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MTV: "It Wasn't Me" owes its success as a single to Napster. How do you feel about that?
Shaggy: I like Napster because they broke my record. I don't like Napster because they need to pay me. [laughs] The thing I like about Napster is that it can showcase a lot of bands that wouldn't necessarily get showcased. I did the dancehall circuit and the whole street thing to get my music recognized. It's a tough game out there, and Napster's just an avenue for all these great talents to take. But if it's not regulated, people can't be paid.
MTV: What's the best thing about the album?
Shaggy: There's nothing but singles on there, mad singles.
MTV: Can you predict a third single from the album?
Shaggy: "Hot Shot" is dope. Then there's "Hey Love." Everybody's feeling that, because it has a story kids can relate to. How many guys have been looking at the chick, but the chick ain't looking at him? She's looking at the guy on the basketball team or the football team. And then later on in life, you become a big star and she's jocking you. You're just hitting her for the hell of it, because she didn't want to give you none. That's what the record is all about. Then you've got "Freaky Girl," which everybody likes. It's such a great sing-along hook, and it's true to the bone. We all like a little freaky love life. And then there's "Not Fair." I make records that hit home. [laughs]
MTV: That's a lot of singles.
Shaggy: I'm proud of this thing. In Miami, "Not Fair" is being played every rotation. In Hawaii and San Francisco, they play two songs — "Leave It to Me" and "Freaky Girl." So you've got all these stations throughout the country that are playing our records and getting a response.
MTV: How did "Angel" come about?
Shaggy: We started with the beat. [Drummer Shaun Pizzonia] looped Steve Miller's "The Joker," and it was just raw drum and bass. I'm sorry Steve, but that's reggae right there. It hit me with such a fat bass line, and the vibe was hot. Then RikRok walked into the studio singing "Angel of the Morning," and it just clicked. I'm like, "This is hot. Let's change a couple of words and make this street talk about my peeps, baby. Let's talk about the time you be cheating on your girl and she's holding it down for you." How many times do guys screw up and realize that all them chicks they were hitting wasn't even worth the time of day? Meanwhile, old girl was the one that was there when you got locked up. Life is one big party when you're still young, but who's gonna have your back when it's all done? That alone says it. It's just plain homage to the women that hold it down. Shaggy's always been for the ladies.
MTV: Are you going to the Grammys?
Shaggy: I don't know if I'm invited to the Grammys. I know that the Grammys kind of shrug me. They didn't nominate me for jack, but it's all good. I've got one of them Grammys at my house. If you put a little spray on there and shine it, it'll look like a new Grammy. [laughs] I don't know if I'm going to be involved in it at all, but I'd love to be. It is music's highest honor and I'm with it.
MTV: Does reggae get a fair shake at the Grammys, given that the reggae awards aren't televised?
Shaggy: The category should be featured on television. It's beautiful. I hope that's part of the whole explosion. Ricky Martin blew up and they gave him a Latin Grammy. They had a whole award for him and his posse — and televised, too. I think we should be in the mix of things. If it's not this year, it's next year. We've earned it.
MTV: In the case of Latin crossover, some people say the music's been diluted for the mainstream market. The same might be said about your type of reggae.
Shaggy: You're talking about the Latin purists. It's the same situation with reggae: You have these reggae purists who might be saying what Shaggy's doing is war to them. But I'm doing something damn different. You think I could do what Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and all these gurus from day one do and top them? Not in a million damn years, man. You listen to Bob Marley songs today and there ain't nothing like it. But there will never be another Bob Marley, so just erase that. Find your own niche, do your own style. If you want to live under the shadow of Bob Marley, be my damn guest, but I ain't doing that. I'm respecting that man's work, moving the hell on and trying to do something, because it's a new generation we're working with right now. Diggin' it, diggin' it.
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For more Shaggy check out Shaggy A to Z.
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