International reggae/dancehall icon, Buju Banton has asked African artistes in the genre to come together to project a common cause.
According to him, the lack of cohesion between artists has been the bane to achieving the desired progress.
“We have come far and we have seen a great merge taken place with our brothers creating the dancehall genre. The initial idea was to own it themselves but now we are to use it for the African essence to cross over the ocean, this is our link, this is our bridge now. But I don’t see the bridge really, I always see divides. This is supposed to be a great connector,” he noted.
The icon revealed that African reggae musicians may be using the same instrumentation but they are not championing the same cause.
He went on to explain what the music genre was made for, noting that, the music was originally designed to open the mind of people to see things from a different perspective, and not only to talk about sex and consider themselves as superstars.
Commenting on unity among artists, he said, it is about time African reggae-dancehall musicians had a festival.
“I see no reason why you in Ghana, my brothers in Nigeria, some in Sierra Leonne will not come together to create our African Fest. We no longer need a middle man who is white to make anything right”.
Buju Banton added that there is nothing wrong with Africa reggae dancehall musicians fusing their local language with the rhythms of the music genre to create music.
He said there is nothing new about being innovative because people everywhere use their cultures to influence different cultures in which they find themselves.
“What is new under the face of the sun? If my brothers have fused their local language with the reggae/dancehall rhythm, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. That is not new and they have done nothing wrong. The world goes on from innovation and creativity that flows like the wind that blows. So, we shouldn’t keep our head in a box and be the way others want us to be. We have to be free thinkers”.
Buju who is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his ‘Till Shiloh’ album said the album means so much to him.
Buju Banton recently won Best Reggae Act at this year’s annual MOBO Awards for his long-awaited album, ‘Upside Down 2020’, which is his first full-length studio album in a decade.
The album was released on June 26 and it has also been nominated for a Grammy for Best Reggae Album.
This was Buju’s first win and third nomination. The other nominees were Protoje, Koffee, Popcaan and Lila Ike.
Jamaica boasts of Reggae/dancehall festivals such as Island Reggae Festival, Lake Tahoe Reggae Festival, Love and Harmony Cruise 2020, Marley Movements Reggae Festival and International Dancehall Queen Competition.
Others include Reggae Festivals in Europe, Rebel Salute Reggae Music Festival and Reggae Sumfest Festival.
