Shaggy the Glorified Sex symbol or Un-Glorified Saint

by Jodee Brown

It was 1995 when a young Orville ‘Shaggy’ Burrell was able to see just how hypocritical the media can be when it came to young artistes. As he prepared for an interview in the UK for the chart-topping album Boombastic, Shaggy instantly recognized the  interviewer as the reporter who said “Boombastic is driving me ballistic. This record isn’t even worth the vinyl it’s been printed on.”

When the interview started, the reporter began praising Boombastic, much to the amusement of the Grammy nominated superstar: “Him just start praise me. I wonder if this guy knew that I read this article. It showed you how shallow these people are,” he says with a laugh.

Nearly 20 years later, Shaggy continues to defy the odds, despite initially being dubbed a “one hit wonder” following the release of his first mainstream single, Oh Carolina.

With a catalogue including five number one hits, over 20 million albums sold worldwide and the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album (Boombastic), Shaggy has displayed a level of transcendence that few artistes in any genre can consistently exhibit. Nominated for this year’s Best Reggae Album Grammy Award for his successful 2011 album, Summer in Kingston, Shaggy feels humbled to once again garner such recognition.

“It’s good to be honored by your peers. There needs to be some representation where Reggae music is concerned. I am going to attend [the ceremony] and I’m going to be there to make my presence felt as a representative of Reggae,” he says.

This marks Shaggy’s fourth career Grammy award nomination; earning similar recognition for hit albums such as Clothes Drop in 2005 and Intoxication in 2008. However, Summer In Kingston was Shaggy’s first album since leaving Big Yard Entertainment and long-time manager, Robert Livingston. Released digitally, via Ranch Entertainment, the eight-track album topped the U.S. Billboard Reggae charts. Should Shaggy capture his second Grammy, it would be a testament to his own hard work and ingenuity.

“A lot of what you see created on Sugarcane was literally out of my pocket. To create that kind of energy on a project to where you get a Grammy nod…it’s good….My grandmother always said, ‘Work for the rewards, not the awards.’”

Despite his many rewards, Shaggy has faced mass criticism regarding his musical style from fans and media critics alike. However, the crossover sensation remains unfazed by anyone’s conclusions; offering a hypothetical scenario on how he handles such criticism.

“You wrote something that transcends to 30,000 readers versus a brand that reaches millions of readers. How can you affect me?” he asks. “If I answer dat now and start bun you. I’m just helping you.”

“We’re fortunate to be making music, we fortunate enough to do what we do, put a roof over wi head and pay wi bills and employ people and be a part of people’s lives and affect their lives in a positive way.”

One way that Shaggy positively influences the lives of others is his highly-regarded annual concert, Shaggy and Friends. Focused on accumulating proceeds to aid the Bustamante Hospital for Children in Kingston, Jamaica, the first two editions of Shaggy and Friends raised over US$400,000, providing over 450 pieces of equipment to the hospital since its inception in January 2009.

According to the director of Shaggy’s Make a Difference foundation, Rebecca Packer, a visit to the hospital alongside veteran Dancehall/Reggae producer, Tony Kelly in 1999 prompted Shaggy to make this his personal charity.

“He was unaware of the needs of Bustamante until that visit. For the next eight-to-nine years, he was donating pieces of equipment out of pocket,” Packer said.

Shaggy also built a kids park on the hospital premises and donates hundreds of Christmas presents to children at the hospital each holiday season.

During a 2008 visit, the father of a young daughter on life support due to serious head injuries sustained from a bullet wound, approached Shaggy. When the artiste met Peach, she was strapped to a ventilator he previously donated to the hospital. Then and there, Shaggy felt compelled to improve his efforts.

“I was helpless; I didn’t know what to do. So I decided that, let’s do something else…It’s just the right thing.”

In October 2008, Shaggy and Packer outlined plans for Shaggy and Friends, an event where fans and artistes would donate time and money solely for the purpose of charity.

Shaggy and Friends’ third edition took place in January 2012 on the lawns of Jamaica House in Kingston, Jamaica. This year’s event impressed fans with a stellar line-up including Dancehall/Reggae acts such as Damian Marley, Stephen Marley and the legendary Beres Hammond as well as international superstars like Maxi Priest and  former Fugees starlet, Lauryn Hill.

Shaggy insists that without the full backing and support of the artistes, Shaggy and Friends wouldn’t have such strong impact.

“You talking about sponsors, these are some of our biggest sponsors. The biggest sponsors are these artistes that give their efforts for absolutely free,” he stresses.

Packer hailed Shaggy’s role as a selfless visionary, foregoing his own reputation for the sake of the less fortunate.

“It’s not about the brand. It’s about the cause,” she insists. “Without him steering the boat, we wouldn’t be here.”

Shaggy’s charitable causes reflect his character, defying stereotypes often associated with his career as a glorified sex symbol.

Packer, who’s also Shaggy’s long-time companion, knows that difference first hand.

“People always have this whole image of him being this sex pot; of getting the ladies all the time. Of course Shaggy loves women but he’s very respectful of women. He doesn’t see them as a piece of meat. I think people would not expect that from him. He’s truly a gentleman,” she says.

“He’s a wonderful father. He adores his children. He’s a very affectionate, sensitive man. He’s definitely far greater than his image portrays him to be as an artiste.”

Shaggy has captured fans from various walks of life by often re-modeling his on-stage persona. From the pop-oriented vibes of Angel and It Wasn’t Me to the underground Dancehall aura created by Bad Man Don’t Cry and Church Heathen, Shaggy possesses universal appeal that few others can replicate.

For Sugarcane, the lead single off the Grammy nominated Summer in Kingston, Shaggy transformed the Jamaican music environment by presenting delightful visuals of the island to a worldwide audience; especially following videos by international superstars, Rihanna (Man Down) and Drake (Find Your Love) showing very contrasting images of his home land. Shaggy stated he wanted to show a happier side of his island as the rough images often shown does little to help the tourism.

In 2012, Shaggy seeks to capitalize on the international market yet again. Currently, he’s promoting the second single off Summer in Kingston entitled Dame, featuring Dominican-American songstress Kat DeLuna. He plans to tour the United States later this year and is working on his 11th studio album with Dancehall/Reggae producers, Sly and Robbie; featuring a flurry of international stars on a Reggae-themed project.

“We have Akon, Ne-Yo; a couple other people that are on these raw Reggae tracks which is gonna be brilliant, so we looking forward to these things.”

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts