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Sly and Robbie

From Alfawiki
Sly and Robbie
Company typePartnership
IndustryMusic production, Session musicians
Founded1970s
FounderSly Dunbar, Robbie Shakespeare
Defunct2021
Headquarters
Jamaica
ProductsReggae and dub music production, albums
Number of employees
2

Sly and Robbie formed a highly influential Jamaican rhythm section and production team, predominantly associated with the reggae and dub music scenes. Drummer Sly Dunbar and bassist Robbie Shakespeare came together in the mid-1970s after each had built successful solo careers within Jamaica. They issued numerous albums under their own names and contributed to a vast array of recordings by other musicians.

Robbie Shakespeare passed away in December 2021 following complications from kidney surgery.

1970s: Foundations in reggae

At the time, Sly Dunbar was a member of Skin Flesh and Bones, while Robbie Shakespeare played bass and guitar for the Aggrovators. Both shared aligned musical inspirations drawn from Motown, Stax Records, the Philly Sound, country music, as well as Jamaican labels such as Studio One and Treasure Isle. Sly acknowledged drummers like Lloyd Knibb of The Skatalites and Al Jackson Jr. from Booker T. & the M.G.'s as significant influences, merging these elements into his distinctive style.

Their partnership commenced with The Revolutionaries at Channel One Studios, which was managed by the Hoo Kim brothers.

Their major breakthrough arrived with The Mighty Diamonds' 1976 release Right Time, which cemented their reputation as "masters of groove and propulsion." The drumbeat on the title track was groundbreaking; Dunbar remembered that its unique double rim tap initially sounded like an effect but quickly became widely copied after the song reached number one.

1980s: Embracing digital innovation

In 1976, Sly and Robbie introduced the "Rockers" rhythm, supplanting the previously dominant "One Drop" pattern, and by the early 1980s they had developed the "Rub a Dub" style. They were instrumental in pioneering computer-assisted music production and programming throughout the mid-1980s. Chris Blackwell positioned them as the core members of the Compass Point All Stars, the house band at Nassau's Compass Point Studios, where they crafted landmark albums for artists including Grace Jones, Joe Cocker, and Gwen Guthrie.

In 1985, they contributed to Francesco De Gregori's album Scacchi e tarocchi.

Their 1987 release Rhythm Killers, produced by Bill Laswell, marked a departure from reggae into funk and electronic dance genres. Featuring a diverse group of musicians, it included the UK top 20 single "Boops (Here to Go)", which was later sampled by Robbie Williams for his track "Rudebox".

1990s: Evolution in dancehall

During the early 1990s, Sly and Robbie crafted a fresh sound with hits like "Bam Bam" and "Murder She Wrote" performed by Chaka Demus & Pliers. Their innovative fusion of gritty DJ vocals alongside melodic singing influenced artists such as Shaggy, Shabba Ranks, and Maxi Priest. This style foreshadowed rap trends where featured vocalists sing choruses while verses are rapped.

For "Bam Bam," Dunbar incorporated Indian tabla rhythms, with Shakespeare opting not to play bass on that particular track.

Throughout the late 1990s into the early 2000s, they blended dancehall with Latin influences (La Trenggae) as well as hip hop/R&B styles, notably with their 2004 'Big Up' riddim. In 1997, Simply Red’s cover of Gregory Isaacs' "Night Nurse" reached number 13 in the UK charts. That same year, their work appeared on The Fugees' The Score, one of that decade’s best-selling albums.

Their 1999 album Strip to the Bone paired them with Scottish electronic producer Howie B, exploring innovative dub soundscapes. The single "Superthruster" achieved mainstream success supported by heavy rotation on MTV; its animated video featured futuristic battle suits alongside a harlequin marionette storyline. Released in February 1999 on vinyl and DVD single formats, it was among the earliest examples of DVD singles.

They earned a Grammy Award in 1999 for their album Friends.

2000–2021: Projects

In 2003, Sly and Robbie curated and mixed the DJ compilation album Late Night Tales: Sly & Robbie for Azuli Records' Late Night Tales collection. Alongside their prolific contributions within the Jamaican music scene alongside artists such as Beenie Man, Sean Paul, Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru, and Gregory Isaacs, they also partnered with numerous global icons including Madonna, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, The Rolling Stones, Grace Jones, Gilberto Gil, Joe Cocker, Matisyahu, Simply Red, Sting, Khaled, Tricky, Carlos Santana, Sinéad O'Connor, Monty Alexander, and Ian Dury.

They were behind the production of No Doubt's worldwide chart-toppers "Hey Baby" and "Underneath It All," and played a key role in Suggs' 1996 solo debut The Lone Ranger, which featured the UK top 5 single "Cecilia" with Louchie Lou & Michie One—this track sold over half a million copies in the UK.

After maintaining their partnership for 35 years, they remained active in touring and recording throughout the 2000s until Shakespeare’s passing in 2021. Significant tours included shows with Tony Rebel and Half Pint (2005), Bunny Rugs from Third World (2005), Sinéad O'Connor (2005), Don Carlos at Reggae on the River (2006), as well as a Western US and Canadian tour alongside Cherine Anderson (2007), highlighted by headline performances at Reggae Rising and the Hollywood Bowl. They also toured with Bitty McLean and the TAXI Gang and had plans for a Jamaican Legends European tour in 2012 featuring Monty Alexander and Ernest Ranglin.

Their Taxi label fostered both emerging Jamaican talent and established stars like Elephant Man and Buju Banton—the latter’s chart-topping single "Driver A" sampled their 1982 instrumental "Unmetered Taxi." In 2006, they reunited with their original ensemble, the Revolutionaries, to produce Horace Andy’s album Livin’ It Up along with several hits for Cherine Anderson. Collaborations extended internationally to include Italian rapper Jovanotti’s Safari (2007) as well as production work for Paul McCartney and Britney Spears.

Sly and Robbie frequently collaborated with Ecuadorian singer-songwriter Cecilia Villar Eljuri on Spanish-language projects that achieved success on Worldbeat and Latin Alternative radio worldwide. They contributed to Brazilian artist Vanessa da Mata’s third studio album Sim (2007), partially recorded in Kingston and released through Sony BMG.

In 2009, they co-produced Bitty McLean’s well-received album Movin’ On, supporting it with tours throughout Japan, Morocco’s Mawazine festival, and Europe. Additionally, they produced four tracks on Cherine Anderson’s EP The Introduction-Dubstyle, including the single "Shine on Jamaica," which dominated South Florida reggae charts for four consecutive weeks. By 2012, they were involved in Khalifa’s album G.RIOT 2012 as well as Bitty McLean’s latest release. Their project Sly and Robbie presents No-Maddz was launched late in 2014.

That same year marked their 11th Grammy nomination for the album The Reggae Power. In October 2015, they were honored with the Gold Musgrave Medal in recognition of their significant impact on music.

In 2019, Sly and Robbie joined forces with Roots Radics for the album The Final Battle: Roots Radics vs. Sly & Robbie, produced by Hernan "Don Camel" Sforzini; this release earned a Grammy nomination.

Discography

Appearances in media

In 2011, Sly and Robbie appeared in the documentary Reggae Got Soul: The Story of Toots and the Maytals, broadcast by BBC, which explored the legacy of one of Jamaica’s most influential musicians.

External links

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