Famous People From Jamaica

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Updated June 9, 2017 27.8K views 994 items

List of famous people from Jamaica, including photos when available. The people below are listed by their popularity, so the most recognizable names are at the top of the list. Some of the people below are celebrities born in Jamaica, while others are simply notable locals. If you're from Jamaica you might already know that these prominent figures are also from your hometown, but some of the names below may really surprise you. This list includes people who were born and raised in Jamaica, as well as those who were born there but moved away at a young age.

Ashton Bennett and Tony Rebel are included in this list.

If you want to answer the questions, "Which famous people are from Jamaica?" or "Which celebrities were born in Jamaica?" then this list is a great resource for you.
  • Bob Marley

    Bob Marley

    Dec. at 36 (1945-1981)
    Bob Marley, born Robert Nesta Marley on February 6, 1945, in Nine Mile, Jamaica, is globally recognized as a pioneering force in the genre of reggae music. His journey to international fame began in 1963 with the formation of Bob Marley and The Wailers, a band that played an instrumental role in popularizing Jamaican music worldwide. Marley's unique blend of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, coupled with his distinctive voice and songwriting skills, established him as a cultural icon. Marley's music was deeply influenced by the socio-political issues of his time. His lyrics often addressed themes of peace, unity, and resistance against oppression, reflecting his Rastafarian beliefs. Albums like Catch a Fire and Burnin' were not just commercial successes, but also powerful political statements. His 1977 album Exodus was named Album of the Century by Time Magazine, further cementing his status as a global music legend. Tragically, Marley's life was cut short by cancer at the age of 36 in 1981. Despite his untimely death, his legacy continues to thrive. He was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001. His greatest hits collection, Legend, released in 1984, remains the best-selling reggae album of all time. Bob Marley's influence extends far beyond music, touching upon realms of spirituality, philosophy, and social activism, making him one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.
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  • Sanya Richards-Ross
    Sanya Richards-Ross (born February 26, 1985) is a Jamaican-American former track and field athlete who competed internationally for the United States. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she won gold in the 400 metres after finishing third at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Richards-Ross has also won Olympic gold in the 4×400 meters relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the 2008 Summer Olympics, and the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was the best 400m runner in the world for a decade, ranking No. 1 in the world from 2005-2009 and again in 2012. In addition to her Olympic accolades, she is also a seven-time medalist at the World Championships in Athletics (five of which are gold). In 2009, she was the World Champion in the 400 metres.
  • Claude McKay

    Claude McKay

    Dec. at 58 (1889-1948)
    Festus Claudius "Claude" McKay (September 15, 1889 – May 22, 1948) was a Jamaican writer and poet, who was a seminal figure in the Harlem Renaissance. He wrote four novels: Home to Harlem (1928), a best-seller that won the Harmon Gold Award for Literature, Banjo (1929), Banana Bottom (1933), and in 1941 a manuscript called Amiable With Big Teeth: A Novel of the Love Affair Between the Communists and the Poor Black Sheep of Harlem which remained unpublished until 2017. McKay also authored collections of poetry, a collection of short stories, Gingertown (1932), two autobiographical books, A Long Way from Home (1937) and My Green Hills of Jamaica (published posthumously in 1979), and a non-fiction, socio-historical treatise entitled Harlem: Negro Metropolis (1940). His 1922 poetry collection, Harlem Shadows, was among the first books published during the Harlem Renaissance. His Selected Poems was published posthumously, in 1953. McKay was attracted to communism in his early life, but he always asserted that he never became an official member of the Communist Party USA. However, some scholars dispute that claim, noting his close ties to active members, his attendance at communist-led events, and his months-long stay in the Soviet Union in 1922–23, which he wrote about very favorably. He gradually became disillusioned with communism, however, and by the mid-1930s had begun to write negatively about it. By the late 1930s his anti-Stalinism isolated him from other Harlem intellectuals, and by 1942 he converted to Catholicism and left Harlem, and he worked for a Catholic organization until his death.
  • Heavy D

    Heavy D

    Dec. at 44 (1967-2011)
    Dwight Arrington Myers (May 24, 1967 – November 8, 2011), better known as Heavy D, was a Jamaican-born American rapper, record producer, singer, actor. Myers was the former leader of Heavy D & the Boyz, a group which included dancers/background vocalists G-Whiz (Glen Parrish), "Trouble" T. Roy (Troy Dixon), and Eddie F (born Edward Ferrell). The group maintained a sizable audience in the United States through most of the 1990s. The five albums the group released were produced by Teddy Riley, Marley Marl, DJ Premier, his cousin Pete Rock, and Eddie F.
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  • Debi Mazar

    Debi Mazar

    Age: 59
    Deborah Anne Mazar Corcos (; born August 13, 1964) is an American actress and television personality, known for playing sharp-tongued women. She began her career with supporting roles in Goodfellas (1990), Little Man Tate (1991) and Singles (1992), followed by lead roles on the legal drama series Civil Wars and L.A. Law. Beginning in 2014, she has had a starring role in the Cooking Channel series Extra Virgin, along with her husband Gabriele Corcos. She is also known for her role as press agent Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage and currently stars as Maggie Amato on TV Land's Younger.
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  • Rocco DiSpirito
    Rocco DiSpirito (born November 19, 1966) is an American chef based in New York City.
  • Stacey McKenzie
    Stacey McKenzie (born in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Canadian fashion model, runway coach and most recently a model coach and judge on the Canadian reality television show Canada's Next Top Model. In 2017, McKenzie served as a guest mentor on two episodes of cycle 23 of America's Next Top Model and in 2018, she became the runway pack of cycle 24.
  • Seth Rudetsky
    Seth Dennis Rudetsky (born February 28, 1967) is an American musician, actor, writer, and radio host. He currently is the host of Seth's Big Fat Broadway and Seth Speaks on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio's On Broadway. The show focuses on Rudetsky's knowledge of Broadway theatre history and trivia.
  • Nelson DeMille
    Nelson Richard DeMille (born August 23, 1943) is an American author of action adventure and suspense novels. His novels include Plum Island, The Charm School, and The Gold Coast. DeMille has also written under the pen names Jack Cannon, Kurt Ladner, Ellen Kay and Brad Matthews.
  • Cecily Adams

    Cecily Adams

    Dec. at 46 (1958-2004)
    Cecily April Adams (February 6, 1958 – March 3, 2004) was an American actress, casting director, and lyricist.
  • Jimmy Breslin
    James Earle Breslin (October 17, 1928 – March 19, 2017) was an American journalist and author. Until the time of his death, he wrote a column for the New York Daily News Sunday edition. He wrote numerous novels, and columns of his appeared regularly in various newspapers in his hometown of New York City. He served as a regular columnist for the Long Island newspaper Newsday until his retirement on November 2, 2004, though he still published occasional pieces for the paper. He was known for his newspaper columns which offered a sympathetic viewpoint of the working-class people of New York City, and was awarded the 1986 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary "for columns which consistently champion ordinary citizens".
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  • Carlton "Carly" Barrett

    Carlton "Carly" Barrett

    Dec. at 36 (1950-1987)
    Carlton "Carly" Barrett (17 December 1950 – 17 April 1987) was a Jamaican drummer and percussionist. His musical development in the early years was with his brother Aston "Family Man" Barrett as a member of Lee "Scratch" Perry's "house band" The Upsetters. The brothers joined Bob Marley and The Wailers around 1970. He co wrote the well known Bob Marley song "War" and with his brother Aston co-wrote "Talkin' Blues". Carlton Barrett is featured on all the albums recorded by the Wailers. Barrett popularised the one drop rhythm, a percussive drumming style created by Winston Grennan. With Carly's beats and his brother Aston's bass, the Wailer rhythm section planted the seeds of today's international reggae. Barrett was murdered outside his home in Jamaica on 17 April 1987.
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  • Staceyann Chin
    Staceyann Chin (born December 25, 1972) is a spoken-word poet, performing artist and LGBT rights political activist. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Pittsburgh Daily, and has been featured on 60 Minutes. She was also featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where she shared her struggles growing up as a gay person in Jamaica.
  • Shelly-Ann Fraser
    Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, OD (née Fraser on 27 December 1986) is a Jamaican track and field sprinter. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Fraser-Pryce ascended to prominence in 2008 when at 21 years old, the relatively unknown athlete became the first Caribbean woman to win 100 m gold at the Olympics. In 2012, she successfully defended her 100 m title, becoming the third woman to win two consecutive 100 m gold medals at the Olympics. After winning bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics, she became the first woman in history to win 100 m medals at three consecutive Olympic Games. In 2009, Fraser-Pryce won 100 m gold at the IAAF World Championships, becoming the second female sprinter to reign as World and Olympic 100 m champion simultaneously. She later became the first female sprinter to hold dual titles a second time when she became 100m champion at the 2012 Olympics and 2013 World Championships. The only female sprinter to be crowned world champion over 100 m three times (2009, 2013 and 2015), she is also the first female sprinter to win gold medals in the 100 m, 200 m and 4 × 100 m in a single World Championship. In 2013, she also became the first woman to own IAAF World titles at 60 m, 100 m, 200 m and 4 × 100 m relay simultaneously.Nicknamed the "Pocket Rocket" for her petite frame (she stands 5 feet tall) and explosive starts, she is ranked fourth on the list of the fastest 100 m female sprinters of all time, with a personal best of 10.70 seconds. Her achievements and consistency led Olympian and sports commentator Michael Johnson to refer to her as "the greatest female sprinter of all time." Following her win in the 100 m at the 2015 World Championships, the IAAF also referred to her as "possibly the greatest female sprinter in history."
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  • Rustie Lee

    Rustie Lee

    Age: 71
    Rustie Lee, (born 1953) is a British television personality, television chef, actress, singer and former politician. She appeared and participated in the Channel 5 reality-television show Celebrity Super Spa in 2013. She also appeared in ITV's Who's Doing The Dishes, hosted by Brian McFadden, in 2016.
  • Winsome Sears
    Winsome Earle Sears (born March 11, 1964) is an American politician. She was a Republican member of the Virginia House of Delegates 2002–2004, and ran unsuccessfully for the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 3rd congressional district in 2004. In September 2018, she entered the race for U.S. Senate as a Republican write-in alternative to Corey Stewart.
  • Michael Holding
    Michael Anthony Holding (born 16 February 1954) is a British Jamaican cricket commentator and former cricketer who played for the West Indies cricket team. One of the fastest bowlers to have ever played Test cricket, he was nicknamed "Whispering Death" due to his quiet approach to the bowling crease. His bowling was smooth and extremely fast, and he used his height (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in or 1.918 m) to generate large amounts of bounce and zip off the pitch. He was part of the fearsome West Indian pace battery, together with Joel Garner, Andy Roberts, Sylvester Clarke, Colin Croft, Wayne Daniel and the late Malcolm Marshall that devastated batting line-ups throughout the world in the seventies and early eighties. Early in his Test career, in 1976, Holding broke the record for best bowling figures in a Test match by a West Indies bowler, 14 wickets for 149 runs (14/149). The record still stands. During his first-class cricket career, Holding played for Jamaica, Canterbury, Derbyshire, Lancashire and Tasmania. In June 1988 Holding was celebrated on the $2 Jamaican stamp alongside the Barbados Cricket Buckle.
  • George Rhoden
    George Vincent Rhoden (born 13 December 1926) is a former Jamaican athlete, winner of two Olympic gold medals in 1952. He was born in Kingston. Rhoden, who lived in San Francisco, was one of the successful long sprinters from Jamaica in the late 1940s and early 1950s, along with Arthur Wint and Herb McKenley. He competed in the 1948 Summer Olympics, but did not win a medal, being eliminated in the heats of the 100 m and the semi-final of the 400 m. He was also a member of the heavily favoured Jamaican 4 × 400 m relay team, but when Wint pulled a muscle in the final, their chances at a medal were gone. On 22 August 1950 at Eskilstuna, Sweden, Rhoden set a new world record in 400 m of 45.8 s. He also won the AAU championships in 400 m from 1949 to 1951 and as a Morgan State University student, won the NCAA championships in 220 yd (200 m) in 1951 and in 440 yd (400 m) from 1950 to 1952. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, George Rhoden was more successful. He was one of the pre-race favourites in the 400 m as a world record holder. He won a close battle with his compatriot McKenley, who had also been second in the 1948 Olympic 400 m. As the anchor runner of the Jamaican relay team, Rhoden added a second Olympic gold, edging the United States by a tenth of a second, and setting a new world record (3:03.9).
  • Donovan Bailey
    Donovan Bailey, O.Ont (born December 16, 1967) is a retired Jamaican-Canadian sprinter, who once held the world record for the 100 metres. He recorded a time of 9.84 seconds to win the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games. He was the first Canadian to legally break the 10-second barrier in the 100 m. Particularly noted for his top speed, Bailey ran 27.07 mph (12.10 m/s) in his 1996 Olympic title run, the fastest ever recorded by a human at the time. In 2005, Donovan Bailey was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.
  • Courtney Walsh
    Courtney Andrew Walsh OJ (born 30 October 1962) is a former Jamaican cricketer who represented the West Indies from 1984 to 2001, captaining the West Indies in 22 Test matches. He is a fast bowler, and best known for a remarkable opening bowling partnership along with fellow West Indian Curtly Ambrose for several years. Walsh played 132 Tests and 205 ODIs for the West Indies and took 519 and 227 wickets respectively. He shared 421 Test wickets with Ambrose in 49 matches. He held the record of most Test wickets from 2000, after he broke the record of Kapil Dev. This record was later broken in 2004 by Shane Warne. He was the first bowler to reach 500 wickets in Test cricket. His autobiography is entitled "Heart of the Lion". Walsh was named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1987, and one of the Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year a year later. In October 2010, he was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame. He was appointed as the Specialist Bowling Coach of Bangladesh Cricket Team in August 2016.
  • Bushwick Bill
    Richard Stephen Shaw (December 8, 1966 – June 9, 2019) was a Jamaican-American rapper and record producer better known by his stage name Bushwick Bill. He was best known as a member of the pioneering Texas hip hop group Geto Boys, a group he originally joined as a dancer in 1986 as Little Billy. He went on to become one third of the best-known incarnation of the group, alongside Willie D and Scarface.
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  • Sha-ri Pendleton
    Sha-ri Pendleton (born 5 December 1963) is a former world class hurdler, javelin thrower, and aspiring bodybuilder of the mid, and late 1980s.
  • Slyck Wagner Brown
    Wagner Brown (born September 5, 1979) is a Jamaican born professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, SWB or Slyck Wagner Brown. Brown currently wrestles on the Independent circuit in the Northeastern United States. Additionally, SWB was appointed head trainer at Killer Kowalski's school in Boston. Brown also had a longtime association with women's wrestler April Hunter. The duo held tag team titles together in Jersey All Pro Wrestling and Pro-Pain Pro Wrestling. Brown now runs his wrestling training school, Test of Strength, out of East Hartford, Connecticut and runs monthly shows.
  • Yohan Blake
    Yohan Blake (born 26 December 1989), is a Jamaican sprinter of the 100-metre and 200-metre sprint races. He won gold at the 100 m at the 2011 World Championships as the youngest 100 m world champion ever, and a silver medal in the 2012 Olympic Games in London in the 100 m and 200 m races for the Jamaican team. Blake is the second fastest man ever in both 100 m and 200 m. Together with Tyson Gay, he is the joint second fastest man ever over 100 m with a personal best of 9.69 seconds which he ran on 23 August 2012 with less favorable wind conditions than Gay's personal best from three years prior. Only Usain Bolt has run faster. His personal best for the 200 m (19.26 seconds) is the second fastest time ever after Bolt. He holds the Jamaican national junior record for the 100 metres, and was formerly the youngest sprinter to have broken the 10-second barrier (at 19 years, 196 days).He is coached by Glen Mills and his training partners are Usain Bolt and Daniel Bailey.
  • Floyd Wedderburn

    Floyd Wedderburn

    Age: 48
    Floyd E. Wedderburn (born May 5, 1976) is a former professional American football player who played guard for three seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Floyd attended Upper Darby High School, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track and field (shot put and discus). Floyd went on to play football for Joe Paterno at Penn State University.
  • Kwame Harris
    Kwame Harris (born March 15, 1982) is a Jamaican-born former American football offensive tackle who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers with the 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, when he won the Morris Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the Pac-10 Conference in 2002. Harris played high school football in Delaware, and was among the top prep offensive lineman in the country. He played three years at Stanford, twice earning all-conference honors and earning named honorable mention All-American in his final season. Harris was among the top-rated offensive linemen available in the 2003 draft, and he played five seasons with the 49ers and one with Oakland Raiders. He was a starter for most of his career, but often struggled with blocking and committing penalties.
  • Cedric IM Brooks

    Cedric IM Brooks

    Dec. at 70 (1943-2013)
    Cedric "Im" Brooks (1943 – 3 May 2013) was a Jamaican saxophonist and flautist known for his solo recordings and as a member of The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, The Sound Dimensions, Divine Light, The Light of Saba, and The Skatalites.
  • Frank Silvera

    Frank Silvera

    Dec. at 55 (1914-1970)
    Frank Alvin Silvera (July 24, 1914 – June 11, 1970) was a Jamaican-born American character actor and theatrical director.Born in Kingston, Jamaica and raised in Boston, Silvera dropped out of law school in 1934 after winning his first stage role. During the 1930s and 1940s, he was active in numerous stage productions on and off Broadway and appeared in radio shows. Silvera made his film debut in 1952. Over the course of his 36-year career, he was cast in a wide variety of ethnic roles in film and television. Silvera also remained active in theatre. Silvera was nominated for a Best Actor Tony Award in 1963 for his role in The Lady of the Camellias. He founded the Theatre of Being, a Los Angeles theatre for black actors, in 1965. At the time of his death he had a recurring role in the NBC Western series The High Chaparral.
  • Patrick Ewing
    Patrick Ewing is a Jamaican-American former professional basketball player and coach. Born on August 5, 1962, in Kingston, Jamaica, Ewing migrated to the United States at the age of 12. He towered over his peers even as a teenager, leading him to dominate high school basketball in Massachusetts. His exceptional talent was quickly recognized, earning him a scholarship to Georgetown University, where he played for four years before entering the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. Ewing's NBA career spanned an impressive 17 seasons, with the majority of his time spent playing center for the New York Knicks. During his tenure with the Knicks, Ewing proved himself to be one of the most formidable players in the league, securing 11 All-Star appearances and being named to the All-NBA First Team once and Second Team six times. Despite his individual success, the championship ring proved elusive in Ewing's career. The closest he came was in 1994 when the Knicks made it to the NBA Finals but were ultimately defeated by the Houston Rockets. Post-retirement, Ewing transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant coach for several NBA teams, including the Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets, and Orlando Magic. In 2017, he returned to his alma mater, accepting the position of head coach for the Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team. His dedication to the sport is evident in his coaching style, mirroring the tenacity he displayed as a player. Patrick Ewing's legacy, both as a player and a coach, has left a lasting impression on the world of basketball.
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  • Mavado

    Mavado

    Age: 42
    David Constantine Brooks (born 30 November 1981), better known by his stage name Mavado, is a Jamaican deejay, singer and songwriter, who is signed to We the Best Music Group and formerly to Cash Money Records.