Shaggy visited St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital earlier this month for the Music Gives St. Jude Sessions, delivering a set built around familiar hits and moments that centered the patients who gathered to watch.
During the program, he moved through fan favorites such as “Boombastic” and “Strength of a Woman,” drawing a steady response from the room. At one point he folded the name St. Jude into a lyric, offering what organizers described as a quiet nod to the children listening from only a few feet away.
Between songs, Shaggy met with patients and families taking part in the event. One exchange stood out: a conversation with a girl from Jamaica who is receiving treatment at the hospital. The meeting carried significance for the artist, who also traces his roots to Jamaica.
The visit was part of the broader Music Gives St. Jude Sessions, a series that brings performers to the hospital for appearances with patients and supporters. According to St. Jude, visiting artists often spend time in common areas and treatment spaces to meet families as part of the program’s mission to connect music and outreach.
St. Jude said the sessions help spotlight the hospital’s work while offering breaks in routine for children in care. Organizers said Shaggy’s appearance delivered both goals, giving patients a chance to hear music they knew and to speak with the artist during the program.
