VIDEO: Shaggy mulls all-Jamaican line-up for next concert

BY RICHARD JOHNSON Observer senior reporter

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

IT could be an all-Jamaican line-up for the next Shaggy and Friends fundraiser which may be held later this year.

Organiser, international reggae artiste Shaggy said that although the plans are not finalised, as discussions have to take place among the committee and sponsors, he sees an all-Jamaican line as a fitting tribute to the 50th anniversary of independence celebrations.

“This is not engraved in stone. We all have to sit and think about it, but personally I see this as being good for the artistes, the country and our culture. A fitting way to celebrate Jamaica 50,” Shaggy told the media and sponsors at a ceremony on Monday to announce that this year’s concert had netted $32 million for the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

Meanwhile, Shaggy (whose real name is Orville Burrell), spoke about the staging of his recent fundraising concert held on January 7.

He described that concert as, “the best one ever, but at the same time the hardest one ever”.

The artiste-turnedphilanthropist said the event was challenging due to the change of date. The event, initially planned for December 30, was changed to January 7 as general election was later scheduled for December 29.

“With the date change we lost Ne-Yo, and Lauryn (Hill) — who was originally to perform a few songs with our band — now needed to bring her own band,” he explained.

He further stated with the election on December 29, all the available advertising space in the local media had been used up and, therefore, the promotion of the event was left until after the polls.

“We basically had one-and-ahalf weeks of advertising and promotion and we still had a packed house... with all these obstacles,” Shaggy said.

As for Lauryn Hill, Shaggy said: “I knew, from the moment she came that she would be difficult.”

He said for that reason, he began calling up other artistes — Beres Hammond and Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley — to be surprise artistes. In addition, Shaggy said he wanted to ensure that the show was on point.

Despite her technical glitches, he said he thought her performance was great once it got going.

This year’s concert went $5 million over budget, the auction raised $5.16 million, while complimentary tickets tallied $6 million. The series of concerts has so far raised $90 million for the children’s hospital.

[ video link for mobile viewing ]

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VIDEO: Shaggy mulls all-Jamaican line-up for next concert