Bermuda’s reggae and DJ scene owes much of its spirit to the late Kent “Dub” Outerbridge, whose passing last week at the age of 64 shocked the community.

For Philando Hill Jr, the veteran DJ and producer who goes by the name Runksie, the death of the Dub City proprietor was occasion to reflect on reggae music’s legacy in Bermuda.

With “archives of music, pictures and video that go back to the 1970s”, Mr Hill is compiling a documentary that he calls The Story, showing Bermuda’s early reggae scene.

A five-minute trailer is available on YouTube under “Bermuda Reggae Documentary”, and Mr Hill hopes to have his account completed come next year.

“I can’t wait to show it, so that people can embrace the stories — you can hear Dub talk, and Olive-May talk,” he said, referring to Mr Outerbridge and his partner, Olive-May Smith.

Bringing early reggae to Bermuda, starting in the 1960s, Mr Outerbridge was known as the island’s reggae ambassador, and his businesses became a gathering spot for fans and artists alike.

“We brought every reggae artist to Bermuda: Red Fox, Sleepy Wonder, Morgans Heritage, Capelton, Lone Ranger, Scion Success, Garnet Silk, Tiger, Sister Carol, Lee Von Cliff, KC Jockey, Peter Metro and so many more,” Mr Hill told The Royal Gazette.

“To know reggae music, you understand the journey. There would not be a Collie Buds if there was no Dub City Records.”

The partnership started when Mr Hill was “young — I was 15 years old, and Dub had a lot of faith in me”, he recalled of his early days catching the bus into town after school to explore music.

“The more time I spent around the shop, the closer I got with Dub.”

Once the store closed, the mike would be plugged in and the rhythms spun on the Technics turntable.

“My whole musical background started at Dub City, and everything I did, Dub was responsible for. He created the foundation.”

Mr Outerbridge was a pioneer, travelling to Jamaica and bringing vinyl 45s of music back to the island, and promoting shows where artists such as Runksie brought dancehall to the island.

As the music got picked up by the radio and by DJs, Bermuda caught reggae fever.

By the mid-1980s, Dub City International’s sound system was unparalleled, and Mr Hill was working closely with Mr Outerbridge as a producer and organiser as well as performer.

“Once it became second nature, I would invite different artists,” he said. “This would go on until 6pm, 7pm, while Dub was there doing the till. On Friday and Saturday nights, we could be there till 11pm.

“Dub was passionate for music; he loved music — even if he just touched the music board and turned up the treble a little bit. He was not biased to music — if ten people didn’t like something and he did, he wasn’t afraid to say that he liked it.”

Without Mr Outerbridge’s mentoring, Mr Hill said, “I would not have recorded Bermuda’s first dancehall single and album” — as well as performing with international artists in New York and working with reggae producers.

“He gave me a big start, and I took it to another level,” the DJ added, saying he was “truly grateful for the journey”.

“Dub was a man who was very humble, kind hearted and was always lending a listening ear — even if he didn’t want to. My last conversation with him was about completing the last album that I started for Dub City, which has yet to be heard.”

In the meantime, he said, “anyone looking for the old Dub City dances, mix tapes or stage shows can look out for the new Dub City Facebook page, soon to drop”.