All About the Late Reggae Legend’s Wife and 3 Kids

Jimmy Cliff was widely regarded as a pioneer of reggae music, drawing much of his inspiration from his family.

The Grammy-winning musician, who gained acclaim for his songs including “I Can See Clearly Now” and “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” welcomed two children with his wife, Latifa Chambers. He was also a father to singer and actress Nabiyah Be, whom he welcomed from a previous relationship, per CNN Brasil.

On Nov. 24, Chambers announced Cliff’s death at 81 years old in a statement on his Instagram, writing, “It’s with profound sadness that I share that my husband, Jimmy Cliff, has crossed over due to a seizure followed by pneumonia.”

“I am thankful for his family, friends, fellow artists and coworkers who have shared his journey with him,” she continued in the statement, which was also signed by their two children, Lilty and Aken. “To all his fans around the world, please know that your support was his strength throughout his whole career. He really appreciated each and every fan for their love.”

Despite the accolades and honors Cliff received throughout his career, it was his family he often spoke about bringing him the most joy. When asked during a January 2019 interview with United Reggae if he was “happy,” the musician replied, “Yes, and it helps that I have 2 children with my wife.”

Here’s everything to know about Jimmy Cliff’s family, including his wife and children.

He and Chambers welcomed two children together

Cliff and Chambers shared two children: daughter Lilty and son Aken. While it’s unknown when they were born, the reggae legend told The Guardian in July 2012 that his children were “seven and eight” at the time.

While Chambers stays mostly out of the spotlight, Lilty and Aken have been more public, even sharing a special birthday message for Cliff on the singer’s Instagram in July 2020.

“Papa you were there from the day we were born, always having our best interests in heart,” they wrote. “We wish you lots of love, great health and happiness. Let’s celebrate you today. Love you Papa.”

His kids attended several events with him

Cliff’s children have stepped out with him on several occasions. In March 2019, he shared on Instagram that Lilty joined him for a viewing of a documentary about Jamaica’s former prime minister.

“I enjoyed the event and to have my wonderful daughter Lilty Cliff with me make it amazing day,” he wrote.

The following month, he shared photos on Instagram after being honored in Jamaica with a boulevard named after him.

“I am so grateful to have been honored by the Jamaican government, Jamaican people, and my audience all over the world by getting this boulevard named after me,” he captioned the post. “This moment was made more special in my heart as I got to share it with my daughter, Lilty Cliff, and my son, Aken Cliff.”

His family was the inspiration for his music

On his official website, Cliff is described in his biography as a “family man.”

“He continues to draw inspiration from his high source his inspiration, his wife (Moroccan/French/Jamaican) , daughter Lilty Cliff, and son Aken Cliff,” his bio reads. “That energy courses through the music.”

Although they inspire his music, Cliff made it clear that his family came before his career. During a July 2012 conversation with The Guardian, Cliff opened up about how his family molded him and “kept [him] together,” which has in turn impacted why he sees the “great value of family.”

“So now family means everything to me. I have a career, which is important, but my family is the priority,” he said. “First family, and then career. It’s a delicate balance.”

His kids have followed in his footsteps

During his 2012 conversation with The Guardian, Cliff shared that his “two young children” were following in his footsteps, as they were “showing an inclination toward music.”

He said his daughter is a “very good singer,” while his son, who plays the drums, is “very talented, too.”

As a singer herself, Lilty has worked with her father professionally.

In August 2022, Cliff shared a video on Instagram with Lilty in the recording studio, captioned, “Lilty Cliff on collaborating with Dwight Richards and her father, Jimmy Cliff, to create the track “Racism” 🎤.”

In addition to music, Cliff was also instilling in them the lessons he learned from his own upbringing.

“I’m passing on the same values I learned: cleanliness, don’t lie and don’t cheat, but I don’t expose them to organised religion. I just try to tell them the path of right and wrong,” he told The Guardian. “I won’t send them to church or to a mosque or synagogue. I talk a lot. I speak hard, and I still do a little of what my grandmother and my father did.”

His daughter, Be, is an actress

Cliff was also a father to actress and singer Be, whom he welcomed with Brazilian psychologist Sônia Gomes, according to CNN Brasil.

Although Cliff didn’t share much about his previous relationship or daughter, Be performed on tour with her dad as a child, as she told 247 Live Culture in August 2025.

“It was amazing growing up in Brazil; my father is a very famous musician there and I remember I would go with him on all his tours,” she said. “Essentially, I grew up on a tour bus. I didn’t quite realize what it meant to be a kid on stage till later.”

The actress starred as Simone Jackson in Prime Video’s Daisy Jones & The Six and as Linda in 2018’s Black Panther.