Zinedine On floor: Son Sayeed and granddaughter Makellyah.

Jimmy Cliff’s sons (from left) Aaron, Omar, and Norman .

Jimmy Cliff with sons Hassan (left) and Omar.

Jimmy Cliff with grandson Elijah and daughter Naima.