ReggaeCollector.com - Shaggy's Profile

Reggae Music Rare Collector's & Vintage Record Online Store

>> Advanced Search

Top→Feature Archives→Artist Hall of Fame→Shaggy

Featured Artist

Artist Hall of Fame

ShaggyText by Harry Hawks

The world's top selling Jamaican artist Shaggy has achieved more UK & USA Number One hits than any other reggae act...

Shaggy

Real Name	Orville Richard Burrell
Born	Oct 22, 1968
Place of Birth	Kingston Jamaica
Related Artist(s)	Rayvon Shabba Ranks Maxi Priest Rik Rok Screechie Dan Barrington Levy Beres Hammond Brian & Tony Red Fox Snow

Orville Richard Burrell was born 22nd October 1968 in Kingston, Jamaica and, at the age of eighteen, he moved with his family to the Flatbush district of New York, USA. Two years later he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He had taken singing lessons in Brooklyn and, while stationed at North Carolina's Camp LeJeune, Shaggy returned regularly to the city on weekends where he developed his distinctive deejay style on a number of sound systems including Gibraltar Musik. He saw action in the 1991 Gulf War as a Field Artillery Cannon Crewman and, on his discharge from the Marines, Shaggy began his show business career in earnest taking his stage name from his most un-military like unruly hairstyle. He began hitting with his sparring partner Rayvon on records such as 'Big Up' released on Signet and produced by Sting International for Robert Livingston and has never, ever stopped.

'Oh Carolina', a ragga/hip hop fusion based on the Folks Brothers classic for Prince Buster from over thirty years previously and "exploiting the full potential of the original song in a totally modern setting", was an unprecedented worldwide crossover hit for Shaggy. Initially popular with reggae audiences, possibly due to their familiarity with the original Nyahbinghi inspired hit, it rapidly moved into another league entirely when it was licensed to and promoted by London's Greensleeves Records. It reached Number One in the UK National Charts in winter/spring 1993 and this was followed by a full on ragga chart attack with Shabba Ranks and Chaka Demus & Pliers also storming the international charts.

Shaggy continued to consolidate his career but it was two years before his reworking, alongside Rayvon, of Mungo Jerry's 'In The Summertime' smash from 1970 made Number Five in the UK National Charts. This was followed by the incredible 'Boombastic' on the Big Yard label which reached Number One in both the UK and the USA later that year. The song was featured in a television advert for Levi's jeans and the long player of the same name went gold in the USA where it won a Grammy Award in 1996 for the Best Reggae Album. The superb Big Yard seven inch release, 'Boombastic Living Sting Remix', neatly fitted Shaggy's playful, boasting braggadocio over Marvin Gaye's sultry 'Let's Get It On' rhythm... and it worked. The following summer Shaggy's duet with Maxi Priest, 'That Girl' built around a mix and match of Booker T & The MG's 'Green Onions', hit Number Fifteen in the UK National Charts.

In spring 2001 Shaggy's 'It Wasn't Me' sold 345,000 copies in its first week of release in the UK, shot to Number One, and eventually achieved a staggering 1,180,700 sales in total. 'Angel' also reached Number One that summer. Both singles were featured on the 'Hot Shot' album, his third long player released through MCA, which hit Number One on both the UK National Album Chart and the USA Billboard 200. 'Hot Shot' remained on the charts for the best part of a year and sold over twelve million copies worldwide. In 2002 Shaggy performed the theme song for the 'Scooby-Doo' film soundtrack entitled 'Shaggy, Where Are You?' and, in December 2008 'Intoxication' was nominated for Best Reggae Album at the 51st Grammy Awards.

In autumn 2013 Shaggy returned to his roots in Kingston's dancehall culture with Klassique Disco at Rae Town's legendary Sunday night street dance for the launch of his latest album, 'Out of Many, One Music'. Recorded at his Long Island studio, with production duties overseen by Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, he described his latest move as working with "the gods of reggae... Sly and Robbie" and the Rhythm Twins are currently crisscrossing Europe (autumn 2013) with Shaggy and Rayvon on the 'Out Of Many' tour.

For over two decades Shaggy has won unmatched worldwide popularity by successfully bringing genuine Jamaican music to a worldwide crossover audience. He was summarily dismissed by the 'experts' as a one hit wonder when 'Oh Carolina' first broke big and the publicity for the London leg of the tour (in a listings magazine) described Shaggy as a 'novelty act'. It's about time that the critics caught up with the music loving public (the show was held at the prestigious 12,500 seating capacity Wembley Arena) or even the Jamaican government who, in October 2007, awarded Orville Richard Burrell the Jamaican Order of Distinction ("Distinction Through Service") in the higher class of Commander. How many more awards does he have to win, how many more records does he have to sell and how much more international success does he have to have before Shaggy's marvellous, manifest achievements are rightfully recognised by everyone?

Date Added: Jun 07, 2017