Caribbean Export OUTLOOK 2016

Bursting onto the musical scene in the 1990s as

‘Mr Boombastic’, musical icon Shaggy has thrilled

audiences with his smooth baritone voice and

rugged good

looks.We

have come to affectionately

know him as Shaggy after Scooby Doo’s sidekick,

for his shock of hair, and charismatic personality;

but he was actually born as Orville Richard

Burrell, on October 22, 1968.

Shaggy was created with a special gift to offer the

world. He has undoubtedly been an instrument of

change in transforming the face of contemporary

reggae, fuelled by a passion and love for his people,

hismusic and his purpose. His career has reflected

not only his dynamic musical talents, but also his

determined and tenacious spirit to be a pioneer in

the business of music transcending generations.

In some spheres, he is considered the biggest

crossover success in dancehall reggae.

Shaggy’s childhood ambitions were to become a

fireman, like most little boys with adventurous

and curious spirits. However, after seeing one

performance by King Yellowman, he caught

the music bug. The multifaceted musician,

songwriter and deejay is still writing his story.

Today, Shaggy is a not only a sensational singer,

but a happy husband, fantastic father, booming

businessman, aspiring actor, and passionate

philanthropist.

What many may not know is that Shaggy is a

veteran of the Persian Gulf War, serving in the

USMarine Corps inDesert Storm. He attributes

this experience as his inspiration for Boombastic,

which earned him a Grammy Award for Best

Reggae Album in 1995, two years after the release

of his debut album, Pure Pleasure. More success

was around the corner, as he went on to record hit

after hit for the next two decades, propelling him

to international fame. In 2000, Hot Shot was No.

1 on The Billboard 200 and UK Album Chart.

The diamond-plus recording artiste has proven his

‘Out ofMany, OneMusic’ acclaim, with a protean

portfolio of offerings. Shaggy has performed

alongside the likes of Michael and Janet Jackson;

penned a song for the Union of European Football

Association (UEFA) Euro 2008; contributed

a song for a Pepsi commercial; and in 2009,

recorded the single, Fly High, which was used

in a television commercial for Ferrero Rocher’s

Ice Cream Bar. Shaggy is also the first dancehall

artiste to perform in South Africa following the

abolition of apartheid.

These opportunities opened doors to the

European andAfricanmarkets, exposing his genre

of music to receptive audiences who preferred

slower melodies and the songs performed in their

entirety – unlike his West Indian counterparts’

passion for “pulling up” the tunes mid-way.

Shaggy’s ability to acknowledge and entertain his

audience has caused him to further break barriers

worldwide, taking reggaemusic to newheights in

Pop, Rap, andR&BCharts, and reaching platinum

record sales in the US.

Through the years, Shaggy has successfully

reinvented himself and is a source of inspiration

for upcoming talents.

“Firstly, as an artiste, youmust have a marketable

brand that can be received by the masses, attract

sponsorship, and then fiercely protect it. Be very

careful with your actions to stay pure to that

brand,” he says.

The affable businessman identifies a solid work

ethic and a likeable spirit as two key factors for

success in the music industry, adding that an

artiste must be articulate, charismatic and be

able to sell his or her talent. In essence, he says,

they must believe in themselves.

“You are [only] as good as your last record. To

stay at the top in this business, you always have

to reinvent yourself and be one step ahead of

the game. An artiste has to be able to bridge the

generational gaps. There is no such thing as co-

existence, there is no room for two ‘hot’ artistes;

one takes the spot until they are replaced. There

is always someone else waiting to fit your shoes.

Everything is just for a while . . . somake themost

of yourmoment, as the business of music is always

changing,” he advises.

Shaggy went on to explain that because music is

alive and dynamic, artistes must be prepared to

evolve along with it.

“As the industry is very technology driven, there

will be associated challenges. From the sale of

records and cassettes in the 1980s and 90s, to

the hits and downloads on iTunes within the past

decade. This business has changed dramatically,”

he notes, as he encourages his music colleagues to

remain on the cutting edge and stay informed of

industry trends.

Another aspect of the industry that Shaggy

believes an artiste must be very knowledgeable

about is Intellectual Property (IP). This refers to

the creations of the mind: inventions, literary

and artistic works, designs and symbols, names

and images used in commerce.

“An artiste’s IP is protected in law by patents,

to earn recognition or financial benefit from their

works. There is also the need to merge creativity

and innovation in an environment that serves

both the artiste and the audience,” the singer

points out.

Having pursued music as a career, Shaggy has

had the experience of not only song writing and

performing, but also the establishment of Big

Yard Music Group, playing an instrumental role

in the careers of artistes such as Brian & Tony

Gold, Kiprich, Rayvon, Rik Rok, Voicemail,

Richie Loop, and Christopher Martin, among

others. His words of advice and encouragement

also propelled long-time friend and mentee,

Tessanne Chin, to participate in and then win

The Voice competition in December 2013.

His advice on staying on top of the game?

“Do extensivemarket research on the latest trends

. . . [because] youmust first fully understand your

What many may not know is that Shaggy is a veteran of the Persian

Gulf War, serving in the US Marine Corps in Desert Storm. He

attributes this experience as his inspiration for Boombastic, which

earned him a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in 1995.

OUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE