Words by Mankaprr Conteh - Rolling Stone Magazine
Buju Banton (front center) with his backing band, called Shiloh, akin to his classic 1995 fourth album, ‘Til Shiloh. The band includes dancehall keyboardist Steven “Lenky” Marsden (Sean Paul, Bounty Killer, Elephant Man), standing in the center. Banton’s son Adonijah kneels to his right. (The singer says over email that he has “enough [kids] to keep me happy for the rest of my life.”) Banton and the Shiloh Band were outfitted by Michael Barnett, known as Mike B., a designer from New York of Jamaican and Cuban descent who was once dubbed the “prince of fashion” by Ralph Lauren.
“‘Til Shiloh means forever,” Banton told Vibe in 2020. “Until judgment.” The album from which his live band takes their name marked the evolution of Banton’s concerns from the carnal to the spiritual as he converted to Rastafarianism.
Banton’s last performance in New York took place at Madison Square Garden in 2008. With an estimated 20 percent of New York’s population made up of people with Caribbean roots, he had many fans awaiting him.
Banton’s last concert in the U.S. was in Miami for his Before the Dawn Tour in January 2011. The next month, he was found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm and conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute after a Drug Enforcement Administration informant provided evidence of Banton brokering a cocaine deal in Florida. Though he was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison, a judge later threw out the gun charge and dropped his sentence to seven years.
Born Mark Anthony Myrie in Kingston, the singer took the name Buju from a childhood nickname given by his mother and Banton from deejay Burro Banton, his beloved mentor.
Banton is also affectionately known as Gargamel, after the Smurfs character of the same name. (“Not because I look like ‘Gargamel’ but because I am the ‘Gargamel,'” he explains over email.)
At 51 years old, Banton didn’t miss a beat in his energetic sets, which were nearly two hours long each night. Banton sold out Long Island’s UBS Arena both evenings. The arena has a a total capacity of 18,5000. In a recent interview with Billboard, Banton referred to New York City as one of the “meccas of reggae music.” Fat Joe, who helped him navigate the city when he was younger, joined him on stage with Remy Ma on Sunday. The weekend concerts took place on the cusp of Banton’s 51st birthday on July 15.
Singer Nadine Sutherland, who was signed by Bob Marley when she was just 11 years old, joined Banton on stage for their song “Wicked Dickie.” “Legendary night in reggae music,” she wrote in a caption of her performance on Instagram.
On both nights, Banton also brought out singer-songwriter Gramps Morgan to honor Morgan’s late brother Peetah, who led the reggae band Morgan Heritage. Banton’s discography spans over 30 years and includes 12 studio albums.
“Murderer,” “Champion,” and “Wanna Be Loved” are some of his most popular songs. On Aug. 23, Banton will kick off his North American The Overcomer tour in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
