Before joining forces, Sly was drumming for the Skin Flesh and Bones band and Robbie was the bass player for the Aggrovators. They also used to play in clubs (Sly at Tit for Tat and Robbie at Evil People), and used to check each other out. They found out that they had the same ideas about music in general (both are huge fans of Motown, Philly Sound and Country & Western, in addition to Jamaican legendary labels Studio One and Treasure Isle), and Reggae production in particular. They first worked together for the newly created Channel One label and studio, operated by the Hoo Kim brothers.
They changed the face of Reggae several times: in 1976, they introduced a harder beat called "Rockers", which quickly replaced the then prevalent "One drop" style, then introduced the "rub a dub" sound in the early 1980s. Sly and Robbie were important in developing the trend towards computer assisted music and programmming in the mid 1980s.
Also in the early 1990s they introduced a novel sound with the hits "Bam Bam" and "Murder She Wrote" by Chaka Demus & Pliers. Chaka Demus' rough DJ vocals were matched with Pliers' sweet, melodic, soul-influenced singing; this unusal vocal pairing was championed by Sly and Robbie. This formula has since been used with great success by the likes of Shaggy (who teamed up with singers Rayvon or Rik Rok), Shabba Ranks, Maxi Priest and others. This predates and may have influenced the recent trend in some rap music where a song's "hook" or chorus is sung by a guest, while the verses are rapped.
Sly & Robbie continued to innovate during the 1990s and early 2000s, fusing Dancehall and Latin music sounds (La Trenggae) or Dancehall and hip hop/R&B (their 2004 Big Up riddim). In 2001, their "Strip to the Bone" album paired them with electro producer Howie B, and together they explored new dub territories.
Far from restricting themselves to the Jamaican scene, (in which they have played for virtually every prominent Jamaican musical artist from Beenie Man to Sean Paul to Peter Tosh, Black Uhuru, Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown and others), they have been one of pop music's most sought after rhythm sections, playing for and producing superstars such as Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, the Rolling Stones, Grace Jones, Joan Armatrading, Gilberto Gil, Joe Cocker, Serge Gainsbourg, Simply Red, Michael Franti, Sting, Khaled, Tricky, Doug E. Fresh, Carlos Santana, Sinéad O'Connor, and many more.
They have produced No Doubt's hits 'Hey Baby' and 'Underneath it All'. They also produced some tracks off Suggs first album 'The Lone Ranger' including the hit version of Cecilia featuring Louchie Lou and Michie One which sold over 500,000 copies in the UK alone.
After 30 years together, they still tour and record relentlessly. Their last US tour was with Tony Rebel and Half Pint, during the Spring of 2005. During the Summer of 2005, they toured Europe and the UK with Bunny Rugs, lead singer for Third World. During the Fall of 2005 they were on the road with Sinéad O'Connor and in August 2006, they appeared with Don Carlos at the Reggae on the River Festival, while they backed Cherine and Queen Ifrica in 2007 and early 2008.
They have produced several new Jamaican artists for their TAXI label, including Kibaki, Mynimoo and Zennlocc, as well as confirmed superstars such as Elephant Man. They have also recorded with their original group, the Revolutionaries, to produce Horace Andy's new album "Livin' it up" (2007). They recently signed the lovers rock sensation Bitty McLean to their TAXI label and are planning to release "MOVIN' ON", Bitty's new album, during 2008.
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Sly & Robbie on iTunes
Party Together
Sly & Robbie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yo!
Yes
Live from New York City
Blastmaster KRS-One of the massive BDP crew
And we gonna do a little somethin like THIS!
Once again I flash a style
That you are probably thinkin that it's about time
The reggae scene and rap music must cross the line
And party (together)
You might think I'm not for yard
But that just makes this whole routine a little odd
Cause mixin rap with reggae music is not that hard
We must come (together)
This nonsense of rap being different from reggae is a big (lie)
Black people shouldn't separate themselves in music, no reason (why)
Yes, my name is KRS
And I have come to tell you that I'm funky fresh
And Sly & Robbie simply is the nation's best
We must come (together)
Boogie Down Productions on the funky fresh lyric
Sly and also Robbie on the radical music
We can break down any system, and we break them very quick
I am teachin lyrics, Sly & Robbie on the mix
So what do you do when we're comin to your town?
Run, get your tape recorder, tape the newest sound
It's just hip-hop-reggae-reggae-reggae-reggae-rap
Done by the crew, which is ready to attack
So
Once again I flash a style
That you are probably thinkin that it's about time
The reggae scene and rap music must cross the line
And party (together)
Boogie Down Productions, or the mighty BDP
Radiatin knowledge to a poor community
You can take this for a joke, or you can take this seriously
Hip-hop reggae takin over constantly
It's drums and bass, and conscious lyrics
Dibby-dibby sound bwoy, we just can't take it
A lot of crews come out, and dem want to try it
But KRS-One only produce the hits
Whaddaya call that, hi-hi-hit, hit-hit-hit
Nuff gun man, .45, just a clip (Bo! Bo! Bo!)
Even though dem fire shot, we just can't stop it
Cause everything we say, you know it's well intelligent
Once again I flash a style
That you are probably thinkin that it's about time
The reggae scene and rap music must cross the line
And party (together)
You might think I'm not for yard
But that just makes this whole routine a little odd
Cause mixin rap with reggae music is not that hard
We must come (together)
This nonsense of rap bein different from reggae is a big (lie)
Black people shouldn't separate themselves in music, no reason (why)
Yes, my name is KRS
And I have come to tell you that I'm funky fresh
And Sly & Robbie simply is the nation's best
We must come (together)
Come down, Robbie
[bass playing]
Mh-hm
Come in, Sly
[drums come in]
Come in, Gerry
[sax comes in and fades out]
Come in, Kevin
[trumpet comes in and fades out]
Mmh-hm
Come in, Sidney
[keyboards come in and fade out]
Come down, Spaceman
[guitar comes in]
Ba-ba-ba-ba-bam
Ba-ba-bam
1989
Don't be left behind
In Sly & Robbie's song Party Together featuring KRS-One, the artists emphasize the need for unity between the worlds of rap and reggae. KRS-One boldly asserts that the idea of these genres being separate is a lie and Black people should not divide themselves in music. The song is a call to party together and celebrate the fusion of these two soundscapes. The lyrics convey the message that music is a universal language that transcends boundaries and brings people together.
The song expresses the idea that music is a platform for change and consciousness. This is highlighted by the lines “Radiatin knowledge to a poor community” and “everything we say is well intelligent.” This message is quintessentially KRS-One, who has been a beacon of positivity and social commentary throughout his career. The song is an upbeat and danceable fusion of reggae and rap, with Sly & Robbie's signature basslines and drum beats complementing KRS-One's energetic flow.
Line by Line Meaning
Once again I flash a style
I'm showcasing my skills yet another time
That you are probably thinkin that it's about time
You're most likely wondering why I haven't done it sooner
The reggae scene and rap music must cross the line
Rap and reggae should blend together more
And party (together)
Let's all come together and have a good time
You might think I'm not for yard
You might assume I'm not into reggae music
But that just makes this whole routine a little odd
But that's what makes this collaboration unique
Cause mixin rap with reggae music is not that hard
Because blending both genres is not a difficult thing to do
We must come (together)
We all need to unite
This nonsense of rap being different from reggae is a big (lie)
The idea that rap and reggae are incompatible is untrue
Black people shouldn't separate themselves in music, no reason (why)
There's no good reason why Black artists can't collaborate and mix genres
Yes, my name is KRS
My name is KRS-One
And I have come to tell you that I'm funky fresh
I have arrived to remind you that I'm musically talented
And Sly & Robbie simply is the nation's best
Sly & Robbie is one of the most respected reggae duos
Boogie Down Productions on the funky fresh lyric
Boogie Down Productions brings fresh lyrics to the scene
Sly and also Robbie on the radical music
Sly and Robbie brings their signature radical sound
We can break down any system, and we break them very quick
We can dismantle any system that tries to hold us back, in record time
I am teachin lyrics, Sly & Robbie on the mix
I provide the lyrics, while Sly & Robbie provide the beats
So what do you do when we're comin to your town?
What would you do when we arrive in your city?
Run, get your tape recorder, tape the newest sound
Get your tape recorder and record our latest music
It's just hip-hop-reggae-reggae-reggae-reggae-rap
Our music is a fusion of hip-hop, reggae, and rap
Done by the crew, which is ready to attack
Created by a team of artists who are ready for anything
Boogie Down Productions, or the mighty BDP
Referring to Boogie Down Productions or BDP (artist name)
Radiatin knowledge to a poor community
Spreading knowledge and truth to a less fortunate community
You can take this for a joke, or you can take this seriously
You can interpret our music as a joke or something to take seriously
Hip-hop reggae takin over constantly
Hip-hop reggae is always taking over the charts
It's drums and bass, and conscious lyrics
Our music consists of drums, basslines, and uplifting lyrics
Dibby-dibby sound bwoy, we just can't take it
We can't stand the sound of pretentious musicians
A lot of crews come out, and dem want to try it
Many groups try to tackle hip-hop reggae but usually aren't successful
But KRS-One only produce the hits
However, KRS-One only produces successful hits in this genre
Whaddaya call that, hi-hi-hit, hit-hit-hit
I call that a hit song that everyone loves to dance to
Nuff gun man, .45, just a clip (Bo! Bo! Bo!)
Many gang members carry weapons like a .45 caliber gun and have fired them before in their community
Even though dem fire shot, we just can't stop it
Although gang members are using violence in their community, it won't stop our music
Cause everything we say, you know it's well intelligent
Our music is well-thought-out, intellectual, and meaningful
Come down, Robbie
Robbie needs to lower the sound of his instrument
Come in, Sly
Sly needs to start playing his instrument now
Come in, Gerry
Gerry needs to bring in his saxophone sound now
Come in, Kevin
Kevin needs to play his trumpet now
Come in, Sidney
Sidney needs to bring in the sound of his keyboard now
Come down, Spaceman
Spaceman needs to lower the sound of his guitar
Ba-ba-ba-ba-bam
Celebratory sounds
1989
The year this song was released
Don't be left behind
Don't miss this awesome music and vibe
Contributed by Bella M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@logicalblackman8228
That bass line is NASTY!! R.I.P. the legend Robbie Shakespeare.
@chevaughn1993
I was a junior in high school when this shit dropped and I still bump it periodically. Sly and Robbie was the shit.
@Sockenstreifschuss
Eric Wilson brought me here. Great influence!
@Lerf8
The sublime bass player fuck yeah one of my favorites
@blkenuf8943
Such a great song! Never got the audience it deserved.
@houseofjrk
this is one of my favorite collabos
@DebbieTDP
Safe travels Robbie Shakespeare 🔥👏🏻❣️
@fredges
I had the Silent Assassin album on tape years ago, and wore it out. I'd love to hear Adventures of a Bullet again....
@mrtrashcompaktor1540
I would like Letters to the President as well/
@Futura2500
I have it on vinyl