Buju Banton Gives A Thrilling Live Performance On BBC 1Xtra: Watch
After avoiding all international media appearances and interviews since his huge return last year, Buju Banton graced the floors of the Penthouse Studios in Kingston for a thrilling performance and accompanying interview with BBC 1Xtra. Watch both below.
There’s is no doubt that Buju was the one that chose the location for his performance. Penthouse Studios is owned by famed Jamaican Producer, Donovan Germain, who has co-managed and guided Buju Banton’s career since the deejay was a teenager.
In the 20-minute set, Buju performed both old and new hits, including Destiny, Hills and Valleys, Sleepless Nights, Steppa and Trust. Backed by a band and backup vocalists, the veteran deejay delivered an energetic and performance, very similar the shows on his Long Walk To Freedom Tour. He continues to show that he is a natural-born performer, being completely comfortable on any stage in any setting.
Buju Banton, who has avoided all media interviews till recently, also sat down with the radio station’s Presenter Seani B for one of his first major international interviews.
After being incarcerated for eight years, Buju spoken on the changes he saw in Jamaica after coming back home, and also the changes in the music industry.
“Jamaica has become more modern. More-developed in terms of infrastructure. Technology is at everyone’s fingertips. But if you look at the social conditions, those remain the same. When you look at how the people dem really live, that hasn’t changed.”, the deejay said. Buju Banton, who is rarely overtly-political, said that the government needs to do more to teach citizens how to fend for themselves, instead of making them dependent on ministries or political parties to provide help.
Switching the discussion to music, Buju held firm on the stance that he made in an earlier interview with Winford Williams, “OnStage”, that he doesn’t think that Jamaican music has grown significantly. He said that while the right systems and management may be in place, the artistes lack what is needed to take the music to the next level.
“I see the music business suffering until the right ones dem come along weh musically inclined and understand that this music is not a hustle; until dem have quality control to mek sure seh the music can grow”, he reiterated to Seani B.
He further expounded on his belief, saying: “When we came into the industry early on, we put structure to the music. Other entertainers supported us because they say what we were doing as beneficial to the industry. Now coming full-circle, coming from all that great growth – that the music could even be played on a Sunday in a Jamaican house, was a huge leap. Now it seems like we’re reversing all that growth. People abroad, especially on our dancehall front, are saying “We’re done with that. We don’t wanna hear it”. There’s a whole lot of components to it but some guys are only looking at the dollar side.”
His comments have received a lot of attention for reggae and dancehall fans, many of whom disagree with his view. After his interview with “OnStage”, reggae artist Protoje shaded Banton on Twitter over his comments, saying “Personally no artist Wah in a the business over 10 years and don’t give another artist a platform or help buss somebody can’t say anything to me about the state of the industry.”
Regardless of what his views on the music industry are, it is clear that Buju is back and better than ever before. The deejay is currently preparing to release his 11th studio album next month.
Watch Buju’s live peformance below.
Here’s his full interview with Seani B.