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.
Til I
Buju Banton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seem like they have been wasted, eh? (Uh huh)
Bo'y'know
Just goes out to show
Till I'm laid to rest, yes
Always be depressed
There's no life in the West uh
I know the East is the best
Tongues will haffi confess
Oh I'm in bondage
Living is a mess
An I've got to rise up
Alleviate the stress
No longer will I
Expose my weakness
He who seeks knowledge
Begins with humbleness
Work 7 to 7
Yet me still penniless
For di food pon me table
Massa God bless
'Oller fi di needy
An shelterless
Ethopia awaits
All prince and princess-uh
Till I'm laid to rest, yes
Always be depressed
There's no life in the West uh
I know the East is the best, yes
Propaganda dem spread
Tongues will haffi confess
What could a bad so bout di East
Everybody wants a piece
Africa fi Africans
Marcus Mosiah speak
Unification
Outnumber defeat
What a day when we walkin' down
Redemption Street
Banner pon head
Bible inna hand
One and all
Make we trod di promised land
Buju go down a Congo
Stop inna Sashamanne land
The city of Hararre's
Where Selassie come from
In Addis Abbaba
Den Botswana
Left Kenya
A end up inna Ghana
Oh what a beauty
My eye sight behold
Only Ethiopia
Protect me from di cold
Till I'm laid to rest, yes
Always be depressed
There's no life in the West uh
I know the East is the best
All di propaganda dem spread
Tongues will haffi confess
Organize and centralize
Come as one
Our seeds shall be
So many more den sand
Some new and replenish
Pure an clean heart
Far too long
We've been under this bond
Some a save a bag a riches
An dem bend empty hand
Waan say me stupid
An laugh all yuh can
Easier for a gunman to enter through a needle eye
Than it is for a rich guy to enter inna zion
Take it from I man (so)
Till I'm laid to rest, yes
Always be depressed
There's no livin' in the West uh
I know the East is the best
Lord, propaganda dem spread
Tongues will haffi confess
Oh I'm in bondage
Living is a mess
An I've got to rise up
Alleviate the stress
No longer will I
Expose my weakness
He who seeks knowledge
Begins with humbleness
Work 7 to 7
Yet me still penniless
For di food pon me table
Massa God bless
'Oller fi di needy
An shelterless
Ethiopia awaits
All prince and princess-uh
Till I'm laid to rest, yes
Always be depressed
There's no life in the West uh
I know the East is the best
All di propaganda dem spread
Tongues will haffi confess
What could a bad so bout di East
Everybody wants a piece
Africa fi Africans
Marcus Mosiah speak
Unification
Outnumber defeat
What a day
We walkin' down Redemption Street
Banner pon head
Bible inna hand
One and all
Make we trod di promised land
Buju go down a Congo
An den Sashamanne land
The city of Hararre's
Where Selassie come from
From Addis Ababa
Inna Botswana
Left Kenya
A end up inna Ghana
Oh whatta beauty
My eye sight behold
Only Ethiopia
Protect me from di cold
Till I'm laid to rest, yes
Always be depressed
There's no life in the West uh
I know the East is the best, yes
All di propaganda dem spread
Tongues will haffi confess
Organize
Centralize
Come as one
The lyrics to Buju Banton's song 'Til I'm Laid To Rest express the artist's disillusionment with life in the West and his desire to find a better life in the East, specifically in Ethiopia. Buju describes his life as wasteful and depressing. He feels trapped in a state of bondage, living in a mess and constantly stressed. He seeks to rise up from this state and alleviate the stress, no longer exposing his weakness. He believes that seeking knowledge begins with humbleness and that working hard from seven to seven still does not guarantee financial security. He acknowledges that the struggle for wealth and success is even more difficult when one is poor, and God must bless those who provide for the needy and shelterless.
Buju is critical of the propaganda that has been spread about the East, and he knows that tongues will eventually confess the truth. He describes a vision of Africa for Africans, with Marcus Mosiah speaking about the unification that will help them outnumber defeat. He envisions a day when they will all walk down Redemption Street, with banners on their heads and bibles in their hands, making their way to the promised land. He references places in Africa he's been to, such as Congo, Sashamanne land, Harare city, Addis Ababa, Botswana, Kenya, and Ghana. He is impressed by the beauty of Ethiopia, which he sees as a place of protection from the cold.
Overall, the song sends the message that the West is not the best, and that Africa is the land of promise. It expresses the artist's yearning for a better life with peace, prosperity, and liberation.
Line by Line Meaning
All my days!
The singer feels like they have wasted all their days.
Seem like they have been wasted, eh? (Uh huh)
The singer feels like all their days have been wasted.
Bo'y'know
An expression of resignation.
Just goes out to show
The previous lines show how the artist comes to the conclusion that their days have been wasted.
Till I'm laid to rest, yes
The artist's troubles will continue until they die.
Always be depressed
The singer will never be happy.
There's no life in the West uh
The singer feels like life is not good in the West.
I know the East is the best
The artist believes that life is better in the East.
All di propaganda dem spread
People spread propaganda to support their own beliefs and ideas.
Tongues will haffi confess
One day, people will have to admit that the artist was right.
Oh I'm in bondage
The singer feels like they are trapped.
Living is a mess
Life is not going well for the artist.
An I've got to rise up
The singer needs to take control of their life.
Alleviate the stress
The singer wants to reduce the stress in their life.
No longer will I
The singer will not continue to do something.
Expose my weakness
The artist will not reveal their vulnerabilities.
He who seeks knowledge
A person who seeks knowledge.
Begins with humbleness
A humble person is more likely to seek knowledge.
Work 7 to 7
The singer works all day long.
Yet me still penniless
The artist is still poor, despite their hard work.
For di food pon me table
The artist works to provide food for their family.
Massa God bless
The artist is thankful for what they have.
Oller fi di needy
The singer helps those in need.
An shelterless
The artist provides shelter for those in need.
Ethopia awaits
The singer looks forward to going to Ethiopia.
All prince and princess-uh
All are welcome in Ethiopia, even royalty.
What could a bad so bout di East
What could be said to criticize the East?
Everybody wants a piece
Everyone wants to be a part of the East.
Africa fi Africans
Africa belongs to Africans.
Marcus Mosiah speak
Referring to Marcus Garvey, who talked about black pride and self-reliance.
Unification
Bringing people together as one.
Outnumber defeat
By working together, they will defeat their opponents.
What a day when we walkin' down
Dreaming of a day when they can all walk together in peace.
Redemption Street
Referring to the Bible's idea of redemption as a metaphor for a better future.
Banner pon head
Referring to a flag or banner, symbolizing unity.
Bible inna hand
Referring to the Bible as a source of guidance and inspiration.
One and all
Referring to everyone coming together.
Make we trod di promised land
Referring to walking to the land of promise, or the dream of a perfect future.
Buju go down a Congo
Traveling to the Congo region.
Stop inna Sashamanne land
Traveling to Shashamane, an Ethiopian village known for its Rastafarian community.
The city of Hararre's
Traveling to Hararre, a city in Zimbabwe.
Where Selassie come from
Referring to Emperor Haile Selassie, who was born in Hararre.
In Addis Abbaba
Traveling to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
Den Botswana
Traveling to Botswana, a country in southern Africa.
Left Kenya
Leaving Kenya, a country in East Africa.
A end up inna Ghana
Arriving in Ghana, a country in West Africa.
Oh whatta beauty
The singer is in awe of the beauty of Ethiopia.
My eye sight behold
The artist is seeing something incredible.
Only Ethiopia
Ethiopia is the only place that can provide protection for the singer.
Protect me from di cold
Referring to protection from both the physical cold and the harshness of life in the West.
Organize and centralize
Come together and organize as a group.
Come as one
Come together and unify as one.
Our seeds shall be
Referring to future generations.
So many more den sand
There will be many more descendants than there are grains of sand.
Some new and replenish
Some will be born new, while others will replenish what has been lost.
Pure an clean heart
The artist hopes that future generations will have a pure and clean heart.
Far too long
They have been in bondage for too long.
We've been under this bond
Referring to the bond of slavery and oppression.
Some a save a bag a riches
Some people are only concerned with saving money and becoming rich.
An dem bend empty hand
However, they will end up with nothing in the end.
Waan say me stupid
People may think the singer is stupid.
An laugh all yuh can
People may ridicule the singer.
Easier for a gunman to enter through a needle eye
It is harder for a rich person to enter Heaven than a poor person.
Than it is for a rich guy to enter inna zion
Referring to the biblical Zion, often used as a symbol of paradise.
Take it from I man
Take the artist's perspective/opinion as true.
Lord, propaganda dem spread
People spread propaganda to support their own beliefs and ideas.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Crossdale, Donald Dennis, Bobby Dixon, Melbourne George Miller, Mark Anthony Myrie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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?