reggae

Buju Banton

1 festival played

Jamaica's Gargamel, whose gravel-throated dancehall gave way to Rastafari roots on 'Til Shiloh — one of the voices that reset the island's mainstream.

Buju Banton, born Mark Myrie in Kingston, Jamaica, emerged as a teenage dancehall deejay in the late 1980s and became one of the dominant voices on the island in the early nineties, recording prolifically and matching Bob Marley's record for number one singles in a single year in Jamaica. His voice — unusually deep and coarse for a performer so young — set him apart immediately.

Mid-career he turned toward Rastafari and roots themes, a shift documented on 'Til Shiloh, which broadened his reach well beyond dancehall audiences and remains among the most influential Jamaican albums of the decade. He has continued to record and perform since, and his catalogue spans hard dancehall, roots reggae and slower soul-inflected material.

reggae