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“ I would rather be a free man in my grave than live as a puppet or a slave. As sure as the sun will shine, I am going to get my share now, what belongs to me.” This bold declaration— of freedom, dignity, and refusal to submit— captured the spirit of millions of oppressed people around the world. The film and its music became tools of resistance, symbols of the fight against injustice.
The Tragedy: The Death of Leslie Kong
Flashmag! Issue 167 December 2025
But behind this triumph lay tragedy. Leslie Kong, who had continued to oversee Cliff’ s career throughout this period, died unexpectedly of a heart attack in August 1971— just after completing work on the soundtrack for The Harder They Come. Cliff was devastated. Kong had been more than a producer— he had been a spiritual father, a guide, a protector. Cliff had grown up under his wing and suddenly found himself forced to fend for himself in a ruthless music industry.
The Years of Struggle and Reinvention
Cliff visits SiriusXM Studio on Nov. 29, 2011, in New York City. Cindy Ord, Getty Images
The 1970s and 1980s were a period of struggle and reinvention for Cliff. Although The Harder They Come made him famous, he failed to break into the mainstream on the same level as Bob Marley, who became the world’ s biggest reggae star. Mais Cliff ne se découragea jamais. Il disait:“ I grew up in a situation where I could have chosen to go in a negative or positive direction. I kind of chose to go positive, and that has stayed with me my whole life— always having a positive outlook no matter what the situation.” He traveled to Africa, exploring his spirituality. In the 1970s, Cliff converted to Islam after traveling to Africa, although he was also interested in Buddhism and Judaism. His spiritual quest was not a dogmatic adherence to any one religion— it was a search for truth, for connection with the divine.
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