TEENage had the opportunity this past weekend to witness the second staging of the much-anticipated Shaggy and Friends charity concert, hosted on the lawns of King’s House.

The staging, fraught with traffic pile-ups at the entrance to the venue, was delayed to allow patrons into the venue.

At approximately 9:30, Shaggy, the first performer (but he made two more appearances with Tessanne Chin, Brian Gold and Rayvon), sent the crowd into screaming frenzy, for more than his music, but in appreciation of his noble efforts in the name of the children.

TOK followed Shaggy’s set, then dancer/artiste Ding Dong, accompanied by a choir, took the stage. “I just want to show that you are never too young to make a difference,” said the artiste, who further stated “it doesn’t have to be Shaggy show alone, anything within your community, or just anyone in need , even if is a plate of food, doesn’t have to be anything big.”

It has been a while since we have seen Baby Cham perform in Jamaica, and “It did worth the wait” is the best way to describe his performance, as TEENage overheard a patron saying. He took us down memory lane with classics like Taking A Ride and Ghetto Story.

Beenie Man, who has fathered four children who suffer from sickle cell, told TEENage he could not say no to such a good cause, especially knowing the state of his own children who will be beneficiaries of the aid being given to the Bustamante Hospital for Children. He lived up to his reputation of ‘entertainer’, pleasing the crowd with every hit song he unleashed.

Similarly, Busy Signal was another crowd pleaser among the younger crowd, even performing the latest item of controversy, his song One More Time.

Hands down, the artiste who received the best reception for the night was international superstar Joe. His rendition of Redemption Song and More and More to name a few, had just about every patron singing on top of their lungs.

Boys II Men was also on the international line-up who reasoned that “A lot of people and fans have given to us over the years, which allowed us to get where we are now. So we always find time to give back. Can’t always take.”

They further stated that they are inspired by the passion Shaggy has for the cause, and are honoured that he would consider the group to be a part of it. Phenomenal is an appropriate description of their performance, especially the final song End of the Road despite the missing member. Mario Winans too travelled the distance to participate in what he considered to be a “wonderful cause”, enticing the crowd with his most popular hit I Don’t Wanna Know.

Caribbean soca sensation Machel Montano’s performance left the crowd in anticipation for the upcoming carnival season. For him, Shaggy’s show was a good way to start the New Year and commented that it is “so important for artistes to form foundations and such to project a message. Children are the future and it is important to continue our legacy”.

The ladies were well represented at this year’s show by the likes of Alaine, Cecile and Queen Ifrika. Ce’Cile, who always represents for the ‘bad gal’ fans expressed how impressed she is by Shaggy’s foundation saying, “It’s transparency is what makes it unique. You are able to see exactly what is being done and the results are amazing and touches you… you know 100 per cent made a difference to someone who needed it.”

Newly bleached-blonde, Alaine rocked the crowd with her new single Dancing You Out Of My Life, and exclaimed that “Shaggy has demonstrated that he has a heart of gold.”

“If you can give yourself to aid in giving a machine to save a life, then why would you refuse?” asked Queen Ifrica, as she unfolded tracks from her latest album Montego Bay such as Lioness On The Rise her stage presence was well felt by the audience, who appreciated the conscious messages she conveyed.

Toots Hibbert, Sanchez and Mykal Rose all catered to the older demographic of the audience, singing slow melodies of what is considered ‘oldies but goodies’.

Artistes, politicians, celebrities, executives, and many simple Jamaicans were present at the event, where pledges could be made on the night. At the end of the night Shaggy expressed his delight that every printed ticket was sold for his concert.

Overall, it was a well-organised event that evidently came together through the hard work, time and efforts of many. The exquisite catering coupled with the mesmerising deçor provided a refreshingly wonderful ambience for patrons to enjoy the night.

Kudos to Shaggy, who once again showed the passion of a people despite the economic trials we face. Undoubtedly the Bustamante Hospital for Children will be grateful for the gift of an abundance of care from Shaggy, his friends and by extension the people of Jamaica.