Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and joined
the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he drove long hours
into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With the outbreak of the Gulf
War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his ambitions, and he made profitable use of
the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by writing a stock of new songs.

Back in New York at the war's end, Shaggy released several singles on small independent labels
that did well in New York's numerous reggae clubs. The most successful of them, "Oh Carolina,"
was a remake of a pre-reggae classic of Jamaican pop, by a group called the Folkes Brothers,
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

which in turn drew on U.S. soul music sources. Shaggy's version inventively incorporated
samples of the original song. "Oh Carolina," recorded while Shaggy was still in the Marines, was
released in Great Britain by the larger Greensleeves label, topped pop charts there and in several
other countries, and was in turn picked up by the major Virgin International label. That led to the
release of Shaggy's debut album, Pure Pleasure, in 1993. Shaggy kept his momentum with his
sophomore release. Boombastic, released in 1995, reunited him with the New York reggae DJ
Shaun "Sting" Pizzonia, who had produced his earliest dancehall efforts. The title track of
Boombastic became another international hit and also cracked open the doors of the U.S. market
for the artist; the album received a gold record for sales of 500,000 copies, appeared on pop, rap,
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

and R&B charts in the United States, and remained atop Billboard magazine's U.S. sales chart
for a record 30 weeks. Boombastic earned Shaggy a 1996 Grammy award for Best Reggae
Album.

Shaggy's third album, Midnite Lover, was released in 1997. An ambitious outing, it attempted to
cover perhaps too many bases. The album contained various single-ready tracks tailored for U.S.
urban radio play, but the artist also felt the need to reestablish his credibility with the dancehall
reggae hard core. "We showed on this album that I can do whatever Beenie Man or Buju Banton
are doing," Shaggy told Billboard. Despite strong initial support from the Virgin label the album
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

went nowhere, and Shaggy was dropped from Virgin's roster. "They saw me as a guy bringing
them a couple of hits, not somebody building a career," Shaggy lamented in conversation with
Time.

Without a record label and losing the spotlight to younger artists, Shaggy seemed to be on a
downward slide. However, as he told Ebony, "the lesson that I have learned from my mother that
has stayed with me through today is perseverance. Absolutely. That has played into my music,
my career--not giving up." Shaggy kept on composing new material and making new contacts,
and before long he landed a spot on the soundtrack of the film How Stella Got Her Groove Back,
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

with a soundtrack helmed by the durably successful urban pop producers, Jimmy Jam and Terry
Lewis. Quickly writing a song ("Luv Me Luv Me") to their specifications, Shaggy ended up
recording the tune with megastar Janet Jackson on chorus vocals.

That song reached upper chart levels, and as a result the MCA label, which had released the
soundtrack, signed Shaggy to a new contract and released his album Hot Shot in 2000. On that
album Shaggy discarded all pretensions to reggae authenticity. "My album might be disputed by
purists as not reggae enough, but I want it to be eclectic and crossover," he told Time. "To hell
with categories." Cowriting all but one of the tracks on the CD, Shaggy succeeded brilliantly in
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

his aims, crafting a radio-friendly urban-American sound with a perfect hint of Jamaican
inflection that set it apart from a crowd of hip-hop-oriented competitors. Hot Shot contained a
new version of "Luv Me Luv Me" and an energetic club number, "Dance and Shout," that
sampled Michael Jackson's music.

But the album's most successful composition was "It Wasn't Me," which dominated the listening
selections of Americans (and others) of all backgrounds through much of late 2000 and early
2001. In the song, Shaggy gives advice to a friend who has been caught by his girlfriend "red
handed creeping with the girl next door." Though the friend has been seen in a variety of
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

compromising positions throughout his living space (including the bathroom floor), Shaggy tells
him to maintain steadfastly that "it wasn't me." Naughty but not mean-spirited, the song fit
perfectly with Shaggy's genial sense of humor. With "It Wasn't Me," Shaggy became the first
reggae artist to top the U.S. pop singles charts since Shabba Ranks in 1991.

Time speculated that the song's success might even be enough to kick off a new U.S. reggae
craze: "So when you hear Madonna and Britney Spears singing to a reggae beat a year from now,
remember, it all started with Shaggy," instructed writer David E. Thigpen. As for Shaggy
himself, he began to reap rewards from his long years of creative persistence. Spending much of
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

his free time with his two young sons, he maintained a home in Kingston, Jamaica, as well as
one in New York. "There's nothing more I want to accomplish," he told Ebony. "I just want to
create and make great music." Awards

Grammy award for Best Reggae Album, for Boombastic, 1995.

Selected discography

 Pure Pleasure, Virgin International, 1993.

Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

 Boombastic, Virgin International, 1995.

 Midnite Lover, Virgin International, 1997.
 Hot Shot (contains "It Wasn't Me"), MCA, 2000.

Further Reading

Books
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

 Chang, Kevin O'Brien, and Wayne Chen, Reggae Routes: The Story of Jamaican Music,
Temple University Press, 1998.
 Contemporary Musicians, volume 19, Gale, 1997.
 Larkin, Colin, ed., The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae, Virgin, 1998.

Periodicals

 Billboard, April 29, 1995, p. 16; August 2, 1997, p. 9.

 Ebony, May 2001, p. 116.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

 Jet, February 26, 2001, p. 64.

 Time, February 19, 2001, p. 75.

Online

 All Music Guide, http://allmusic.com/.

— James M. Manheim
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

Date of Birth
3 February 1933, Falmouth, Jamaica, British West Indies (now Jamaica)

Date of Death
2 February 2010, Washington, District of Columbia, USA (complications from a heart attack)

Trivia

Prominent Jamaican sociologist, dancer and choreographer. Considered by many to be "Jamaica's

Cultural Ambassador" to the world.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

Died one day short of his 77th birthday.

Co-founder of the National Dance Theater Company in Jamaica in 1962 and led the organization for
almost 50 years.

He is survived by his sister, Daphne May Wylie.

He studied the Rastafari movement in West Kingston, Jamaica after returning from Oxford University.

He founded and ran the Trade Union Education Institute.

Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.

He was the vice chancellor of the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica.

He was one of four alumni awarded an honorary degree in 2003 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of
the Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.

He earned a Rhodes Scholarship to study political science at Oxford University in Oxford, Oxfordshire,
England while he was a student at the University of West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.
Life's Work

Characterized historically by political and spiritual lyrics and a serious attitude, the Jamaican
musical tradition of reggae has been difficult to bring to widespread popularity with fun-loving
American audiences. Yet Shaggy, with two huge hits and several successful album releases in
the 1990s and early 2000s, accomplished just that. A quick and talented writer, he created a style
that was rooted in Jamaican dance traditions but displayed a pop sensibility and a sense of humor
that endeared him to ordinary music fans in the United States and beyond.

Shaggy was born Orville Richard Burrell in Kingston, Jamaica, on October 22, 1968. His
nickname referred to his long hair and came from the hippie-like character by that name on the
children's cartoon Scooby Doo. After growing up in Jamaica's violent central city, Shaggy left at
age 18 for the Flatbush neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York, where his mother was already
living and working as a medical secretary. Attending high school just as rap music was
exploding in popularity, he found that his skills at Jamaican-style "toasting," a style that in fact
was one of rap's forerunners, put him in high demand.

After graduating from high school Shaggy grew discouraged with his prospects in Brooklyn and
joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1988. Trying to keep a hand in the reggae recording scene, he
drove long hours into the night between New York and his Marine base in North Carolina. With
the outbreak of the Gulf War in 1991 he was sent to Iraq. The experience sharpened his
ambitions, and he made profitable use of the long waiting periods required of the U.S. forces by
writing a stock of new songs. But he was also a keen observer of the war's slightly surreal aspect.
"It was wild," he told Time.