Words by Jesse Serwer

It’s hard to think of anyone to whom the description “fun loving” applies more than Shaggy. But these are serious times, especially for a Jamaican recording artist, and Shaggy has more than sex and partying on his mind. Speaking over the phone during a tour stop in Cyprus earlier this summer, the owner of the best-selling dancehall album of all time shared his thoughts on the decline of the reggae business and the music industry as a whole, and why having more mega-hit singles would only be a pain in his neck. It’s rare to hear an artist who has achieved such overwhelming commercial success in the not-too-distant past sound so content with his transition into a legacy act. Be sure to check back here tomorrow for more, as Mr. Bombastic explains his new role as Jamaica’s spokesperson for culture, and how his recent Summer in Kingston EP ties in with next summer’s London Olympics.