KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange, has expressed that without Robbie Shakespeare, the world of Reggae music will not be the same.

Grange was giving the Remembrance at the Thanksgiving Service held at the Webster Memorial United Church on Monday for the life of the man regarded as the 17th best bass player in the world.

In a release, Grange said fans and musicians at home and abroad will miss having Robbie Shakespeare’s bass “thumping out those warm melodic lines to keep them marvelled, swinging, and swaying.

“Rest assured, however, Robbie is leaving behind a legacy of cultural richness, musical inventiveness, and human generosity that will live on in perpetuity. As Minister of Culture, I’m very much in touch with musicians, and many others, who for various reasons, stay in contact with me,” she said.

“However, few artists and musicians have been as thoughtful as my dear friend, Robbie Shakespeare. And this friendship, low keyed as it has been, existed since the nineteen seventies when he was with Peter Tosh’s band “Word Sound and Power”, until the day he transitioned. So, he’s still in my heart and will always be.”

Grange shared that over the years, she witnessed Shakespeare’s growth both as a musician and as an individual.

“We all know how respected Robbie has been as a bassist and producer internationally, but not only did the quality of his musicianship place him in that esteemed echelon; as a Jamaican, he also flew the nation’s flag high because of his respectable conduct and alluring personality,” she said. “As his wife Cat said, ‘Robbie was a loving husband, excellent provider, dedicated family man, and to so many, an incredibly steady friend.’” 

“Robbie contributed significantly to our national identity. But he was not born into circumstances where that was the standard expectation; he achieved those meaningful qualities because he focused on his musical development and personal growth, which have inspired many contemporary musicians,” Grange continued. “Robbie has had his ups and downs in life but for me, Robbie will always be a model representation of our country and our people’s best qualities; and he will remain a credit to our nation. That is why, as a cultural custodian and in my capacity as Minister of Culture, I’ve always considered Robbie Shakespeare a genuine Ambassador for Jamaica, musically and otherwise.” 

Robbie’s music and business partner, Sly Dunbar, led a musical tribute called The Taxi Gang and was joined by several others paying tribute in word and song. Among them were singers, instrumentalists, producers and managers including Shaggy, Dean Fraser, Richie Stephens, Taurus Riley, Pam Hall, Chevelle Franklyn, Nadine Sutherland, Dimario McDowell, Copeland Forbes and Guillaume Bougard.