cancellation paved the way for dance hall reggae star Shaggy to come to Bermuda for a Saturday night performance.

A chart-topping Jamaican who is best known for his hot 1995 release "Boombastic'' and his first hit "Oh Carolina,'' released in 1993, Shaggy has become a household name in dance hall circles. In fact "Boombastic'' has had a six-week number one run on the reggae charts. Shaggy, whose real name is Orville Richard Burrell, was born on October 22, 1968 in Kingston, Jamaica.

Soon after his friends christened him "Shaggy'' after a character on the long-running cartoon TV show, "Scooby Doo.'' At 18, he left Jamaica and joined his mother in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. His passion for reggae continued and he could be found chanting lyrics in his high school lunch room. Subsequently, he found a place on New York's reggae scene and played records for the Gibraltar Musik sound system.

When he was 20 he began cutting records and debuted with "Man A Mi Yard'' that was followed by "Big Hood.'' After a stint in the US Marines in 1988 and a trip to the front line in the Gulf, Shaggy returned to the United States and made a world wide impact with "Oh Carolina,'' a remake of a Prince Buster classic.

That song introduced his music to millions of fans around the world.

Saturday's concert will start at 9.30 p.m. at the National Stadium. Also featured will be his longtime friend Rayvon, Jamaican singers Brian and Tony Gold, and the Black Cat sound system, as well as local acts Squinty and Wild, and Magnum Force. Tickets are $30 in advance. Groups of ten are $25 and children 12 and under are $15.