Shaggy confirmed his participation on the summer leg of the Backstreet Boys' Black & Blue tour, along with a slate of other pop acts yet to be confirmed. The weed-loving Loverman's involvement with the primarily teeny-popper lineup may seem out of place, but after the Backstreet Boys opened for Shaggy during the European leg of his 1995 tour in support of his breakthrough album, Boombastic, the dancehall toaster considers himself a lifelong fan of the so-called boy band.
"It's kinda strange now that it's kinda flipped," he said of his opening-act status. "I remember those guys doing malls and all of that.
"They deserve [the success], man," he continued. "They work their asses off. But I tell you what, them boys, you should just call them shovels, 'cause they kinda paved the way for this whole boy-band phenomenon."
With that three-month trek on the horizon — his stint with the Backstreet Boys kicks off June 16, Shaggy's publicist said — the performer won't be resting on his laurels in the interim. In the next few weeks, he'll support his album with several promotional engagements, including a February 10 gig during the NBA's All-Star Weekend and a "Saturday Night Live" performance on February 17. Then it's off to Europe, where "It Wasn't Me" also is blowing up, for more of the same.
