/rating_off.png "1 Star")
Come Saturday January 2, 2010, the Shaggy and Friends Foundation is hoping to make $50 million from the charity benefit concert aimed towards the Bustamante Hospital for Children.
According to Shaggy, mastermind behind the event, the concert is expected to be bigger and better than before.
“So far we have about 14 artistes lined up. And we are not repeating anybody from last year,” he said. “These are all different acts. We have one intertional act confirmed so far and we probably will be confirming two. I don’t want it to be a lot of international acts, because I just don’t think this event should be based on international acts, it should be based on local acts. Why? Beacuse international acts don’t carry the same sentiments as the local acts do. International acts not sending their children to Bustamante, while each one of these local acts is singing for a hospital that will benefit their child, their cousins their neice, whatever. Last year we only had one international act, and it was a brilliant event.”
According to the artiste, this year’s event will top last year’s as a diamond ticket will be added, valued at $30,000.
“There will still be the $5,000 ticket which is the silver; $10,000, Gold and $20,000 platinum,” he explained. “And then we have added a diamond for $30,000.”
The diamond ticket will be white-gloved service throughout the night, with food and drink throughout the night and according to Shaggy, persons with these tickets will “basically be pampered throughout the night”.
“Our projected profit is about $50 million. We made $27 million the last time, and I think we can do it.”
While he is in the midst of planning the concert, Shaggy is busy getting out his album and video.
“I did the Intoxication album which was mainly a coral. I wanted to get back to the core and roots of dancehall. We did that with Church Heathen, Bonafide Girl, What’s Love and all of those songs, which gave us a succes with Intoxication,” he said.
“Now I need to focus on an international album and I have some very strong international songs – but I need a home. I have to find the right label, the right distributor the right record executive that is really saying what I want to hear. Now everybody don’t mind being in business with Shaggy but nobody wnats to be in business with Shaggy on Shaggy’s terms. And I think that I have paid my dues enough to actually have a term. I just want to go in there and you cannot dictate to me dwhat Shaggy’s music should be when I am the person who knows this type of music the best. That has become a little bit of a problem.
In the meanwhile, he declares he is not sitting waiting on a breakthrough as he is still putting his records out there.
“I did Street Bullies (rhythm) which is doing extremely well. It is number one in Barbados, Trinidad, Guyana, Germany and Italy.”
This rhythm has artistes like Elephant Man, Vybz Kartel, Beenie Man, Alison Hines, Cecile Red Fox, Christopher Martin and himself.
He proudly declares that he just released his video which is the number one video in Jamaica presently, directed by J Will.
“I also just released a Christmas song with myself and Tessanne Chin called Never Let me Go. It’s a dancehall song, but I call it a safe dancehall, a feel-good thing, a very uplifting dancehall. It’s been out only a week and half and it is doing very well now.”
And, with his pet project still his main focus, Shaggy made an appeal to the public to get invloved in the upcoming charity event because, “it affects us all”.
“Save for it. The tickets might be expensive but it is for a very worthy cause.”
Dear Shaggy,
I must commend you on the job that you are doing. I am trying to get in touch with you but i do not want to use the website as it might not be safe.
If you do have an office number you can forward it to my email address above.
The matter is reALLY serious. I am here wondering if i should or should not say. The matter is about Financial Assistance.
Please email me and advise how best i cAN get info accross to to without fear of leakage.
Thanks in advance
Keisha Oakley