TRIBUTES continue to pour in following the passing of popular broadcaster, Basil ‘Bagga’ Brown who died on Saturday at the University Hospital of the West Indies, after a long battle with cancer.

Culture Minister Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange recalled him as “the ultimate showman”, whose “creativity covered every area of local entertainment, especially music and media”.

Minister Grange said, “He produced and promoted a series of live shows islandwide that not only gave wide exposure to rising acts, but also discovered numerous unknown ones. He helped to pioneer an award — the Rockers Award — honouring of Reggae stars. And he created the television series Weh Yu Seh? for TVJ, which he also hosted”.

Meanwhile, communications consultant and long-time association of Brown, Lois Grant noted that after visiting Brown a few weeks ago she knew that it wold be her last as, “the disease had taken full control of his now feeble over six-foot frame and the strong voice of the lyrics master was reduced to mere whispers.”

She, however, chose to reflect on her years of association with the popular stage emcee which she says lasted over 25 years. “He was a fixture there and was always sought after by the client because they knew that no other emcee could excite and manage the massive Tastee talent contest crowds like Bagga Brown,” Grant remembers. “He was a ‘pro’ at what he did, always dapperly attired, always abreast with the latest dance moves and lyrics of the time and always carrying a positive message.”

And, fellow broadcaster Dahlia Harris also fondly remembers Brown. “Bagga had the ability to make you feel like you were the most important human being in the world. He never missed a play I was in, never missed a programme I hosted — TV or radio and when I graduated from UWI he was my personal cheering squad. That was Bagga, he could talk to you for hours about what you were doing and how you could achieve your goals without spending a minute to talk about himself,” said Harris .

“I could always rely on his broad smile and how off the top of his head he could come up with rhymes for just about anything and how he loved to rhyme. This was evident in his Weh Yu Say programme promos, and whenever I watched overly eager people recite the shows tagline, I would often tease him that only Bagga could get grown people to act like that on camera! Larger than life and yet a gentle soul,” she adds.