Buju Banton preview

Buju Banton
African Caribbean Festival Of Life, Chicago
Wednesday, July 4, 2007

While Sean Paul or Elephant Man may be more visible to American fans, when it comes to dancehall icon status, nobody can overshadow Buju Banton.

A stunning performer and a legendarily skilled DJ (rapper), Banton has erected a career that spans 15 years in a genre noted for its fickleness. Although he began as a teen often chatting slack (obscene) lyrics, he evolved into an astute social critic, perfecting a singjay (rapping and singing) style that allowed him to convey even more meaning with his gravelly, booming voice. His 1995 classic, Til Shiloh, heralded a new movement in dancehall, unleashing a potent mixture of roots reggae, dancehall beats, and machete-sharp political commentary that drew comparisons to Bob Marley. Banton even beat out Marley for the record number of hit Jamaican singles.

Banton identifies as a devout Rastafarian who promotes peace and social justice through his music and through his own charity, Operation Willie, which raises money for Jamaican AIDS orphans. However, this has not seemed to alter his image as a violent homophobe with many gay rights groups. “Boom Bye Bye,” a heavily metaphorical song he wrote in response to a Jamaican child molestation incident when he was 15, continues to haunt him in the U.S. and Europe. For the record, he hasn’t performed the song since the early ’90s and his current CD, Too Bad (Gargamel), brims with hot dancehall tracks that reveal nary a word of hate.

The Festival Of Life takes place in Washington Park at 55th and Cottage Grove Ave.

— Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly