Buju Banton
Jamaican reggae and dancehall artist with a Grammy-winning career.
via Wikipedia: Buju Banton · see source
Mark Anthony Myrie, known professionally as Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall musician born 15 July 1973. He rose to prominence in 1992 with the album Mr. Mention, which became the best-selling album in Jamaican history, and that year broke the record for number one singles in Jamaica previously held by Bob Marley and the Wailers. His later work, including the Grammy-winning Before the Dawn, solidified his standing as a significant figure in Jamaican music.
Quick Facts
- Birth name
- Mark Anthony Myrie
- Also known as
- Gargamel
- Born
- 15 July 1973
- Birthplace
- Kingston, Jamaica
- Genre
- Dancehall, roots reggae
- Occupations
- Musician
- singer
- songwriter
- Years active
- 1987–2011; 2018–present
- Label
- Techniques
- Penthouse
- Mercury
- PolyGram
- Loose Cannon
- Island
- VP
- Gargamel Music
- Roc Nation
Facts from the source article.
Biography
Buju Banton was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in an area known as Barbican Road, Kingston 8. The nickname Buju was given by his mother as a child; Banton is a Jamaican word for a respected storyteller, adopted in tribute to deejay Burro Banton, whose rough vocals and forceful delivery he emulated. His mother was a higgler, his father a labourer at a tile factory, and he was the youngest of fifteen children descended from the Maroons of Jamaica. In August 2024, Banton said he had traced his origin to the Igbo people of Nigeria. Singer Sean Kingston claims Banton is his uncle, but the claim remains unproven. Banton has homes in Jamaica and Tamarac, Florida, and has 17 children. At age 12 he began toasting under the moniker Gargamel with the Sweet Love and Rambo Mango sound systems. In 1986, deejay Clement Irie introduced him to producer Robert Ffrench, and his first single, "The Ruler", was released in 1987, leading to sessions with producers including Patrick Roberts, Bunny Lee, Winston Riley, and Digital B.
Anti-gay lyrics
Banton's song "Boom Bye Bye", originally recorded when he was 15 and re-released in 1992 at age 19, contains lyrics depicting the murder of gay men. After the re-release, he issued a public apology following international backlash. In 2009, gay-rights groups appealed to venues across the United States not to host him. In 2007, Banton was allegedly among reggae artists who signed the Reggae Compassionate Act, created by the Stop Murder Music campaign, pledging to refrain from homophobic songs or statements; the Act affirmed love, respect, and understanding. Banton later denied making such a commitment, though he did refrain from performing "Boom Bye Bye" and other offensive songs at the 2007 Reggae Carifest concert. On 20 March 2019, Banton and his team officially removed "Boom Bye Bye" from his catalog, pulling it from streaming platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify, and he announced his intention to never perform the song again, issuing a statement clarifying the importance of tolerance and love.
Early career
As a youngster, Banton watched his favourite artists perform at outdoor shows and local dancehalls in Denham Town. At 12, he picked up the microphone and began toasting as Gargamel, working with the Sweet Love and Rambo Mango sound systems. In 1986, deejay Clement Irie introduced him to producer Robert Ffrench, and his first single, "The Ruler", was released in 1987. This led to recording sessions with producers such as Patrick Roberts, Bunny Lee, Winston Riley, and Digital B.
1990s
In 1991, Banton joined Donovan Germain's Penthouse Records and began a partnership with producer Dave Kelly. 1992 was explosive: he broke Bob Marley's record for the greatest total number one singles in a year, and his debut album Mr. Mention became the best-selling album in Jamaican history. That year also saw the unsanctioned re-release of "Boom Bye Bye", recorded when he was 15, which sparked backlash. He signed with Mercury Records and released Voice of Jamaica in 1993, which included conscious tracks like "Deportees", "Tribal War" (with Tony Rebel, Brian & Tony Gold, and Terry Ganzie), and "Willy, Don't Be Silly", whose profits went to a charity supporting children with AIDS. In 1993, three of his friends and fellow artists—Pan Head, Dirtsman, and Mickey Simpson—were murdered; Banton responded with the single "Murderer", condemning gun violence. Late in 1994, the death of his friend Garnett Silk affected him deeply. He embraced Rastafari and began growing dreadlocks. 'Til Shiloh (1995) blended conscious lyrics with dancehall, including singles "Murderer", "Wanna Be Loved", and "Untold Stories". In 1996, he established his own Gargamel Music label and released the single "Love Sponge". Inna Heights (1997) expanded his international audience with roots-tinged tracks like "Destiny" and "Hills and Valleys", and collaborations with Beres Hammond and Toots Hibbert. In 1998, he met the punk band Rancid and recorded three tracks with them: "No More Misty Days", "Hooligans", and "Life Won't Wait", the latter becoming the title track of Rancid's 1998 album.
2000s
Banton signed with Anti- Records, a subsidiary of Epitaph Records, and released Unchained Spirit in 2000, featuring guest appearances by Luciano, Morgan Heritage, Stephen Marley, and Rancid. In March 2003, he released Friends for Life, which included the anti-gun song "Mr. Nine", a hit in Jamaica's dancehalls and internationally.
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