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.
May Be We Are
Buju Banton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A different race of people
Maybe we are
A different color people
Maybe we are
Of different ends and reasons
Maybe we are maybe we are
Of different spiritual conviction
People of the world come together by virtue of love
Able to be seen yet at most time they
are unable to touch
Make not my brother my rival
Don't watch skin color we all want survival
Isn't it blood that flows through the veins of man
You've got a heart and when I search my
self I've got one
Why must we be at each others throat
There goes the breaking of solemn oath
And the words you say to they mean anything
When you say that you love does it come from within
And the songs yoyu sind do they mean anything
Will they calm our fears and our suffering
Ah ah ah ah
It make me feel like crying
Ah ah ah ah
It make me feel like crying
Ah ah ah ah
It make me feel like crying
Ah ah ah ah
It make me feel like crying
Earth rightful ruler runs no wire fence
May not be your neighbor still yet we can be friends
Though language barrier we find ways to comprehend
Each man is my brother and I am glad to say that each
man is my friend
The song "Maybe We Are" by Buju Banton feat. King Stitch is a powerful message about unity and the importance of looking beyond our differences. The opening lyrics suggest that we may be different from each other in terms of race, color, beliefs, and spirituality; however, these differences should not divide us but rather bring us closer. The song emphasizes the need for people of the world to come together based on love and respect for one another, instead of being at each other's throats.
The lyrics go on to question the sincerity of our words and actions when it comes to loving and accepting others. The message is clear: it's not enough to just say that we love each other or 'sing songs' of unity; we need to actively work towards building bridges and breaking down barriers that divide us.
The chorus of the song, with its 'ah ah ah ah' refrain, serves to emphasize the emotional impact of the message. The repetition of the same line creates a sense of collective mourning for the state of the world today, where division and conflict still rule in many places.
Overall, "Maybe We Are" is a gentle yet powerful reminder that we are all human beings and that our differences should be celebrated and bring us closer rather than divide us.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe we are
Perhaps we belong to a distinct race of human beings
A different race of people
Our physical characteristics might differ, making us appear as a distinctive race
Maybe we are
Possibly, we are considered as another category of people
A different color people
Our skin color could be diverse, which sets us apart as unique individuals
Maybe we are
It is also possible that our viewpoints and objectives differ from one another
Of different ends and reasons
Our purposes and intended outcomes could be unlike each other
Maybe we are maybe we are
We might possess varieties of features and personalities that make us distinct or separate from each other
Of different spiritual conviction
Our religious beliefs and values could be diverse or different for many reasons
People of the world come together by virtue of love
Individuals around the globe can come together because of their mutual desire for love, peace, and unity
Able to be seen yet at most time they are unable to touch
Most individuals can perceive and understand the world as a whole, but they cannot necessarily connect or interact with everyone physically
Make not my brother my rival
Do not see my fellow human as my competition or my enemy
Don't watch skin color we all want survival
Do not judge me by my skin color as we all seek the same thing, which is survival and a satisfying life
Isn't it blood that flows through the veins of man
Do we not all have blood flowing through our veins as humans? This suggests that we are not entirely different from one another
You've got a heart and when I search myself I've got one
We both possess a heart, and when I do some self-reflection, I realize that I am not that different from you
Why must we be at each other's throat
Why must we be hostile or adversarial to each other?
There goes the breaking of solemn oath
This depicts a violation of some promised commitment or pledge to one another
And the words you say to they mean anything
Do your words have any significance, or are they just empty promises?
When you say that you love does it come from within
Is your expression of love genuine and heartfelt?
And the songs you sing, do they mean anything
Does your music have any message or purpose, or is it just for entertainment?
Will they calm our fears and our suffering
Can music bring solace and comfort to our emotional turmoil and pain?
It makes me feel like crying
The situation depicted in this song is emotionally overwhelming and makes me feel like crying
Earth rightful ruler runs no wire fence
The real leader of the earth should not need any physical barriers or boundaries to keep people divided
May not be your neighbor still yet we can be friends
We do not have to live close to each other to become friends
Though language barrier we find ways to comprehend
Even with different languages, we can still communicate and understand each other
Each man is my brother and I am glad to say that each man is my friend
We are all humans, and I consider everyone my brother or sister, and I am happy to call each person my friend
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DONOVAN GERMAIN, MARK ANTHONY MYRIE, MICHAEL CHUNG, ROBERT LYN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MsH ALFONZ CTBC
After such a time in crisis n Tribulation in my life . I lost taste of all that brought me comfort but now with such lyrical Buju songs ,joy ,hope and love fills my soul. Music has power to impact thoughts ,actions and character. Big up Buju for impacting mine life🙏
MadgeJablonski Comedy
One of my Favorites the words are beautiful in this tune ❤️💚💛👊🏿 🇯🇲
Anderson Wheeler
This song is sooooo relevant. It is perfectly written. Buju Banton you are a genius. Come on people let's lift up each other and love our brothers and sisters. Move up!!
Nadia Noel
Yessss i agree very talented....when im in a down mood i play buju
Yskler Martinez
We most free Venezuela from Evil
Taj-Kai123
one of the greatest songs ever written.
Noi Delsol
MzTen10 trials come to make us strong. Trust in the Almighty , he knows yr beginning to yr end. Jah bless you
DitchTheOfficeCube
Can't wait to have Buju back! I grew up as a teen in the '90s and listened to Buju daily....very concious and talented Rasta.... realTalk
TheStonemusic
Respect to Buju... My Brother in Reggae and Spirit
Terrell Miller
A WONDERFUL SONG. A TRULY BEAUTIFUL WORK OF ART ❤