Biography
Buju is the nickname which his mother
called him from childhood as he was
chubby and it means breadfruit.
Banton is the name used to pay
homage to a deejay known as Burro
Banton, whom Buju respected. Buju is
the youngest of fifteen children and is
a descendant of the Maroons.
With his distinct husky voice, and
powerful lyrics, Buju Banton has
potently penetrated the psyche of
dancehall and reggae lovers since he
stepped into the arena at the tender
age of 12. He started singing
professionally at the age of 18 and his
alias then was Gargamel which was
given to him by his friends Wayne
Wonder and Frankie Sly. They gave
Buju that name from the character in
the cartoon Smurfs, because of his
antics such as his manner of walking,
dressing and his mischievousness.
At the age of 19, Buju, whose real
name is Mark Myrie, produced two
albums namely Stamina Daddy and Mr.
Mention. “Stamina Daddy” is also the
name of a song which he recorded
after
the
owner
of
Rambo
International Sound, a sound which he
worked for, took him to the studio.
That year was also a groundbreaking
year as he broke the record for the
release of the most #1 singles which
was at that time held by Bob Marley.
Wayne Wonder introduced Buju as a
guest at Sting, a Jamaican stage show,
and that elevated Buju’s music to
another plateau.
10