Shaggy recounts his relief mission to Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa and shares how you can help

As Hurricane Melissa intensified to a Category 5 storm pointing right at Jamaica, Shaggy knew he had to help; he just wasn't sure how. So he asked ChatGPT.

- By GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA Associated Press

Shaggy welcomes fans at the 2014 Music Brings Life Blood Awareness Concert.

(Ashley Richardson photo)

"I don't know anything about relief and how to prepare for a storm," the Grammy-winning reggae musician said. "I went to ChatGPT and looked at what we would need in a storm, and we just bought that. Luckily, that's exactly what they needed."

Orville Richard Burrell, known for pop-dancehall hits like "Boombastic" and "Angel," was born and raised in Kingston until he moved to New York when he was 18.

He was in Miami when Melissa made landfall, but lives in Kingston. "That's where the wife, kids, and dogs are," he said. "It's where I call home."

After the devastating October storm that killed at least 75 people across the northern Caribbean, Shaggy, 57, mobilized relief immediately for Jamaica, shuttling supplies from Miami and hand-delivering them to the worst-hit areas.

He's now made it a mission to bring attention to his country's needs. "It's urgent to get the word out and make sure people don't forget."

The needs are dire, he said. "I think Jamaica's forever changed by this."

Shaggy spoke with The Associated Press on Wednesday from New York City. The interview has been edited for clarity and length.

AP: What went through your mind as Melissa approached Jamaica?