Sunday was the working day picked out for the general public viewing of the physique of legendary musician Robbie Shakespeare at the Countrywide Indoor Sports activities Centre in Kingston from midday to 3 p.m. Having said that, on Sunday early morning, new music sector gamers, some of them effectively dressed in black trousers and long-sleeved white shirts, designed the pilgrimage to Just one Pop Studio on Crimson Hills Road to pay back their regard to their fallen soldier. It was the initially cease on the itinerary for a studio tour, prior to the official viewing of the system of the bassist who handed absent past December in Florida.
Extended ahead of the scheduled 10 a.m. prevent at Just one Pop, the studio he shared with his lifelong musical associate, Sly Dunbar, musicians and artistes, including Steven ‘Lenky’ Marsden, Rorey Baker, Hopeton Lindo, Hawkeye, Chico, Tanto Metro, Devonte, Worm Bass, Clive ‘Busy’ Campbell and a host of other individuals assembled within and outdoors Just one Pop. It was a circumstance of them simply possessing to be there, no matter if they were being members of the famous Taxi Gang or not. A hush fell around the position when Perry’s Funeral Household rolled in with an elaborate convoy of extend limousines, with the bassist’s body encased in a shining, golden casket and his title written significant and daring across the complete duration of the limo.
“Yuh know mi haffi deh yah. I have to be below to exhibit my assistance,” Hawkeye, who has been functioning with Sly and Robbie for a quantity of yrs, instructed The Gleaner. “Robbie has completed so a lot for the tunes yuh can not even start to place it jointly, so to be a section of the Gang – and even if I was not a component of the Gang – for the keep track of history they set, that is sufficient to give thanks for. They open up and pave the way for us as a fraternity, as an marketplace, as a lifestyle. Mi haffi arrive mi haffi deh yah. Condolences to Mr Basspeare’s relatives and a bare love and manners and honour and regard.”
Pay regard
Singer, songwriter and producer Hopeton Lindo flew in on Saturday evening from Florida just to be there.
“Give many thanks that I am equipped to be listed here to shell out regard to my loved ones, mi nuh connect with him bredren any more. We live near to every single other in Miami and I have been in contact with him all by the method, and my family members have been in touch with Cat [Robbie’s wife]. My daughter is effective at the clinic, so we have been near,” Lindo shared.
He included, “ It was very emotional, and I was glad to make it, even right after making an crisis landing with the flight very last night time. Robbie is a male who give us a whole lot of suggestions. He is one particular of my mentors we have carried out a ton of studio function alongside one another and a large amount of producing together. He will be missed, but thank God his tunes will stay on. Sly is like a brother as effectively, so I am happy I was capable to make it to depict my loved ones and also the supervisor, Patrick Lindsay, who was unable to make it out of Philadelphia. It was an honour to have regarded and have worked with Robbie. Robbie was a actual normal in the correct sense of the word, and we like him.”
Singer Chico lauded Robbie for his kindness. “Robbie has put in so much perform over the a long time. I want to be a portion of this since of my affiliation with him. He has often been a superior particular person to me. Coming up in the music business, yuh meet up with some people today who not so friendly, but Robbie has under no circumstances been that kind of a human being to me, from the working day I met him until now. So I am in this article to celebrate his service and send him household in God’s superior grace,” he said.
The legend Sly Dunbar was not in a conversing mood, but, as standard, he remained gracious. “Today is a unfortunate working day, but I am feeling very good, also. But it is a unfortunate working day,” he reiterated.
Robbie Shakespeare’s widow, Marian, spoke lovingly of him. “Today is a wonderful day due to the fact we receiving on with items. We are placing him to relaxation, so at least that stress will be long gone shortly. I just have to change to acquiring on with lifestyle devoid of him. But he will nevertheless be liked, he will even now be in our existence. I know he will be considerably missed by so a lot of folks. It is like something was just blown out of this earth when it took place. Persons had been in shock. I was not actually in shock, for the reason that I was the one together the entire course of action. I was identified as so that I could be there with him in my arms though he took the previous breath and his eyes closed. And which is when actuality strike and I termed Minister Babsy Grange very same time. He was a fantastic human being, a great father, a terrific spouse, and a good mate. I known as him Robbie, or ‘Pap’ at times, and he known as me ‘Cat’. That’s the identify he gave me, and everyone identified as me that,” Marian Shakespeare shared.
The funeral is scheduled for these days at 10 a.m. at the Webster Memorial United Church in St Andrew.
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