25 years of music, radio and remarkable people

Backstage
& Beyond

Meetings, personal gifts and signed pieces collected along the way. Every item here carries a real story.

May 11, 2008 · Virginia Beach

Inside the “Everyone Nose” Remix

Before Kanye West’s Glow in the Dark Tour reached Virginia Beach, Shaggy was invited to a private session at Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo’s studio.

Pharrell, Kanye West, Pusha T and Lupe Fiasco were in the room as N.E.R.D.’s “Everyone Nose” remix took shape. In the surviving footage, Shaggy can be seen against the wall in a blue-green shirt with long blond hair—quietly witnessing a remarkable moment in Virginia music history.

Later that evening, Kanye performed on Mother’s Day—his first since losing his mother, Donda—with N.E.R.D. on the tour shortly before the release of Seeing Sounds.

Watch the studio footage

Teddy Riley, Nottz, Brandon Shaggy Stokes, Chad Hugo and Bink together at Thomas Crown Studios in 2011

Virginia producers gathered around the recording desk at Thomas Crown Studios

Teddy Riley working at the keyboard inside Thomas Crown Studios

2011 · Thomas Crown Studios, Virginia Beach

The Virginia Album That Almost Was

Shaggy had an idea: bring Virginia's music architects into one room and build an album that represented the state. Timbaland opened the doors to Thomas Crown Studios while he was in Miami, and Teddy Riley, Nottz, Chad Hugo and Bink! gathered with Shaggy in Virginia Beach. The session captured a rare concentration of Virginia talent. The album never came together—too many people were moving in different directions, and Shaggy chose not to keep forcing it—but the photographs preserve the vision and the room he created.

Pharrell Williams with Brandon Shaggy Stokes’ sons Brody and Bentley during his October 2024 studio visit

October 2024 · Piece by Piece

“Your Dad Is a Legend.”

Ahead of the theatrical release of Piece by Piece, Pharrell Williams made his only local media visit with Shaggy. In the studio, he spoke directly to Brody and Bentley about their father’s impact—and called Shaggy a legend.

Watch Pharrell’s message

September 7, 2012 · Before radio caught up

Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick Lamar came to Norfolk to open his first headlining tour at The NorVa—roughly six weeks before the release of good kid, m.A.A.d city. Although Kendrick still received limited local radio exposure, Shaggy already knew the music and personally invited him to the station. Kendrick took a cab from the venue, where Norfolk producer Bink! was waiting as an unexpected surprise. The photograph captures Bink!, Kendrick and Shaggy together at the beginning of a remarkable night in music history.

View The NorVa concert archive

The 1989 World Tour

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift invited Shaggy to her 1989 World Tour, where she and her mother gave him a personal behind-the-scenes backstage tour.

A personal message

Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus personalized this signed guitar for Shaggy—a one-of-a-kind piece from his career in music and radio.

Signed Everlast gloves

Floyd Mayweather

Floyd Mayweather presented Shaggy with personally signed boxing gloves, preserved alongside their photograph in a custom shadowbox.

Brandon Stokes with Jay-Z in January 1998, before Brandon began his radio career

Large Jay-Z XXL Presidential MC poster personally signed by Jay-Z

January 1998 · Jay-Z before superstardom

“How Do You Know Me?”

Before radio—and before the Shaggy era began in 2001—Brandon was already close to the music. His friend and future radio mentor Teddy Riley invited him to a skate-party giveback at Greenbrier Skating Rink in Chesapeake. Teddy was working with Jay-Z at the time, including producing and appearing on “The City Is Mine,” which would be released as a single the following month. Brandon spotted Jay across the rink, introduced himself and named “Where I’m From” as one of his favorite songs. Surprised, Jay asked, “How do you know me?” He was still respected inside hip-hop, but not yet the global superstar he would become. Jay graciously took this photo—a January 1998 snapshot of Brandon’s ear for music, years before he reached the radio. The display also includes the personally signed XXL poster Shaggy eventually passed down to his sons.

Limited Embassy skateboard deck signed by Tony Hawk

Virginia Beach moment

Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk signed this limited Embassy Skateboards deck for Shaggy, marking a memorable Virginia Beach meeting shared with his sons.

From the interview archive

On the mic.

A$AP Rocky

A conversation from the Shaggy interview archive.

Mack Wilds

Inside the studio with actor and recording artist Mack Wilds.

The Game Tests His Aim

When The Game visited Z104, Shaggy turned the interview into one of his signature crazy stunts: a paintball-gun challenge to shoot a can off Shaggy’s head.

Instagram archive