Shaggy Biography
In the early 1990's Shaggy entered the scene with his deep throaty remix of the Ska classic "Oh Carolina", the first major Reggae record to come out of the dancehall underground. Soon after, the steady dub rhythm of the platinum selling Boombastic solidified Shaggy as a dancehall hit-maker winning the 1996 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.
When Hotshot dropped in 2000 no one could have predicted that this was going to be the album to set Shaggy totally apart from any artist on the dancehall stage. Hotshot, the best-selling album in 2001, sold over 13 million albums worldwide and topped the charts in the US, UK, Germany and Australia simultaneously. The album was seven times platinum certified in Canada and six times platinum in the US. Hotshot rocketed to the top of the charts with two phenomenal singles, "It Wasn't Me" and "Angel", which featured Big Yard protgs Rik Rok and Rayvon, respectively.
Fall of 2005 found Shaggy releasing Clothes Drop an album that gave his audience chart topping dancehall singles like "Wild2Nite" and "Ready Fi Di Ride". Steady contributions to the dancehall are what keep Shaggy current. He is one of very few Reggae artists who always have a fresh new record pulsing through the dancehall market. And fall 2006 being no exception, he released one to keep the masses guessing with "Reggae Vibes", a well-received tune that finds Shaggy taking on the role of singing. "Vibes" is the first song to ever feature this famed deejay singing, just more proof that with Shaggy's ingenuity anything is possible.
To date, Shaggy has sold over 20 million albums, but he doesn't take that achievement lightly. His eight studio album Intoxication, released in 2007, is full of bangers sure to make the club jump off from Kingston to Flatbush. Before becoming a multi-platinum, Grammy-winning superstar, Shaggy was a Jamaican teenager sneaking out of the house to rub-a-dub at the club, and 'Intoxication' proudly displays these beginnings. Intoxication is also Shaggy's first album with legendary grassroots label VP. Though Big Yard and VP have a long-standing working relationship, both felt now was the time to finally release an album together.
"While creating the album I wasn't signed to any particular label so I didn't have the usual A&R interference into my creative process." says Shaggy of the album's recording process. "That's what I was trying to get back to with Intoxication - both hardcore dancehall and reggae. It's a climatic musical roller coaster ride for all to enjoy. So strap yourself in and get ready for the ride of your life."
The album kicks off with the banging "Can't Hold Me," where Shaggy announces his return over jumping electro-tinged production. First single "Bonafide Girl" is a classic Shaggy dancehall-pop combo with a sweet hook, reuniting Shaggy with "It Wasn't Me" collaborator Rik Rok and adding Tony Gold to the potent mix. "Out Of Control," a sexy danceclub ode to women on the dancefloor, features the hitmaking connection of Shaggy and Rayvon, best known for the hit single "Angel."
"Church Heathen," already a club favorite and chart topper in Jamaica, features a pounding rhythm and monk like chants over which Shaggy weaves a tale of a church congregation's hypocrisy. Preachers dip into the collection basket for Benz payments and women doing the Dutty Wine Saturday night look for salvation on Sunday. The songs lively video has also taken off, featuring a cameo from DJ slayer Ninjaman.
High-profile collaborations with hitmaker Akon and red hot dancehall rising star Collie Buddz grace the album as well. Akon adds a silky smooth chorus to "What's Love," as Shaggy deliberates leaving his girl for all the wrong reasons. Collie Buddz, along with dancehall legend Sizzla, bring pure fire to "Mad Mad World," a bouncing track that warns to not let societies social ills bring the world down with them.
