I thought this will interest you guys! I know for a fact that Buju puts on a damn good show. You can always count on him!

RADIO POWER FM 101 has announced that Jamaican renowned dancehall artist Buju Banton will attend the station's sixth birthday celebrations slated for next month, November 2004.

"We conducted a poll asking our listeners to choose any famous reggae artist of their choice to perform at the commemoration of our sixth birthday of existence," Disc Jockey Shanta Romala aka Sister Fire said.

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Sister Fire said that most of the listeners chose Buju Banton hence the invitation.

She explained that Buju would be accompanied by Iqulah, another famous reggae artist who came to Malawi sometime back on a similar mission.

Buju Banton was born Mark Anthony Myrie on July 15, 1973 in Salt Lane, a slum outside Kingston, Jamaica. He is the youngest of fifteen children and the only son born to an impoverished mother who had to struggle to provide as a street vendor. As a child, he was given the nickname "Buju" because of his chubby appearance.

Buju is the Maroon name for breadfruit, a round vegetable. (The Maroons were the largest community of runaway slaves in Jamaica.

They lived in the mountains and were fierce freedom fighters. Buju is a descendant of the Maroons.) Later Buju adopted the last name Banton, a name for a storyteller of distinction as well as the name of the DJ who had the greatest influence on Buju's gruff vocal style, Burro Banton. Buju's metamorphosis from a slack dancehall DJ who denigrated women and homosexuals to a respected Rastaman who brings culture and social consciousness into the dancehall is a story that needs to be told.

By age 13 Buju had begun deejaying with local sound systems. His big break came in the latter part of 1986 when he recorded his first single, The Ruler, after being introduced to producer Robert French by fellow DJ Clement Irie. He continued to record songs such as the infamous

Boom Bye Bye, and Stamina Daddy.

By 1990 his voice had matured and began to draw comparisons to the then King of Dancehall, Shabba Ranks. In 1991 he met producer Dave Kelly, then an engineer, at Donovan Germain's Penthouse Studio. Their collaboration led to the recording Buju's first major hit, Love Mi Browning, in late 1991. The song became an international hit, but it was not without controversy.

Love Mi Browning, which praised light-skinned women, caused much controversy in colour-conscious Jamaica where the majority of women are dark-skinned. After insulting so many dark-skinned women, Buju attempted to silence the protests by recording his next single, Love Black Woman.

In 1992 Buju released Mr. Mention, his debut album. Mr. Mention spawned a string of number one hits resulting in Buju's breaking of Bob Marley's record for most number one singles in one year on the Jamaican music charts. However, success did not come without more controversy. His re-recording of the violently homophobic Boom Bye Bye sparked a firestorm of protest in the UK. In the US gay rights activists demanded that both the song and its singer be banned.

The following year he released his Voice of Jamaica album which contained Deportee, Tribal War and the safe sex anthem Willy Don't Be Silly. In 1994, Buju and Penthouse Records launched the "Operation Willy" foundation to help children who are affected by AIDS. That same year, Buju released Murderer as a single in Jamaica following the killing of his friends and fellow DJs Pan Head and Dirtsman. During 1993 and 1994 Buju's popularity skyrocketed, garnering him numerous international music awards.

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Around this time Buju re-invented himself by embracing the Rastafarian faith and emerging as a genuinely devout believer. Having put aside his slack ways, in 1995 he produced the classic CD Til Shiloh. His lyrics exhibited a new level of social consciousness coupled with spiritual awareness and love instead of sex. The highly acclaimed and inspirational masterpiece, Til Shiloh, is a seamless blend roots and dancehall reggae. Containing hits such as Champion, Untold Stories, and Wanna Be Loved, Til Shiloh went on to become a major commercial success. Til Shiloh changed the face of dancehall.

His follow-up CD Inna Heights topped the charts in 1997 and produced hits such as Hills and Valleys and the very popular Destiny. With the year 2000 came the release of Unchained Spirit. The album contains the hauntingly melodic 23rd Psalm and his popular duet with Beres Hammond, Pull It Up. With the trilogy of CDs Til Shiloh, Inna Heights and Unchained Spirit, Buju Banton has transformed himself from the rude boy DJ who used to denigrate women and homosexuals to one of Jamaica's most positive voices.

From Allafrica.com

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