Was Shaggy a marine? Military career explored as rapper speaks about how he got his iconic voice in viral video

Grammy Award-winning Reggae rapper Orville Richard Burrell, professionally known as Shaggy is famous for his iconic "Boombastic" voice which propelled him into an international sensation. What many don't know about the rapper is that he was also a Marine. Having been enlisted as an artilleryman in 1988, the Jamaican-born rapper was discharged in 1992.

In an interview clip posted on TikTok on Friday, March 8, Shaggy revealed that he developed his signature voice by mocking his marine drill instructors. He stated that he would mock his instructor as a joke, which would help motivate his platoon. He ended up singing his 1993 hit Oh Carolina in that voice because it sounded cool, and the rest is history.

---

Shaggy served in the Marines from 1988 to 1992

With his 1993 hit Oh Carolina, Shaggy exploded into the music industry and became an instant sensation courtesy of his unique signature style of rapping. In 1995, the Grammy Award-winning hit track Boombastic earned him the nickname Mr Boombastic. Archival recordings of the track were even used to voice the famous mouse rapper Biggie Cheese in the 2006 cult classic film Barnyard.

However, Shaggy's speaking voice is actually far different from his singing voice. The origins of the rapper's "Boombastic" voice can be traced back to his days in the US Marine Corps. According to an interview clip posted by the rapper on TikTok, he explained that his now-iconic voice originated with his mocking of marine drill instructors. The rapper said:

"I got this voice by mocking drill instructors in the military, cause in the Marines, the drill instructors would go, 'Yeah boy, drop and give me 20, let's go, boy', and I would mock them as a form of joking because it motivated you know, your platoon,"

He added:

"I just sang that song in that voice because you know, it sounded cool, and all of a sudden 'Oh Carolina' blew up and now I'm faced with the situation that I'm gonna have to sing every song like that."

Shaggy talked about how some of the other songs from his debut studio album, Pure Pleasure apart from Oh Carolina, like Big Up and Mampi were sung in a different voice and tone.

According to Together We Serve, Orville Richard Burrell was born in Kingston, Jamaica but moved to Brooklyn when he was 18 years old to live with his mother. However, while in the States, he wasn't able to support himself solely from the income he earned performing music with Gibraltar Musik, a local Jamaican act.

Therefore, as per the reports, he joined the Marines in 1988 as a 10th Marine Regiment MOS of Field Artillery Cannon Crewman. He served in the Marines for over three years stationed at North Carolina's Camp Lejeune. Shaggy also fought in the infamous 1991 Gulf War after he was stationed in Kuwait for five months. The U.S. Department of Defense revealed that the rapper attained the highest rank of lance corporal.

However, Shaggy's music career clashed with his military service, which got him demoted in rank twice for unauthorized absence. He was discharged from the Corps in 1992, and the following year saw him attain international success and a Virgin Records record deal with hits like Oh Carolina and One More Chance with Maxi Priest.