Who knew that Jamaican dancehall deejay Shaggy would be among the select roster of artists invited to hail Queen Elizabeth II on her 92nd birthday.
Like the coarse-talking, Grammy-winning reggae recorder, many would concede “It wasn’t me.”
However, last Saturday when British monarchs — the Duke of Cambridge, Prince Charles, his son Prince Harry and fiancé Meghan Markle and her majesty the queen of England entered the royal box at the Royal Albert Hall, 50-year-old Orville Richard Burrell AKA Shaggy was among the select talent waiting to perform for the longest ruling monarch in the world.
Reportedly, he spared little from his usually seductive routine, affirming himself “Mr. Lover, lover…” as he gyrated to his hit track “Mr. Bombastic.”
Allegedly, the American, bride-to-be princess smiled broadly “looking rather bemused” as she watched the performance of a former United States marine and celebrated island native.
The young prince watched knowingly as he did during a visit to Jamaica where he kissed the hand of Rita Marley, the avowed queen of reggae, danced to the infectious beat and challenged Olympian Usain Bolt to a 100-metre dash.
Her royal highness — as she referred — might have blushed but must have regained majestic disposition when Shaggy sang “Angel,” a tamer, less demonstrative composition.
Shaggy proved to be more than a one-hit wonder. Joined in duet with Sting he also performed “Don’t Make Me Wait,” from their collaborative album “44/871.”
The two also serenaded the long lifer and matriarch singing the pop star’s mega hit, “Every Breath You Take.”
Produced by the BBC, a concert aired live on television throughout the United Kingdom also featured Tom Jones, Shawn Mendes, Kylie Minogue, Craig David, Anne-Marie and South Africa’s acapella singing group, Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Perhaps the most high profile performance the deejay had ever been billed Shaggy previously took center stage in his homeland on Jan, 5, 2012 when he regaled with his “Strength of A Woman” to celebrate Portia Simpson Miller’s historic achievement becoming the first female prime minister there.
At that time, Shaggy’s ode to the influential, Caribbean, political female invited dignitaries and leaders to a swearing-in ceremony at Kings House in Jamaica as nationals throughout the island and in the diaspora witnessed the live streamed internet broadcast.
“So amazing how this world was made
I wonder if GOD is a woman
The gift of life astounds me to this day
I give it up for the woman
She’s the constant wind that fills my sail
Ohhhhhh that woman
With her smile and her style,my
She’ll protect like a child
That’s a woman
She’ll put a smile upon yah face
And take you to that (ah) higher place
So don’t you under estimate
The strength of a woman
The strength of a woman
Woke up this morning
I got up with the scent of a woman
Jus picture if you could what life would be
Ain’t much good without a woman
She can nag and be a constant pain
Ohhhh that woman
But those hips she’s got me whipped
And it’s just too hard to resist
What a woman”
Shaggy and Sting have been making the rounds since the beginning of 2018.
They first appeared together in Half-Way-Tree, Kingston performing the infectious track. They also made an appearance at the Grammy awards held here this year at Madison Square Garden.
Later this week, the pair is booked on the daytime television talk show, “The View.”
They are also purportedly billed for ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America’s Summer Concert Series” in Central Park next month.
