The legendary Jamaican reggae artist Buju Banton has disclosed his Igbo ancestry.
Speaking recently on the “Drink Champs” podcast, which N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN co-host, Banton claimed that the Igbo tribe in Nigeria is where his clan, the Maroons, got their start.
He bemoaned the fact that the present Jamaican government is displacing their Indigenous people by allowing Chinese and other outsiders into their area, endangering their Indigenous land.
He said,
“Our Indigenous way of life and our land are being threatened by the current government of Jamaica which seeks to bring Chinese and other nationalities into the Cockpit region which is an Indigenous sacred region to usurp us the Maroons as the warriors.
“Maroons are some of the Indigenous warriors on my Island. We fought the British relentlessly. We are called Blackmaroons. My generation originated from Nigeria. I am an Igbo man according to my bloodline.”
See video:
Reggae icon, Buju Banton shares his Igbo heritage pic.twitter.com/rvmWZdaPar
— IGBO History & Facts (@IgboHistoFacts) August 18, 2024
In a diffferent story, Buju Banton asserted that Afrobeats artists do not respect reggae and dancehall, despite being influenced by the genres.
The Jamaican musician stated that despite Afrobeats’ widespread appeal, it lacks substance and doesn’t address Africa’s problems in a recent episode of the Drinking Champs podcast.
The legendary reggae artist also asserted that the genre does not promote African people or highlight urgent socio-political issues.
Famous for hits including “Untold Stories,” “Destiny,” “Psalm 23,” and “Hills and Valleys,” the 51-year-old dancehall veteran also charged Afrobeats artists with piracy and cultural appropriation.
Buju, who is one of the well-regarded artistes in Jamaican music, listed some of Africa’s greatest musicians and argued that the ones who came after them were not living up to expectations.
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