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.
Pull It Up
Buju Banton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trus mi man
Anyway it deh, we a fi find it
A fi find it, sing fada sing
Chorus:
Can you play some more, can you play some more
Lif it up, jack it up, pull it up, come again now
Can you play some more, can you play some more
Verse 1:
Without di dancehall, a whe we woulda do
Reggae muzik call, you must ansa to
Wine up, jump up, when you hear sweet reggae
Buju Banton, Beres Hammond a fi tell dem go deh
Without di dancehall, a whe we woulda do
Reggae muzik call, you must ansa to
Wine up, jump up, when you hear sweet reggae
Buju Banton, Beres Hammond a fi tell dem go deh
Everyone a do di dance weh dem love
In dis yah dancehall no form a grude
Greet everyone dat enter wit a hug
Come spread out and listen to some sweet rubba-dub
Chorus:
Pull up da vibes that you're playing
Can you play some more, can you play some more
Lif it up, jack it up, pull it up, come again now
Can you play some more, can you play some more
Verse 2:
Scary and di one name Skellion
Dem know every ting weh a gwaan
Mi ago rope dem een a mi corner
Fi find out if mi bredren dem ina di lawn
Everywhere I look is pare scanking
I see no statue around, yeah
To ratid, I see girls a get wild
Selector a spin muzik versatile
Dem wan tun dung we sound and bruk we vibes down
A who dem a try turn in a clown
Dancehall full up and mi caan get a chance
How mi ago find mi sistren ina di dance
Muzik a play, people jump and prance
Bruk out, you selector boy
Chorus:
Lif it up, jack it up, pull it up, come again now
Can you play some more, can you play some more
Verse 3:
Di whol dance a cry, di whol dance a cry
I say di whol dance a cry
Caan get a chance fi mek a likkle step
Dancehall ram a mi say no place nuh lef
A police come a turn it off di vibes dem waan fi wreck
And dis is Buju Banton mi say no respeck
Well listen Beres Hammond who's a true interlek, say
Yes you got me rock in a corner
Can't express how mi glad come, yah
A neva seen so much good vibes flow
Everyone inside is like family
I see no strangers around
And every massive is here
And tonight we nuh care
Kill di violence dead, mek we rock it instead
Jump and palve everyman get red now
Chorus:
Pull up da vibes that you're playing
Can you play some more, can you play some more
Repeat Verse 1:
Without di dancehall, a whe we woulda do
Reggae muzik call, you must ansa to
Woman a jump up, woman a wine up, when dem hear sweet reggae
Go deh Buju Banton, seh fi go deh, go deh
Without di dancehall, a whe we woulda do
Reggae muzik call, you must ansa to
Wine up, jump up, when you hear sweet reggae
Dis yah weh we Lord a mercy... I sing
To ratid, I see girls a get wild
Selector a spin muzik versatile
Dem wan tun dung we sound and bruk we vibes down
A who dem a try turn in a clown
Dancehall full up and mi caan get a chance
How mi ago find mi sistren ina di dance
Muzik a play, people jump and prance
Bawl out, selector boy
The lyrics to Buju Banton's song Pull It Up discuss the importance of dancehall music and its role in bringing people together. The song begins with a call to find the music and pull up the vibes, urging the DJ to play more of the sweet reggae music that everyone loves. The verse repeats the importance of dancehall music and its call for people to dance, specifically naming Buju Banton and Beres Hammond as the ones to tell everyone to go dance. The next verse mentions a group of people called Skellion who seem to be knowledgeable about everything happening in the dancehall. The lyrics express frustration with people who try to ruin the good vibes and the importance of the DJ in keeping the music going. The last verse discusses how dancehall brings everyone together like family and calls for an end to violence in favor of enjoying the music and dancing.
Overall, the lyrics emphasize the importance of dancehall music and how it serves as a gathering place for people to come together to dance and enjoy music. It also highlights the role of the DJ in creating and maintaining the atmosphere of the dancehall. The lyrics suggest that in dancehall, everyone is welcome and all are here to enjoy and have fun.
Line by Line Meaning
Trus mi man
Trust me, my friend
Anyway it deh, we a fi find it
No matter where it is, we must find it
A fi find it, sing fada sing
It's a must to find it, let's sing father, sing
Pull up da vibes that you're playing
Bring back the good feeling music that you're playing
Can you play some more, can you play some more
Would you mind playing more of it?
Lif it up, jack it up, pull it up, come again now
Raise it up, increase the volume, bring it back again
Without di dancehall, a whe we woulda do
What would we do without the dancehall?
Reggae muzik call, you must ansa to
Reggae music demands an answer
Wine up, jump up, when you hear sweet reggae
Dance fervidly to the sweet reggae music
Buju Banton, Beres Hammond a fi tell dem go deh
Buju Banton and Beres Hammond should guide them to the right way
Everyone a do di dance weh dem love
Everyone is dancing to their favored style
In dis yah dancehall no form a grude
In this dancehall, there's no room for grudges
Greet everyone dat enter wit a hug
Welcome everyone with a warm embrace
Come spread out and listen to some sweet rubba-dub
Spread out and listen to some good reggae music
Scary and di one name Skellion
Scary and the one called Skellion
Dem know every ting weh a gwaan
They know everything that's happening
Mi ago rope dem een a mi corner
I'm going to corner them and ask about my friends
Fi find out if mi bredren dem ina di lawn
To find out if my friends are here
Everywhere I look is pare scanking
Everywhere I look, people are dancing erotically
I see no statue around, yeah
I don't see anyone standing still
To ratid, I see girls a get wild
Holy cow, the girls are getting wild
Selector a spin muzik versatile
The selector is playing a variety of music
Dem wan tun dung we sound and bruk we vibes down
They want to bring down our sound system and destroy our vibes
A who dem a try turn in a clown
Who are they trying to make look like a fool?
Dancehall full up and mi caan get a chance
The dancehall is full and I can't find a chance to dance
How mi ago find mi sistren ina di dance
How can I find my sisters in this crowd?
Muzik a play, people jump and prance
The music is playing, and people are jumping and prancing
Bruk out, you selector boy
Play the music that makes people dance wildly, selector
Di whol dance a cry, di whol dance a cry
The entire dancehall is crying out
I say di whol dance a cry
I'm saying the whole dancehall is crying out
Caan get a chance fi mek a likkle step
I can't find a chance to move even a little bit
Dancehall ram a mi say no place nuh lef
The dancehall is packed, and there's no space left
A police come a turn it off di vibes dem waan fi wreck
Here comes the police to shut things down and ruin the vibe
And dis is Buju Banton mi say no respeck
I'm Buju Banton, and I don't respect this
Well listen Beres Hammond who's a true interlek, say
Well, let's listen to Beres Hammond, who's a wise person, saying
Yes you got me rock in a corner
Yes, you got me dancing like crazy in a corner
Can't express how mi glad come, yah
I can't express how happy I am to be here
A neva seen so much good vibes flow
I've never seen so many positive vibes flowing
Everyone inside is like family
Everyone here feels like family
I see no strangers around
I don't see any unfamiliar faces
And every massive is here
And all the people are here
And tonight we nuh care
And tonight we don't care
Kill di violence dead, mek we rock it instead
Let's put an end to violence and dance instead
Jump and palve everyman get red now
Jump and dance, and let every man get excited now
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DODD, HAMMOND, MYRIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@musasallieukargbo2024
I think the world needs an album between these two legends.
@annbrown8174
Buju is now freed from the physical confines of prison, in his mind he was always a free man.....🙏🏽🇯🇲
@muthanjenga1148
I will be worthy the amount I spill …was a prophetic verse in this great riddim
@hopepeacecomeswithacceptan4261
Buju forever, what a voice! 💘
@babykhia9838
All day everyday! 😘
@ew7298
no one mixes reggae and dancehall like buju.
@sgejupiter9740
Ent!
@camillehenderson5183
No lies here
@cherylmyers2439
You preach!
@grantyism
Buju you are forever the DANCEHALL KING🔥🔥🇯🇲🇯🇲