Emerging in the early ‘90s, Shaggy was the biggest crossover success in dancehall reggae with his break-through hit “Mr. Boombastic”; his other smash hits including “Angel,” “Sexy Lady” and “It Wasn’t Me.” Not only did he become the genre’s most commercially potent artist in the international market, he was also more than just a typical flash in the pan, managing to sustain a career over the course of several highly popular albums.

Perhaps in part because he wasn’t based in Jamaica, he never really needed to have it both ways; virtually ignoring the hardcore dancehall crowd, his music was unabashedly geared toward good times, a friendly persona, and catchy party anthems.

He wasn’t shy about lifting hooks wholesale from pop hits of the past, a chart-ready blueprint similar to that of hip-hop stars like Puff Daddy, but he also had fairly eclectic tastes, giving his records a musical variety lacking from other dancehall stars.

As a result, he became one of the scant few reggae artists to top the album and pop singles charts in America, not to mention numerous other countries where he’s had even greater success.

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