The Legend Returns: Buju Banton

Buju Banton arrived home on December 7, 2018, and as he set foot on the Jamaican soil his legendary nature was resurrected. Banton was met at the Norman Manley International Airport by a large crowd of people that longed for his release and his freedom to continue to inspire.

Banton has been nominated for three Grammys and won the 2011 Grammy for Best Reggae Album. This was for his ‘Before the Dawn’ album that comprised of songs like Life, Do Good, and No Smoking At All. This was a very conscious and calming album done by the artiste. However, nothing can beat his 1995 album, ‘Til Shiloh’. Even though it never won an award, the songs on this album are what one can call the authentic Buju sound. Songs like Wanna Be Loved, Till I’m Laid To Rest, Untold Stories and Chuck It So. And not to mention his 1993 album ‘Voice of Jamaica’ with songs like Deportees, Red Rose, No Respect to Make My Day.

Buju Banton whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie spent approximately eight years in prison from his ten-year sentence at the Mcrae Correctional Facility in Georgia, the United States of America for drug related charges. The story was that Banton was found with cocaine in his possession while traveling. The news is still shocking to most of his fans and the Jamaican society, as the artiste was known to be one that was conscious and inspiring as well as always in good spirits singing about how to justify the wrongs of society.

Despite all that, Jamaicans still have the same amount of respect for the artiste. So much so that when Jamaican musicologist, Professor Donna Hope was asked, upon Banton’s arrival, about this high level of support for a person that has done bad things and if it is sending the wrong message, she said, “Buju Banton is not just any ordinary individual, and we always have to underscore that, he is a top flight Jamaican artiste”.

This is definitely something to be debated. But it is of no doubt that Banton is of course not a regular Jamaican artiste as his music will always withstand the test of time. This is proven by the fact that Banton has been away for almost a decade and his songs are still played, still relevant and still loved by society.

Buju’s voice, lyrics and the riddims he ran the street with can never be replaced. Even though the artiste truly faced a road that was not easy, being taken away from society for such a long period of time, at a peak in his career. No cells can hold Buju though, as it was his ‘Destiny’ to be free. The fact that the artiste can jump from discussing socio-political issues like the ‘Operation Ardent’ to making girls ‘Big It Up’ shows how well-diverse Buju can be.

Fans from yard to abroad cannot wait to hear what Buju has to say, do or create next. Reggae artiste Chronixx stated on his Instagram page that “this new Buju seems to have some enlightenment in his eyes”. With all that observation, Jamaica and even Banton’s international supporters are on their toes waiting to hear the date of his first performance and the release of new hits, and who knows, even who he will collaborate with.

Buju has been receiving loads of love from social media, trending on Instagram and Twitter. These are all quite new to the artiste as his isolation from society deterred him to see when this type of media took rise. We can’t wait to see what Buju will then post in response to this. The legend has truly returned!