Buju honoured by Grammy win

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Buju-honoured-by-Grammy-win-Industry-mates-joyful_8371616


Buju Banton's win at the Grammy Awards on Sunday has gone down extremely well with his fellow music industry practitioners here at home.
The deejay, who is currently facing drug charges in a US court, was showered with congratulatory messages following the announcement that his project, Before the Dawn, was named Best Reggae Album.

In a release, the deejay -- born Mark Myrie -- is quoted as saying: "Winning this Grammy is an honour because it truly shows that my music has transcended a lot of borders and people are now paying attention to what I'm saying, in-depth."
"Music is an art form that cannot be denied by any living soul. Music is life. Many thanks to the Recording Academy for recognising my work," he continues.

Former manager/producer and long-time friend and confidant Donovan Germain could not contain his joy for his prodigy. "It was long overdue, better late than never. He should have won a Grammy from Til Shiloh. I am hoping for the best with his trial and I hope everything works out well for him. I have him in my prayers," Germain said.

Culture minister Olivia 'Babsy' Grange in her message of congratulations to the artiste, noted that she shares the pride and joy of Buju Banton and all his fans across the world . "This is a very important award that recognises his music talent. Buju has produced great music over the years and the album Before the Dawn adds to his collection of outstanding works that has helped to bring Jamaica's Reggae music to the peoples of the world," Minister Grange adds.

"Justified," that is how Headline Entertainment's Jerome Hamilton describes Buju's win. Hamilton continues: "Even if it is not for this album, which is a good product, but for volume of his work over the years and his contribution to reggae. Buju has reached a benchmark as a deejay with his sustained international success and recognition such as this is truly long overdue," he said.

US-based Jamaican broadcast journalist Clinton Lindsay also added his comments to the news of Buju's win, noting that he was not surprised based on the other nominees in the Best Reggae Album category. "Like many others, I am not at all happy with the way the nomination was done. But once the final five nominees were announced, it was clear to me that Buju Banton's Before the Dawn was the best of the lot. From that moment I have been predicting it would win. During my interview with him for his concert January 16, I also told him he would win. As of early Sunday afternoon I posted my prediction on Facebook. Congratulations Buju and good luck in proving your innocence," Lindsay said.

UWI lecturer, Dr Donna Hope Marquis sees the Buju win as a plus for Jamaican popular music. "I was hoping and praying that Buju would get this year's Reggae Grammy Award and am really delighted at this, his first-ever Grammy Award after so many years of excellent music. It is another positive step forward for Jamaican popular music generally and it is a most important milestone for Buju Banton, especially with his ongoing trial in the USA. I really believe that this Grammy Award is a signal that Buju is on the last mile of the road and will be home soon. It is a silver lining in a very dark cloud, just Before the Dawn," she concluded.

Buju steadfast as 2nd drug trial draws closer

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Buju-steadfast-as-2nd-drug-trial-draws-closer_8299484

DAVID Oscar Markus, the attorney representing beleaguered Jamaican Reggae icon Buju Banton, has hailed his client's resolve and sense of purpose during his times of trouble.

Banton, registered at birth as Mark Anthony Myrie, was arrested and jailed by Florida police in December 2009 on drug-related charges. He spent 11 months in the Pinellas County Jail and is set to face another trial next month for conspiracy to possess, with intent to distribute five or more kilogrammes of cocaine, and facilitating the use of a firearm in committing a crime.

But Markus said the experience has brought out the best in the four-time Grammy-nominated Reggae artiste, as lesser mortals would have crumbled under the pressure which Banton has endured.

"The reason Buju hasn't crumbled is because he is innocent and is a man of faith. He has told me many times that he'd rather serve 15 years than admitting to something he didn't do. Of course, we plan on winning, so he won't have to serve another day," Markus told the Sunday Observer.

Last week, Markus served a motion to dismiss a superseding indictment filed by prosecutor James Preston, which added two charges of attempted possession of cocaine, facilitating a cocaine conspiracy by aiding and abetting others using a telephone, and possessing and carrying a firearm.

Markus argued in his motion that the additional charges were filed out of sheer vindictiveness on the part of the United States Government.

"Due process prohibits prosecutors from acting vindictively when exercising their discretion either to bring charges in the first instance, or to supersede existing charges with more onerous ones," the motion states.

Both defence and prosecution are awaiting the court's ruling on the matter and to also find out which date in February the artiste's second trial will get underway.

If found guilty, Banton could be sentenced for up to 20 years in a federal prison. His assets could also be seized by the United States Government.

In September, Myrie's first trial ended in a mistrial after a 12-member panel of jurors failed to come to a unanimous decision as to his innocence or guilt.

He was granted bail soon after and the Federal Court granted him permission to perform at a concert to raise funds to pay his legal bills.

The first trial reportedly cost Myrie US$450,000.

The concert, dubbed "Before The Dawn — Buju Banton and Friends", was held at the Bayfront Park Amphitheatre at Biscayne Boulevard, downtown Miami last Sunday and attracted about 10,000 patrons, some of whom expressed hope that Banton would overcome his legal woes which have stalled his career for over a year.

Dorrett Williams, a resident of West Palm Beach, a Florida city which is about an hour's drive from downtown Miami, wished that the artiste could come through unscathed.

"I have known Buju since he was a child living on Barbican Road. We were neighbours and we used to call him 'Blacka'. I am silently hoping and praying that he will be found not guilty so he can take up where he left off and keep entertaining us as only he can," Williams said.

Fellow reggae artiste Everton Blender was also full of hope that the artiste would be found not guilty.

"Everyone makes mistakes, and it is times like these that we need moral support. Buju is a good man and that is why I have come to perform here without charging. He needs all the support he can get," Blender told reporters after his performance on Sunday.

During his performance, Banton was obviously relieved that he was no longer locked away. His already thin frame seemed to have lost a few pounds, but he never showed any wear and tear as he put on an energetic two-hour performance.

He has consistently maintained his innocence and took time out from his set to take a jab at his accusers.

"Why do they want to see Buju cry? Is it because of Boom Bye Bye? Is it because I say Selassie I? Is it because I am black and not shy?" he belted out, much to the approval of his adoring fans.

At another juncture, he sang, "Babylon lock me inna jail and don't want gimme no bail. Like a me name Josey Wale."

The artiste has been under constant pressure from the international gay community for a single he released in the infancy of his career entitled Boom Bye Bye. The song hits out at the gay lifestyle and caused homosexual activists to dub the song 'murder music'. The tune has sparked numerous demonstrations by members of that community at his concerts in North America and Europe,

He has not performed the song on stage for more than a decade and had attended a meeting with members of the United States gay community in 2009, in a bid to mend fences.

However, the move has failed to appease gay lobbyists, who have protested his Grammy nominations and sought to have him banned from performing at venues in Europe and North America, two continents where he rakes in a substantial portion of his earnings from live appearances.

A Haitian national who lives in Miami and gave his name only as Francois, was certain that Banton was set up by gays, who he feels will go to any length to see the Jamaican's career on the dump heap.

"I strongly believe that he was set up by gays. He certainly does not need drug money to survive and everybody knows they hate his guts," Francios said.

Surprisingly there was no gay protest at the concert on Sunday.

Buju's album hits charts within hours of release

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Buju-s-album-hits-charts-within-hours-of-release_8005907

Buju's album hits charts within hours of release
Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Within hours of its release in North America, Buju Banton's album, Before the Dawn, is already creating waves.

The album, which comes on the heels of Monday's news of a hung jury in Buju's drug trial, has debuted at number two on the iTunes Reggae charts for the US market.

On this chart, Bob Marley's album, Legend, holds the top spot. Other acts holding down places are Hassidic Jew, Matisyahu, Michael Franti and Spearhead and US-based Reggae band, Rebelution.

Described by Gargamel Music as a prophetic project, the album is said to encapsulate the experiences of the artiste who has been imprisoned in Florida since last December on a charge of conspiracy to possess and distribute five kilogrammes of cocaine.

Gargamel Music quotes Buju as saying, "All the songs on this album were written before I and I found I self in this current situation, yet they all speak profoundly to what I and I am going through right now...You might can lock the flesh but you can never lock the spirit of Rasta."

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer on Monday, Buju's manager Tracii McGregor was asked whether she felt that the publicity the deejay has received throughout the trial would have a positive effect on the release of the album. McGregor noted that like all Buju's releases, Before the Dawn was highly anticipated by the Gargamel's fans.

Already, the track Innocent, is being seen as the unofficial anthem of Before the Dawn, which is Buju's ninth studio album. The release date for the UK and France is set for next Monday, October 4, the album will be available in the rest of Europe this Friday.