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Just days before he was due to be honoured with a lifetime achievement award in Florida, legendary Jamaican drummer and producer Sly Dunbar has died, sending shockwaves through the global reggae community. The 73-year-old icon, one half of the pioneering duo Sly & Robbie, was found unresponsive at his home on Monday morning and later pronounced dead by doctors, dampening what was set to be another celebratory moment in a historic career.
Dunbar, whose revolutionary rhythms reshaped reggae, dub and dancehall, leaves behind an unparalleled legacy. Alongside bassist Robbie Shakespeare, who died in 2021, Sly played and produced on an estimated 200,000 recordings, working across genres with artists ranging from Bob Marley, Dennis Brown and Gregory Isaacs to Grace Jones, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, Sting and Bob Dylan. His influence extended far beyond Jamaica, helping to carry Caribbean sound into the heart of global pop culture.
Tributes have poured in from across the world. Iconic British DJ David Rodigan hailed Dunbar as “one of the greatest drummers of all time,” adding that reggae has lost a true icon. “Such a tragic loss for he was dearly loved,” Rodigan wrote on Instagram, praising Sly’s genre-spanning impact. Dancehall star Mr Vegas described him as his “greatest teacher/producer,” while sound system pioneer Rory Stone Love called it a “sad day” for Jamaica and reggae, noting, “We have lost one of our greats.”
The news is particularly poignant given that Dunbar was set to be honoured on February 7, 2026, at Reggae Genealogy: Lights. Camera. Reggae. at the Island SPACE Caribbean Museum in Plantation, Florida. The event, celebrating reggae’s influence on film, television and global media, will now stand as a tribute to a musical architect whose drums helped define the sound of generations, and whose legacy will continue to echo through reggae and beyond.
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