01 June,2026 08:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka Sharma
Pic/Parsons/VP Records
Two Grammys and a three-decade career later, Shaggy still has the hunger to create something true to himself. That has sparked his latest album, Lottery, which released earlier this month. In a chat with mid-day, the Jamaican-American reggae musician opens up about continuing to find inspiration, fighting his naysayers with his craft, and collaborating with fellow musician Sting.
Excerpts from the interview.
After working for over three decades, is it tough to keep the music alive within you?
First of all, I am allergic to boredom. Secondly, it's what I do. You don't want to see me kick a ball (laughs). [Music is] what I'm passionate about doing. The hardest thing at this stage is finding inspiration because everything you say, I've pretty much done already. But what keeps me going is that I'm still in and I can listen to what is going on.
With Lottery, you're getting the 2026 version of Shaggy's music. There are three types of music - dancehall, reggae, and Shaggy's music. My music is the hybrid style that I've always done.
Lottery features some star-studded collaborations. What was it like to reunite with Sting?
Ain't No Sunshine was a simple track. Someone told me that they thought Sting would be singing, and I would come in and do some [background vocals]. But that was not the case. It was me singing and Sting just doing background.
What was the inspiration behind the album's first track, God is Amazing?
In every album, I always do a song with God. God turns up in every situation in your life, and in this situation, it's addressing your haters. Nowadays, everyone has a platform and an opinion. These people, some of the loudest mouths, are so under-accomplished to be having a conversation about somebody who is highly accomplished. So, the only way I can fight them back is with my craft. Back in the day, people who used to criticise me were music critics. I don't mind criticism if it's from people who are worthy of giving criticism. I have a problem taking criticism from someone who is sitting on their couch and interested in clickbait.
Do you listen to Indian music?
I have listened to it. I did a record with Mika Singh. If I get a good song, I'm willing to collaborate with an Indian artiste. I was fascinated with Bhangra music from early on. I used to hang around with Steven Kapur aka Apache Indian in my early days. He introduced me to that music.
1996
When Shaggy won his first Grammy for Best Reggae Album for âBoombastic'
A collaboration with an Indian artiste is not in the cards, but a musician has caught Shaggy's attention. "There's a guy I saw on Jimmy Fallon's show. I forgot his name. He was performing on the show. I liked his stuff," he said. When we cued him that it was Diljit Dosanjh, he exclaimed, "Yes! I saw him do some fantastic stuff."
