Archive for February, 2011
February 13th, 2011 | Author: admin
Dance hall and reggae music icon Mark “Buju Banton” Myrie has succeeded in gaining the ultimate acclaim for his profession, by winning his first Grammy award for the best reggae album for 2010, this evening; but with the impending onslaught of what is yet to come, in the guise of his second trial (The first ending in a hung jury) for allegations of conspiracy to possess for distribution several pounds on cocaine, one cannot help but wonder, as I am sure many of his fans do, “What will the dawn hold for Buju Banton?”
     With over two decades as a  relevant force in Jamaica’s popular culture, from a brash young, up and coming artist with Penthouse Records, to an elder statesman and perennial hit maker, Buju Banton has truly transcended the category of “regular run of the mill” reggae artist, ascending to the rarified status of legend.
     In the midst of his greatest achievement, I imagine the moment might be bitter sweet. The goal of every professional, regardless of the profession, is to eventually be acclaim the very best and with the arrival of that moment comes a display of irrepressible joy.
     As I watch the award ceremony, that was state of my consciousness as I pondered the question, “How is Buju Banton feeling this evening, knowing that the greater challenge is no longer the winning of an award, but the winning of his freedom?
     I am an unabashed Buju fan and like many hope for his freedom at the end of this new trial. Likewise I am sure that there are many who may conspire for his demise; there are the prosecutors who see it as a possible “feather” in their cap for successfully taking down an iconic figure; then there are the antagonistic entities who decry the injustice-perceive or real- that are being heap upon them from society in general, and reggae music in particular, they seek compassion and freedom; but they offer little of the former as they sought to censor the latter!
     Finally, from the inconclusiveness of the first trial, it has been painfully obvious that the case against Mr. Myrie is hardly as substantial as was initially presented. Do I need to say Lindsey Lohan…Paris Hilton! The cases against these American artists, one after the other are glaringly obvious, yet the prosecutions of them have all the air of a “Red Carpet” appearance. Am I the only one to see the inequity inherent in the U.S judicial system?
     Congratulations to you Buju Banton on winning your first Grammy award; and may the dawn sees you free… Free to speak… Free to sing… Free to inspire… There will always be those who do not like your utterances… Then there will always be a price to pay for speaking the truth!
 GN
Sunday, February 13, 2011
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