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Mr lover lover is daddy cool
Trying his hardest to find a moment as he hurriedly makes his way from a plane to a personal limo, a normally cool Shaggy breathes a sigh of relief as he confides he almost missed his transfer.
- By Kelly Crane, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:14 February 8, 2009
- Dubai is an amazing place and I love coming to the UAE, says Shaggy.
- Image Credit: AP
Trying his hardest to find a moment as he hurriedly makes his way from a plane to a personal limo, a normally cool Shaggy breathes a sigh of relief as he confides he almost missed his transfer.
"I feel like I'm travelling all the time at the moment," he said with an exhausted edge. "From plane to car, bus or anything else, which can get me to the gigs on time."
Currently touring Australia and New Zealand, ahead of his final date in Dubai on Thursday - just in time for Valentine's Day - his spirits start to rise as he chills on the way to a sound check.
"It is so much fun touring and I am really enjoying myself. I know I am very lucky to be able to do what I do at this time in my life and I am grateful to all my fans. This part of the world has always been great for me and we get a strong reception every time we visit."
But as with every pro there is always a con and Shaggy doesn't take his lightly.
"My daughter is the thing I miss most," he says with a affectionately.
"She is so cheeky and beautiful and she's at that age (four months) where you just wish you could be around all the time. But my partner, baby girl and I know it is necessary right now and we all pull together to make things as easy as possible."
With his proud father flag riding high, he says she "knows who her Daddy is" and shouts at the television screen whenever he appears.
And with six albums, two multi-platinum, five No 1 hits and 11 top ten singles worldwide, he really has provided her with plenty of reason to be proud of her father in return.
He may have hit the big 4-0 late last year, but he's still going strong and is showing no sign of slowing down - as we're sure he plans to prove in person this week when he takes to the stage at Dubai Festival City on Thursday as part of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).
An ambassador for reggae music, he says his inspiration will always be his culture and roots.
"Making music which celebrates my culture has always been the driving force for me. It's about music having a heart and soul which is in the reggae beats and rhythm."
In a greatest hits compilation just released, Shaggy is intelligent and comfortable enough to be honest and to sort the good from the bad.
"You have a hit song and your record label immediately wants to make a greatest hits album, which is crazy. So although I've had one before I wanted to release one on my terms. That's why it's called The Boombastic Collection instead of 'greatest hits'.
"This is the first one I'm actually in charge of and I've picked all the songs and even did the artwork. I didn't want to put all the 'hits' on because there are some songs which are just rubbish, like Me Julie - it was just one of those songs but not a 'classic'."
Eager to return to Dubai he says fans are "in for a real treat".
"Dubai is an amazing place and I love coming to the UAE. It's ever-changing and so energetic, which I love. I am only there for a few days, but I plan to soak up as much as I possibly can in the short time I'm there. I want to check out a few of the clubs, as I love the nightlife."
Having just joined Cyndi Lauper on stage at the Sonnet Music Festival (and causing a stir after endless nights of partying) Shaggy claims it's now time to get back to the music, and more specifically, the charts.
"I have my sights set on making it back into the mainstream charts now. I've done the underground thing and now the critics say I can't [have another mainstream hit] which is all the fuel I need for my fire."
So from the early 1990s and a throaty remix of the Ska classic Oh Carolina to a 1996 Grammy Award win for Best Reggae Album it sounds like Shaggy really does have it all. Or does he?
"I am very content. Career, family, achievement and lifestyle."
Cool, calm and collected throughout our meeting, it was about time he threw in a shocker.
"A duet with Britney," he says, laughing almost uncontrollably.
"That's what I'd like to do," he adds knowing he has suitably shocked.
"Because if you'd told me now I would be sitting here telling you I'm a Britney fan, I never would have believed it. But she has come so far and proven herself in so many ways despite getting slated, I really respect her."
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