Reggae artist Daddy Rusty, passed away on Friday, April 3. Sources close to the artist and his family confirmed his death, noting that further details will be made public in the coming days.
News of his passing came as a shock to fans, friends, and fellow musicians across Canada and the Caribbean. Among those paying tribute is longtime friend and colleague Django Pan Fyah, who reflected on their shared journey in music.
“He was the person who introduced me to Toronto when I first got here,” he said. “We spent a lot of time in the studio recording and developing our sound and our craft. The man loved music, especially reggae—he was very passionate about it, he will be missed.”
Born in Berbice, Guyana, Daddy Rusty migrated to Canada in 1990 to further his music career. During that time, he became a member of the Guyanese Canadian Artistic Entertainment network, a collective that supported Guyanese artists and entertainers. Fellow members included Aubrey Mann, Donna Makeeda, Zebulun De Counsellor, Kapa Shanti, Prince Ally, Roger B, and Mandela Manning, to name a few.
Daddy Rusty’s passion for music began at an early age. As a boy in Guyana, he sang and spun records on his brother’s sound system. At just ten years old, he joined a church choir and later participated in music and deejay competitions, setting him on the path to becoming a professional artist.
His first single, “Teach the Youth,” distributed by Tuff Gong Records in Jamaica, earned widespread acclaim and was voted Top Reggae Single at the Canadian Reggae Music Awards. In 2004, he later released his debut album “Love and Unity,” which achieved acclaim and garnered multiple awards.
Throughout his career, Daddy Rusty shared the stage with internationally recognized artists such as The Mighty Sparrow, Calypso Rose, Rupee, Bunji Garlin, Shurwayne Winchester, Machel Montano, and reggae acts including Beenie Man, Morgan Heritage, Everton Blender, and Elephant Man.
He also toured Europe and the United States, performing at major events such as the World Reggae Music Awards in Atlanta, and appeared in several Caribbean countries.
In recognition of his impact, Daddy Rusty received the Guyana Artistic Music Award in for his contributions to the development of the Guyanese music industry.
The Canadian reggae community in the space of a month mourns the loss of another member of the fraternity. Popular reggae artist Lazah Current passed away on March 4th.