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Sly & Robbie

Well supported

Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, the drum-and-bass partnership that anchored Jamaican music for four decades and played on a scarcely believable number of records. They came up through the Revolutionaries at Channel One, where Sly's militant rockers drumming displaced the one drop, built the Taxi label as producers, and became the international rhythm section of choice — working with Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru, Grace Jones, Bob Dylan and many more. Shakespeare died in 2021.

At a glance

Confidence
Well supported

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Connections

Media & sources

Recordings

Sly & Robbie - Taxi Riddim Instrumental

YOUTUBE · rights discovery only · archive source

Youtube upload; embedded as a discovery-only reference pending editorial review.

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Taxi Connection - Sly & Robbie

YOUTUBE · rights discovery only · performs

Official youtube upload (channel: Universal Music Group (from 1986 Heartbeat release 'Taxi Fare')); embedded as a discovery-only reference pending editorial review.

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Articles & sources

Open source ↗

MusicBrainz — Sly & Robbie search

WEB · rights discovery only · musicbrainz source

MusicBrainz discovery source for Sly & Robbie credits.

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Open source ↗

Discogs — Sly & Robbie

WEB · rights discovery only · discogs source

Discogs source for Sly & Robbie credits and productions.

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Billboard — Robbie Shakespeare, Legendary Bass Player Who Formed Sly & Robbie, Dies at 68

WEB · rights discovery only · documents

Billboard article; clickable source URL for editorial verification, external reference only.

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In stories

Debate & reception

What people argued about this record — two documented positions each time, kept apart from verified fact. Browse every argument in the archive →

Commentary

Credit the rhythm section

One side

Front artist

The other

Backing musician labour

Reggae histories often foreground singers and producers, but session musicians and rhythm sections require explicit credit trails where sources allow.

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Compiled and researched by The Jamaica Music Atlas music desk. The sources that informed it are credited above.

Share it freely. Quote it, teach from it, print it, put it on your own site — all we ask is that you credit The Jamaica Music Atlas music desk and link back where a link is possible, so the next reader can follow the trail to the sources. If you publish something built on this, tell us and we will link to you in return.