“First and foremost, I am a reggae artist,” insists Shaggy. Born Orville Richard Burrell, the multi-platinum pop icon is a worldwide ambassador for reggae, but only few knows just how connected Shaggy is with the sound of Jamaican rhythms. Shaggy: Raggamuffin Style details the rise of a superstar from Kingston, Jamaica, to his teen years in Flatbush, Brooklyn, to his time spent in the Marines during the Gulf War, while at the same time introducing the reader to the fascinating history and rich culture of reggae music.
Delving into the musical trends in Jamaica during Shaggy’s formative years, the popularity of soundsystem “deejays” (the Jamaican equivalent of rap MCs), and the influence of both 1970s reggae and Bob Marley, Locilento provides an insight into Shaggy’s unique sound. Although most, if not all,journalists label him a rapper, Shaggy:Raggamuffin Style reveals not only Shaggy’s reggae roots, but opens the door to exciting new music sure to please fans of Mr. Boombastic.
As Locilento explains, almost everything about Shaggy, is in fact rooted in the rich and lively culture of the Jamaican dancehall, a culture that’s been the driving force behind almost every development in reggae music over the past half-century, beginning in Jamaica and spreading throughout the world in the form of hip hop, techno, and electronica.