BACKAYARD

  • Editors Note

    2009 ended unfortunately with several losses that shook the dancehall industry to the core. Revolutionary dancehall producer Steely from the famed group Steely & Clevie unfortunately met his sunset on September the 1st while Squingy of Bass Odyssey lost his battle with a terminal illness on the 24th of November. However while those men will continue to live on favourably in the memories of everybody within the dancehall community there was one loss which shocked the dancehall community and has the potential to destroy the career of an icon.

    On December the 10th 2009, Buju Banton was arrested at his Tamarac, Florida home allegedly trying to purchase more than 5 kilograms of cocaine from undercover officers. Banton plead not guilty to the charges of conspiracy to possess and intent to distribute cocaine. The loss of Buju’s freedom on U.S federal charges has the power to further sully his image internationally and subsequently trickle down to affect the reggae/dancehall brand globally. Buju Banton did one song, 18 years ago, which has haunted, or stifled, his career for the past several years.

    The gay community has used Buju among other Jamaican artistes as a rallying point for publicity for their issues. It has to be acknowledged that Buju’s musical and spiritual journey has taken him far from his early recordings but unfortunately those activists will not make the issue die.

    The reason why I even mention Buju’s never-ending fight with the gay activist groups is that by all accounts at the time of his arrest Buju was at his Florida residence preparing to come home after a U.S. tour which was dubbed successful however was hit with protests and cancellations at various venues across the country.

    After his arrest, on various websites and message boards, many people have commented that this is actually chickens coming home to roost for Buju and are correlating his 18 year old recording with his subsequent arrest. So while all of his detractors are in celebratory mood, I must ask that we, the dancehall community, must come together and support Gargamel and although we all detest the ‘white lady’, cocaine for the uniformed, we should remember that all the facts are not in and Buju Banton has not be convicted of anything.

    Please remember that this music form, dancehall/reggae, and the people who create it are the reasons why Brand Jamaica is so popular the world over, we should all do our part to protect it.

    I am. Are you?

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