As a youngster, Buju would often watch his favourite artists perform at outdoor shows and local dancehalls. At the tender age of 13 he picked up the microphone for himself and began toasting under the monicker of "Gargamel". His first single, "The Ruler" was released not long afterwards in 1987 under the production of Robert French at Penthouse Studios.
In 1991, Buju joined Donovan Germain's Penthouse Label and began a fruitful partnership with producer Dave Kelly. Buju is one of the most popular musicians in Jamaican history, having burst onto the charts there suddenly in 1992, with "Bogle" and "Love Me Browning/Love Black Woman", both massive hits in Jamaica. Controversy erupted over Love Me Browning which spoke of Banton's preference for light-skinned women: "Mi love mi car mi love mi house mi love mi money and ting, but most of all mi love mi browning." Some accused Banton of promoting a colonialist attitude and denigrating the beauty of black women. In response, he released "Black Woman" which spoke of his love for dark-skinned beauties: "Stop cry, fi all black woman, respect all the gyals with dark complexion." 1992 was an explosive year for Buju as he broke the great Bob Marley's record for the greatest number of number one singles in a year. Beginning with "Man fi Dead", Buju's gruff voice dominated the Jamaican airwaves for the duration of the year. Banton's debut album, Mr. Mention, includes his greatest hits from that year.
1992 was also the year in which the controversy over Buju's homophobic "Boom Bye Bye" exploded. The media in Great Britain picked up on Buju's less than admirable promotion of violence against homosexuals. Myrie, who had recently signed with Mercury records, refused to back down from his stance against homosexuals, claiming his religious beliefs prevented him from accepting homosexuality. Banton downplayed the violent content of his song, claiming that it was metaphorical. Gay Rights groups campaigned against Buju as well as Shabba Ranks who, when asked about the controversy on the British show The Word, stated, "God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve." Shabba later apologized, but Buju refused to back down which drew the ire of various homosexual advocacy groups who continue to campaign against him.
Banton released the hard-hitting Voice of Jamaica in 1993. The album included a number of conscious tracks. These tracks included "Deportees" a song which criticized those Jamaicans who went abroad but never sent money home, a remix of Little Roy's "Tribal War", a sharp condemnation of political violence, and "Willy, Don't Be Silly" which promoted condom use. The conscious spin of this disc did little to stop the attacks of gay rights groups who felt that his continued performance of "Boom Bye Bye" was a slap in their faces. Some dancehall fans felt that Banton could have exploded onto the American scene if his homophobic song hadn't held him back. Nevertheless, Buju was adopted by many new fans who appreciated his gravelly vocals and cared little about his homophobia.
Til Shiloh (1995) was a very influential album, using a studio band instead of synthesized music, and marking a slight shift away from dancehall towards roots reggae for Banton. Buju turned Rasta and his new album reflected his new beliefs. Til Shiloh is one of the greatest dancehall albums of all time and successfully blended conscious lyrics with a hard-hitting dancehall vibe. The album included a single called "Murderer" which condemned the violence in Jamaican dancehall music, inspired by the murders of dancehall musicians Panhead and Dirtsman. The song inspired several clubs to stop playing songs with excessively violent subject matter. This conscious album had a large impact on dancehall music and showed the hunger the dancehall massive had for conscious lyrics. Dancehall music did not move away from slack and violent lyrics, but the album did pave the way for a greater spirituality within the music.
Inna Heights (1997) substantially increased Banton's international audience as Buju explored his singing ability and recorded a number of roots-tinged tracks. Banton covered The Silvertones' "Destiny" and recorded songs with such artists as Beres Hammond and the legendary Toots Hibbert. The album was well-received but had distribution problems. Also, some fans were disappointed, having hoped for another ground-breaking album like "Til Shiloh." Still, Buju's experimentation and soaring vocals impressed many fans and this album remains a highly regarded work.
In 1998, Buju met the punk band Rancid and recorded two tracks with them: "Misty Days" and "Life Won't Wait." The latter became the title track of Rancid's 1999 album, Life Won't Wait. Subsequently, Buju signed with Rancid's eclectic Anti, a subsidiary of Epitaph and released Unchained Spirit in 2000.
In March 2003 he released Friends for Life, which featured more sharply political songs, including "Mr. Nine", an anti-gun song that further verified his status as one of reggae's most anti-confrontational artists.
Banton's 2006 album Too Bad got him nominated for a second Grammy but despite the album's brilliance and artistic excellence "Too Bad" did not garner the award. "Too Bad" brings us back to the Buju of the nineties with his rough phenomenal voice backed by hypnotic beats and conscious lyrics that seem to stay on repeat in your head. "Too Bad" is a complete listen from start to finish and is an extra success because the Gargamel executive produced the album on his own label.
On April 21, 2009, Buju released the often delayed album Rasta Got Soul. This is Banton's ninth album and features the hit single Magic City. This release sees Buju returning to roots and culture reggae. The album received a Grammy nomination in the Best Reggae Album category.
As of December 2009, Buju allegedly attempted to buy cocaine from an undercover officer in Miami and faces up to life in prison if convicted. The trial of Banton began on September 20, 2010 in Tampa, Florida.
Make It
Buju Banton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waan push house, mi waan push gully vans
Let go the war now, let go babylon
Control Bigger Ford and Renito Addams
Gwaan be don, mi prefer be simpleton
Gwaan buss war mi love yo iffication
Act like dem tough and haffi tek program
Waan be gyallis while a me and yo gyal a charm
Gwaan be freak while hardcore I stand
Shooting coke head, elevating ganja man
Messing up this thing from how long
Make it ghetto youths
Make it now
Make it work maybe someway, somehow
When you make it, never you fake it now
Cause if dem set a spell man a go brake it now
Make it suffera's
Make it now
Make the poor be somewhere, somehow
When you make it, never you fake it now
If dem set a spell wi a go brake it now
Guns a come in a barrel like food
Never know the youths dem would a get on suh rude
Quick fi meck duppy, eat off yo food
Now man a check out life can improve
Like walking closet 100 pair a shoes
Berberry Cavelly suh till yo confuse
Waan meck it in a life, not the ex news
No have nothing good fi tell mi try move
Set a the oil every man a try prove
Sake a the killing nuff good youth get lose
Higher man a step, and a no drugs, and a no booths
Gimmi a dwelfill in a SEL fi gwaan
In Buju Banton's song "Make It," the singer expresses his desire to make a successful life for himself while also acknowledging the struggles and violence that come with living in the ghetto. The first verse talks about his desire to make money and move up in the world, but also calls for an end to violence and the control of corrupt individuals. The second verse touches on the idea of "going with the flow" and being content with simplicity, while also confronting those who pretend to be "tough" and the importance of achieving a stable, secure life.
Overall, the song is a reflection of the harsh realities of life in the ghetto, where individuals are forced to navigate danger and violence while trying to make a better life for themselves. Buju Banton's lyrics are both insightful and impactful, highlighting the importance of hard work, dedication, and perseverance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Waan meck duppy, mi waan meck millions
I want to make a lot of money, not just enough to survive
Waan push house, mi waan push gully vans
I want to own nice homes and also help develop the poor communities
Let go the war now, let go babylon
Stop fighting and resisting the system, it's time to focus on success
Control Bigger Ford and Renito Addams
Be in charge of my life and my own destiny
Gwaan be don, mi prefer be simpleton
I'd rather be humble and down-to-earth than act tough
Gwaan buss war mi love yo iffication
I don't want to fight, I prefer peaceful solutions
Act like dem tough and haffi tek program
People who act tough often have to follow a set of rules
Who wid mi meck mi hear unuh seh house and land
I want to build my inner circle with people who share my goals and values
Waan be gyallis while a me and yo gyal a charm
I want to have multiple romantic relationships, while you're only with one person
Gwaan be freak while hardcore I stand
I can still stand strong and tough despite engaging in wild activities
Shooting coke head, elevating ganja man
Even those who use drugs can find elevation and success
Messing up this thing from how long
I've been putting in the work for a long time with little progress
Make it ghetto youths
Empower the youth living in poverty to succeed
Make it now
Take action and make success happen in the present
Make it work maybe someway, somehow
Even if it seems impossible, try to make success happen in some way
When you make it, never you fake it now
Be authentic and genuine when you achieve success
Cause if dem set a spell man a go brake it now
Don't let others bring you down or ruin your success
Make it suffera's
Help the people who are suffering and struggling to succeed
Make the poor be somewhere, somehow
Give those who are poor and struggling a chance to succeed
If dem set a spell wi a go brake it now
If others try to ruin our success, we won't let them succeed
Guns a come in a barrel like food
Guns are easily accessible and even common like food
Never know the youths dem would a get on suh rude
I didn't expect the youth to become so violent and aggressive
Quick fi meck duppy, eat off yo food
People are willing to kill for money and success
Now man a check out life can improve
We realize that there is potential for life to improve
Like walking closet 100 pair a shoes
We can be successful and still enjoy material possessions
Berberry Cavelly suh till yo confuse
We can still dress fashionably and be successful
Waan meck it in a life, not the ex news
I want to make success in life, not just be talked about in the news
No have nothing good fi tell mi try move
No one has anything positive to say, I have to keep moving forward
Set a the oil every man a try prove
Everyone is trying to prove something and be successful
Sake a the killing nuff good youth get lose
Many good youth are being lost due to the violence and killing
Higher man a step, and a no drugs, and a no booths
I can be successful without using drugs or engaging in corrupt activities
Gimmi a dwelfill in a SEL fi gwaan
Give me a small dose of energy to keep going forward
Writer(s): ANDRE FRANCE GORDON, ANDRE QUENTIN CHRISTOPHER GRAY, MARK ANTHONY MYRIE
Contributed by Abigail F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Yuran Ricardo
on Fake Smile
with your cynical green
you leave no action
If there’s a choking problem she a reach with everyone
why acting dumb. second verse:
with your cynical green
you leave no action
If you have a choking problems she a reach with everyone
why acting dumb
Kern Rodney
on Fake Smile
If there's ah joke in progress share it with everyone, why acting dumb?