Shaggy (musician)

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Shaggy

Background information
Birth name Orville Richard Burrell
Born October 22, 1968 (1968-10-22) (age 39)
Origin Kingston, Jamaica
Genre(s) Reggae
Dancehall
World
Years active 1990–present
Label(s) VP Records

Shaggy (born Orville Richard Burrell, October 22, 1968, Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican American reggae singer who takes his nickname from Scooby-Doo's companion, a nickname given to him by his friends, during his teenage years in which his hair bore a similarity to the Scooby Doo character. He is especially notable for his distinctive sub-baritone voice.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

His family moved to the United States from Jamaica and they settled in the neighbourhood of Flatbush, Brooklyn, located in New York City. Shaggy moved to Valley Stream, New York, and made one of his own recording studios in the town.

[edit] Military service

In 1988, he joined the United States Marine Corps as a Field Artillery Cannoneer with 5th Battalion, 10th Marines. While enlisted in the Marines he served during Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War. It was during this time that Shaggy perfected his signature singing voice, breaking the constant monotony of running and marching cadences with his flair for inflection.

[edit] Career

[edit] 90s

Upon his return from the Persian Gulf, he decided to pursue his music career and his first hit in 1993: "Oh Carolina", was a dancehall re-make of a ska hit by the Folkes Brothers. The same year, Shaggy appeared on Kenny Dope's hip hop album "The Unreleased Project". He worked together with producers such as Sting Intl., Don One (who cut his first track), Lloyd 'Spiderman' Campbell and Robert Livingston. He had further big hits, including "Boombastic" in 1995, the theme tune of a popular Levi's commercial.

[edit] Early 2000s

He then had a major comeback in 2001, featuring worldwide number-one hit singles "It Wasn't Me" and "Angel", the latter of which was built around two song samples - Merrilee Rush's 1968 hit "Angel of the Morning" (which was remade in 1981 by Juice Newton), and The Steve Miller Band's 1973 hit "The Joker". The album Hot Shot, from which those cuts came, would hit number one on the Billboard 200 and UK album chart.

However, his 2002 release Lucky Day, and the 2005 album Clothes Drop failed to match Hot Shot's success.

Shaggy recorded the theme for Showtime, a 2002 movie.

[edit] Late 2000s

On 11 March 2007, Shaggy performed the official song of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007, entitled "The Game of Love and Unity", with Barbadian entertainer Rupee and Trinidadian Faye-Ann Lyons at the opening ceremony at The Greenfield Stadium, Trelawny, Jamaica.

Shaggy left Universal and will be releasing his latest album under his own label Big Yard Records with distribution by VP Records.

On August 2007, he joined Cyndi Lauper in Singapore for the Sonnet Music Festival, where they performed "Girls Just Want To Have Fun".

On October 15, 2007, he was awarded the Jamaican Order of Distinction in the rank of Commander (CD).[1]

Shaggy's music is characterized by a strong Jamaican accent, which may be hard to understand to some. Shaggy's natural speaking accent seems to vary from mid-west American to Jamaican [2] [3].

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Compilations, Remix, Unreleased & Rare

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
U.S UK AUS
1993 "Oh Carolina" 59 1 5 Pure Pleasure
"Soon Be Done" 46
1995 "In The Summertime" (featuring Rayvon) 3 5 14 Boombastic
"Bombastic" 1 1
1996 "Why You Treat Me So Bad" (featuring Grand Puba) 108 11
"Something Different / The Train Is Coming" (Double A Side in UK) (featuring Ken Boothe) 21
"That Girl" (duet with Maxi Priest) 20 15 7 Mr. Lover Lover - The Best Of Shaggy...Part 1
1997 "Piece Of My Heart" (featuring Marsha) 72 7 Midnite Lover
1998 "Luv Me, Luv Me" (featuring Janet Jackson) 3 Mr. Lover Lover - The Best Of Shaggy...Part 1
2001 "It Wasn't Me" (featuring Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent) 1 1 1 Hot Shot
"Angel" (featuring Rayvon) 1 1 1
"Luv Me, Luv Me" (featuring Samantha Cole) 76 5 10
"Freaky Girl" (featuring The Kraft) 122
"Dance & Shout / Hope" (Double A Side in UK) 104 19
2002 "Me Julie" (duet with Ali G) 2 13 Ali G Indahouse - Da Soundtrack
"Hey Sexy Lady" (featuring Brian & Tony Gold) 10 4 Lucky Day
2003 "Strength of a Woman" 119 31
"Get My Party On" (featuring Chaka Kahn) 41
2005 "Wild 2Nite" (featuring Olivia) 61 Clothes Drop
2006 "Ultimatum" (featuring Na'sha) 76
2007 "Church Heathen" Intoxication
"What's Love" (featuring Akon)
"Bonafide Girl" (featuring Ricardo "RikRok" Ducent & Tony Gold)
2008 "Donya" (Arash Feat. Shaggy) [2] - Persian Lyrics -
"Like a Superstar"
"Feel the Rush (Official Euro 2008 Song)"

[edit] Guest appearances

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links