Shaggy lands 'in the midst of cool'

Shaggy told the people of Zanzibar, ahead of his performance at Zanzibar's Old Fort: "I want to make you smile, get horny and have sex."

He explained that at a time of global recession, people needed to lighten up and party: "If you dwell on the negativity and the darkness of what the world is then you will never come out of the darkness into the light."

Just as he was asked a question about the economic crisis, the lights in the press conference room went out and the crowd applauded. "Welcome to Zanzibar!" joked Shaggy, who was dressed up in a coconut leaf hat, tie and a frangipani garland.

Sipping on a madafu (baby coconut), he said that this was exactly what he would drink in his house. "This is a home from home for me."

When asked what the audience should expect from his set, he said: "We are going to have an incredible concert tonight - we always have a big party and enjoy ourselves to the full. Drink and be merry just as much as I will!"

"Ladies should wear as least amount of clothes as possible!"

See the gallery from Shaggy's concert

On a more serious note, he said: "We play an energetic set, and I promise to play plenty of old songs and classics, I am not one of those artists who uses concerts to push lots of new songs."

However he did add that his new album, Summer in Kingston, would be released soon, with single Sugar Cane scheduled for first release.

Shaggy claimed that Zanzibar was the 'cool place to go'. "Go to Zanzibar and that's where all the cool people are. I am in the midst of cool!

He joked about being relieved about Serengeti Breweries, makers of Tusker, sponsoring the event - "I was told there was no alcohol in this country."

He said that Africans connected with his music because it is heavy on the drum and bass, similar to African culture, and that dancehall itself came out of Africa.

Shaggy also mentioned a recent media spat with Janet Jackson over a collaboration and expressed his sadness over the conviction of Jamaican musician Buju Banton.