Who knew that Shaggy’s time as a U.S. Marine would greatly influence his sound as an artist? The “Boombastic” singer recently revealed in an interview that his unique, throaty singing voice was all made up from mocking the voice U.S. Marine drill instructors often used. Reportedly, Shaggy enlisted in the Marines in 1988 at 18. He was deployed to Kuwait for the first Gulf War and was later discharged in 1992.

In the video Shaggy posted, he said, “The drill instructors would go, 'Yeah, boy, drop and give it 20. Let’s go, boy.' And I would mock him as a form of joking because it motivated your platoon. I just sang that song in that voice because it sounded cool.” So he sang a cover of “Oh Carolina” in his froggy, made-up voice, and people loved it. 

He continued, “Now I’m faced with the situation that I’m gonna have to sing every song like that.” And he did, and it worked. The two-time Grammy-winning artist, who became a fan favorite of the late and legendary Michael Jackson, has over a dozen studio albums, and over 30 years of making music singing in that distinctive voice. Well done, Mr. Lover Lover!