Jimmy inks a ‘Harder’ deal
Fifty years after the release of The Harder They Come, reggae legend Jimmy Cliff has inked a deal with ICM Partners to collaborate on the sequel of the film which will be a documentary and memoir on his life, as well as global touring business.
At ICM Partners, Jimmy Cliff will be represented for music by teams led by Ron Kaplan for North and South America and Ed Sellers & Ashley Marchi for international.
The 76-year-old Jamaican legend starred as Ivanhoe “Ivan” Martin in The Harder They Come, which was directed and co-written by Perry Henzell and Trevor Rhone. Its plot follows Martin who came to Kingston from the country to make it big in the music industry.
Listed as Jamaica’s most influential film, The Harder They Come — through its soundtrack — helped introduce reggae to the world. It includes Cliff’s enduring songs You Can Get It (If You Really Want) and Wonderful World, Beautiful People.
In a previous interview with the Jamaica Observer, Jimmy Cliff revealed that he was in the process of writing a script for a film that he intended to send to Hollywood.
“I’m writing a movie, but I’m not saying it is a follow-up to The Harder They Come. But it’s a script and I feel positive about it. I do have some agents in Hollywood that I’ll be sending it to,” he said.
“What I have is a synopsis, but it is fairly long. To get it into a screenplay, I have to get screenwriters to sit with me and get it done. To get dialogue and stuff like that. It is a great synopsis. I’m going to call it after one of my song titles. Journey could be a title; then there is Many Rivers to Cross,” he added.
Cliff has also appeared in the action film Marked for Death (1990), which stars Steven Seagal, and the comedy Club Paradise (1986), which stars Robin Williams.
A native of Somerton in St James, Jimmy Cliff, whose given name is James Chambers, began making music in the early 1960s. He has won two Grammy Awards for Best Reggae Album and was awarded the Order of Merit in 2003 by the Jamaican Government.