Story by Alana Anderson
Despite being born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, he quips: ‘You guys aren’t equipped to deal with this heat. It’s too hot.’
The reggae icon, real name Orville Richard Burrell, sat down to tell Metro all about his global chart-topping success, staying true to his Jamaican roots, and his unlikely friendship with Sting.
People are always amazed at Shaggy’s spoken voice, that it could possibly be any different from the patois-inflected baritone on the likes of Mr. Boombastic and his other hit songs.
But there’s a reason for that.
‘It’s down to military marching cadences. I used to come out and sing imitating the German drill instructors. It just stayed like that. I have two completely different voices, but it works,’ he tells us.
It Wasn’t Me propelled Shaggy’s album Hot Shot to massive multi-platinum success (Picture: Parsons)
It Wasn’t Me became a chart-topping smash hit 26 years ago
Shaggy has sold more than 40 million album units to date (Picture: REUTERS)
‘I get criticised for it a lot, even when I do music I don’t do it in the same way my peers would. Criticized for not being as authentically Jamaican. Half of the people who judge me have never been to Jamaica. I live in Kingston, I was born in Jamaica, I was raised in Jamaica. So, I don’t think there’s anyone more authentic than me. I just move a little differently.’
The singer, 57, who was awarded the Jamaican Order of Distinction with the rank of Commander in 2007, says there’s a common misconception about how Jamaican he is.
I just move a little differentlyQuoteQuote
‘I took a different approach when I was doing music, I didn’t dress in red, green, and gold, I don’t smoke weed, I don’t have dreadlocks, I don’t speak in my native dialect all the time,’ he explains.
‘I wouldn’t have got on certain platforms otherwise. I would have been discriminated against. It used to be that people would automatically look down on you because you have an accent. But the way I’ve approached it has served me well,’ he says.
And served him well it has, with two Grammys and two Billboard Music Awards under his belt, as well as an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Brown University.
He even counts some pretty famous faces as fans of his music.
‘I’m looking forward to sitting down and having cocktails with my brother,’ he laughs.
‘He’s the guy that pushes me to do things that I’m uncomfortable with doing. He helps me to find comfort outside of my comfort zone. We have a friendship that we never thought that we would have. We go out of our way to connect.’
Shaggy at Reggae Land
Last month, Shaggy played to a sold out crowd at Reggae Land 2026, the UK’s largest reggae festival, held every year at Milton Keynes Bowl.
Tickets for 2027 are already on sale, with weekend tickets up for grabs for just £90.63. Be warned though, early releases go fast, so get them now.
The line up is yet to be announced, but 2026 saw Burna Boy, Shenseea and Vybz Kartel grace the stage, so you can expect more icons next year too.
