Dancehall legend Shaggy has criticised what he described as “gatekeeping” around the smash hit Shake It to the Max (Fly) — a global viral song that brought together African and Caribbean music influences.

The Jamaican artist bemoaned he and fellow legend Sean Paul were blocked from using the beat or instrumental of the song. 

Shake It to the Max (Fly), originally released in December 2024 by Ghanaian‑American singer MOLIY and Jamaican producer Silent Addy, became an international hit after a remix featuring Jamaican dancehall stars Shenseea and Skillibeng dropped in February 2025. That version soared up charts around the world, topping the US Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart and earning Gold certification in the United States. 

Speaking during a Bradnom Gonez Show interview, Shaggy said he recorded his own version and that Sean Paul also sought clearance to use the song’s riddim - the instrumental track - but were denied permission.

“I know Sean had a song, he was fighting over and over to try and get clearance. They wouldn’t give him clearance,” he said.

“I had done a song on it, but they wouldn’t give it clearance.” 

Shaggy suggested that producer Silent Addy supported a broader collaboration approach, but that decision‑making from the song’s rights holders ultimately blocked more artists from joining in the song's buzz.

“It was no fault of Silent Addy because they were totally down for it. I think MOLIY is the one who didn’t agree. She didn’t understand the culture because she’s not from the culture,” he said. 

He argued that letting multiple artists contribute to a riddim, a staple practice in Jamaican music culture, does not diminish a song but rather helps it grow bigger.

“MOLIY did not understand that letting everybody go on it actually makes the riddim get bigger,” Shaggy said.

Shaggy added that the situation ultimately “hurt the industry” by limiting who could put their spin on what had become one of the biggest cross‑continental tracks of the year.

“I think at the point, she probably felt a little threatened that everybody is jumping on her song. But that's not how the game works, especially where Jamaica's concerned,” he added.