45 Shaggy Quotes from Mr. Boombastic Himself

From Jamaica to America, to the Persian Gulf, and then all the way to the Grammys, the singer Shaggy has led an exciting life. Read these 45 quotes to find out more about his journey.

Shaggy was born on October 22, 1968, in Kingston, Jamaica but ended up in the Big Apple, where he went to Erasmus Hall High in Brooklyn. The talented artist won a scholarship to attend the Pratt Institute School of Art.

However, music was not the only path Shaggy took, serving in and joining the United States Marines in 1988. He served in the Persian Gulf War, an experience the reggae singer claims was an educational experience for him.

Shaggy began making it on the music scene in the early 1990s with his breakout album "Boombastic." His other well-known albums include 1997's "Speed 2: Cruise Control," the soundtrack of the movie it's named after, and the track "Money Up (feat. Noah Powa)" in the 2021 James Bond film "No Time to Die."

To read more about Shaggy's life, reggae music, and the time he spent in the Marines, read these 45 quotes below.

Shaggy's quote: "Music, music, music. It doesn't get much better than that! It pretty much consumes my life." | Image: AmoDays

Shaggy Quotes about a Life Filled with Melody

"I live vicariously through my songs." — Shaggy

"If I'm not on tour, then I'm probably laying down four or five records at a time." — Shaggy

"When I look at my catalog, most of my songs are about love or relationships. And I'm smart enough to say if it's not broken, don't fix it." — Shaggy

"I'm used to people not getting it. I'll make amazing music, but it's convincing people that it's amazing - that's the problem." — Shaggy

"When I was doing 'Hot Shot,' I didn't even have an album deal." — Shaggy

Shaggy's quote: "The mainstream is very fickle. If you're hot, they'll mess with you. If you're not, it's out there." | Image: AmoDays

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"I want to build a fanbase. I want people to like my albums even more so than singles." — Shaggy

"I like that raw energy that I get from an audience." — Shaggy

"I always been a lover of music, and it all started with me trying to make dubplates, and I couldn't afford to hire people to do dubplates, so I started doing them myself." — Shaggy

"Music, music, music. It doesn't get much better than that! It pretty much consumes my life." — Shaggy

Shaggy's quote: "Making records is not brain surgery." | Image: AmoDays

"Music really evolves as it goes along. It's an evolution." — Shaggy

"The mainstream is very fickle. If you're hot, they'll mess with you. If you're not, it's out there." — Shaggy

"'Fields of Gold' is my favorite record." — Shaggy

"I'm not the guy to get big record company budgets. My budget is Britney Spears' catering money." — Shaggy

"Making records is not brain surgery." — Shaggy

Shaggy's quote: "Music really evolves as it goes along. It's an evolution." | Image: AmoDays

"Shaggy was a nickname before it was ever a stage name. I have no problem with it." — Shaggy

"I constantly tour every year, around the clock. That's how I make my living, and I do well. Because I have classic songs." — Shaggy

"I think the reason I got into the music business is basically for the live aspect of it." — Shaggy

"I'm no stranger to making timeless music." — Shaggy

"I used to do three or four songs a day, just write them - boom, boom, boom, and done - because of how spontaneous I was." — Shaggy

Shaggy's quote: "I'm not the guy to get big record company budgets. My budget is Britney Spears' catering money." | Image: AmoDays

"I really didn't think I was going to make records to where I make a living out of it." — Shaggy

"I came to the United States and realized I had a knack for coming up with rhymes and lyrics." — Shaggy

Shaggy Quotes about His Personal Experiences and Life

"You never know where your next scare is coming from. You've just gotta find the courage to face it." — Shaggy

"My children are a joy to be around." — Shaggy

"When I look back at the people who shaped me, that made a difference in my life, most of them were women." — Shaggy

Shaggy's quote: "I'm from a single-parent family. My mom is like my mom and dad. She's my world." | Image: AmoDays

"I live in Kingston. When I tell people I live in Kingston, they start fearing for my life. People ask me if I have internet in Jamaica. Like, seriously?" — Shaggy

"I am not from a musical family." — Shaggy

"I'm like a surfer right now. I'm just surfing the wave. Except that I can't swim, so I'm on the board trying to hold on tight." — Shaggy

"I cleaned many a toilet." — Shaggy

"I'm from a single-parent family. My mom is like my mom and dad. She's my world." — Shaggy

Shaggy's quote: "My children are a joy to be around." | Image: AmoDays

Shaggy Quotes on Lessons He Learned While in the Army

"The military prepared me to do that: you go to bed late and wake up early." — Shaggy

"The biggest thing I take away from the Army is that work ethic and being able to focus and put your eyes on a goal." — Shaggy

"I fought for this country." — Shaggy

"I would never be about waking up early and do morning radio and TV back to back had I not been in the military, where they are throwing a garbage can in the middle of my squad bed at 5 o'clock in the morning for four years straight." — Shaggy

Shaggy Quotes on His Opinions of Reggae

"My thing is to get people out of the stigma of what a reggae artist should look like." — Shaggy

Shaggy's quote: "Reggae is a culture. It's easy. It's laid back." | Image: AmoDays

"If you look at reggae and dancehall artists in general, there isn't really a big success story." — Shaggy

"The reggae fraternity is a small fraternity." — Shaggy

"I've seen the harshest of reggae purists come give me my props because I've been at it for so long... They've seen me come from the hardest of hard-core dancehall to where I am, and they've heard my music change through the years."— Shaggy

"Reggae is a culture. It's easy. It's laid back." — Shaggy

Shaggy Quotes on His Personal Views

Shaggy's quote: "You don't create legends out of other legends.” | Image: AmoDays

You've always got to try and reinvent yourself." — Shaggy

"When magic happens, it just happens, brother." — Shaggy

"Some people get a little shy, you know, and it can take a certain mood or situation or a vibe to relax and come out of your shell." — Shaggy

"Although sometimes I know it seems impossible, there ain't no need in drowning in your sorrow. If things are as bad as they can be, you can be sure there'll be a brighter tomorrow." — Shaggy

"You don't create legends out of other legends." — Shaggy

Shaggy's quote: "The military prepared me to do that: you go to bed late and wake up early." | Image: AmoDays

Shaggy has been nominated and awarded for his musical talent on numerous occasions. He won a Teen Choice Award in 2001 for the song "Angel," which he composed with the artist Rayvon. The same song was nominated for three other categories.

Shaggy has also won two Grammy Awards, one in 1996 and another in 2019. He has also been nominated for numerous other Grammy Awards, among many others.

While this singer's face and music pop up in many people's minds when they hear the word "Shaggy," there is one cartoon dog who may outshine the artist for some. Dip into some spooky nostalgia by reading some quotes from Scooby Doo's best friend Shaggy and the rest of the gang.