Jamaican reggae recording artist Shaggy is best known for his remake of the old Prince Buster classic, "Oh Carolina," which became a worldwide hit in the summer of 1993.
Born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica in October 1968, Shaggy (he was nicknamed after the hippy on "Scooby Doo") moved to Flatbush, Brooklyn when he was 18. He began playing records and performing in New York's reggae scene and cut his first of many singles, "Man A Mi Yard"(released on Don One's studio label) when he was 20.
In 1988, looking for steady work and an opportunity to escape the mean streets of Brooklyn, Shaggy joined the Marines. Much to his surprise, he ended up on the front lines of Operation Desert Storm. After his tour in the Gulf, Shaggy was stationed in Camp LeJeune, N.C.; meanwhile back home in New York, his records were still being circulated and he had become a local reggae star. Shaggy recorded "Oh Carolina" (in his military uniform) while on a weekend leave in New York. The single became a huge hit, selling more than 600,000 copies and bringing Shaggy to the attention of Virgin Records, who signed him to a multi-album deal.
After the success of "Oh Carolina" Shaggy has released three albums: Pure Pleasure (1993), Original Doberman (1994), and Midnite Lover (1997), all of which did reasonably well. But it was 2000’s Hot Shot that skyrocketed Shaggy to official superstardom, selling more than 10 million copies worldwide thanks to the number-one singles “It Wasn’t Me” and “Angel.” Soon after, Shaggy formed his own label, The Big Yard Music Group, which he co-founded with his long time manager Robert Livingston. The first release from the label was a debut solo album by Rayvon (who sings with Shaggy on "Angel").
Now, Shaggy is back with Lucky Day, a new album that expands his reggae-music vision and pays tribute to the women in his life. According to Shaggy, it’s “a very uplifting, pro-woman album. When I look back at the people who shaped me, that made a difference in my life, most of them were women: the mother of my children, my own mother, so many of the people I've worked with. So why not pay homage?"
Shaggy recorded the album at his own New York-based home studio and Big Yard Studios and worked with long-time friends and producers Robert Livingston, Sting Intl., Dave Kelly and Christopher Birch. He also brought in guest performers like singers Barrington Levy (on "Full Control"), Chaka Khan (on "Get My Party On") and Big Yard/MCA solo artist Rik Rok (on "These Are The Lips"). Shaggy himself wrote or co-wrote all fourteen songs. He also had a hand in producing the album.
~ Biography obtained from: http://www.rootsreggaeclub.com/culture_reggae_afro/artists/pt/shaggy_biography.htm |