Shaggy

Shaggy, born 22 October 1968 in Kingston, Jamaica, is a Jamaican-American reggae and dancehall artist known for his distinctive “toasting” voice. He moved to New York City at 18 and served in the US Marine Corps from 1988 to 1992, including in the Gulf War. He says he perfected his signature voice during his military service.

His first hit was “Oh Carolina” (1993), a dancehall remake of a ska classic, followed by “Boombastic” (1995). After being dropped by Virgin in 1999, he signed with MCA and released Hot Shot (2000), which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 8× platinum in the US. Its singles “It Wasn’t Me” and “Angel” both topped the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 1 in several countries. Later albums sold less in the US but did better internationally, and he stayed active through collaborations and live performance.

His recent work includes the 2018 album 44/876 with Sting, the 2021 dancehall hit “Go Down Deh” with Sean Paul and Spice, and a role in Sting’s musical The Last Ship (2025–26). He released the album Lottery in May 2026 and appears on the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album. He is also known for philanthropy, including over US$1 million donated to Jamaica’s Bustamante Hospital for Children and Hurricane Melissa relief efforts.