Olivia “Babsy” Grange Reflects on Breaking Shabba Ranks and Patra into the American Hip Hop Scene

Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sports, speaking at the launch of the book Dancehall Queen by Professor Donna Hope shared insights into her experiences as a former artist manager during the early 1990s. Drawing from her time managing Grammy winning deejay Shabba Ranks and top selling artist Patra, Grange revealed the unconventional methods used to break these 2 Jamaican artists into the American music scene.

“We said it’s too expensive to take three limousines and six bodyguards and create a hype,” Grange reminisced about the challenges faced during Shabba Ranks’ breakthrough. Instead, she and her team devised a unique strategy by using the culture. “So we took Patra and we said ok, we gonna use a selecta, and we going to put the dancehall girls in there, and so we took her on a tour, we used what in those days we called the dub and the Vinyl and a selecta (DJ).”

This innovative costs saving approach worked it showed the raw talent of Lady Patra whose debut album, “Queen of the Pack,” released in 1993 by Sony Music, stands as the only RIAA Gold-certified album by a female dancehall artist, for selling over 600,000 units in the US since December 5, 1994.

Grange recalled, “We made Patra teach them (Americans) how dance.”  Adding how the team deliberately tapped into the burgeoning hip-hop scene in both New York and California. “We did a coast-to-coast tour called Reggae-Dancehall, and we broke the music in mainstream in the United States,” Grange elaborated.

The lead single for the album, an upbeat dancehall version of the 1972 song “Think (About It),” featuring Lyn Collins produced by Salaam Remi established her presence in rap circles, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Rap Singles chart and No. 89 on the R&B charts.

Subsequent hits like “Worker Man” and “Romantic Call” solidified her status as a force in the music industry, with her remake of Grace Jones’ “Pull Up to My Bumper” further expanding her reach.

Patra’s collaborated with her label mate Shabba Ranks on “Family Affair” and she sparked an association with hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur who she said she brought to Jamaica after remade a cameo in her Romantic Call music video riding shot gun.

On her sojourn to the West Coast, Patra linked up with rapper Yo Yo who was the featured on Romantic Call, the third single from Queen Of The Pack. The song produced by Grange’s business partner Clifton Specialist Dillion, Vivian Scott and Hitman Howie Tee peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 22 on the Billboard Dance Chart. Romantic Call also peaked at No. 9 on the US Rap chart.

The success was palpable, with record stores in England being “mobbed” upon their arrival, signaling the global appeal of Jamaican reggae and dancehall music.

On the U.K’s Official Singles Chart, Patra made several appearances with “Worker Man” peaking at 84 and spent 2 weeks on the chart in March 1994. “Pull Up to the Bumper” peaked at #50 and spent 2 weeks on the chart in September 1995. “Work Mi Body” by Monkey Mafia featuring Patra peaked at 75 and spent 1 week on the chart in August 1996.

Patra/ Raymond Boyd- Getty

Patra gives credit to the Shabba Ranks for paving the way for her as well as the women of Seaview Garden who taught her how to win slow after she showcased a more spirited body movement. “I have to give Shabba Ranks respect because he opened up the international thing. First of all, Jamaican women are confident no matter the size. It was the girls from Seaview Gardens who taught me how to wine slow. I come from the country so I used to wine fast and they say; you can’t go out like that you need to slow down P.”