Contact us 1.800.698.2536
Search by Speaker Name or Topic

Buju Banton

Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician. Banton has recorded pop and dance songs, as well as songs dealing with sociopolitical topics.

Buju Banton
Travels From Travels From:
Please Contact
Speaking Fee Speaking Fee:
Live Event: Please Contact
Virtual Event: Please Contact
More Fee Info
Categories Categories:
Categories Categories:
REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Buju Banton Biography

Buju Banton (born Mark Anthony Myrie July 15, 1973) is a Jamaican dancehall, ragga, and reggae musician. He has also recorded Pop and Dance songs, as well as songs dealing with political topics. Banton is politically outspoken and influenced by Marcus Garvey and the Rastafari movement.

He has released 9 studio albums and hundreds of compilations and singles. In 1986, he was introduced to producer Robert Ffrench by fellow deejay Clement Irie, and his first single, "The Ruler" was released not long afterwards in 1987. This led to recording sessions with producers such as Patrick Roberts, Bunny Lee, Winston Riley, and Digital B, and in 1988, aged 15, he first recorded the controversial song, "Boom Bye Bye, "which contained homophobic lyrics.

In 1991, Buju joined Donovan Germain's Penthouse Records label and began a fruitful partnership with producer Dave Kelly who later launched his own Madhouse Records label. Buju is one of the most popular musicians in Jamaican history, having major chart success in 1992, with "Bogle" and "Love me Browning," both massive hits in Jamaica.

1992 was an explosive year for Buju as he broke Bob Marley's record for the most #1 singles in a year. Beginning with "Woman fi Sex," 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.

Now on the major Mercury label, Banton released the hard-hitting “Voice of Jamaica” in 1993. The album included a number of conscious tracks, including "Deportees," a remix of Little Roy's "Tribal War" and "Willy, Don't Be Silly" which promoted safe sex and the use of contraceptives, particularly the condom, profits from which were donated to a charity supporting children with AIDS.

1995’s “'Til Shiloh” was an influential album, using a studio band instead of synthesized music, and marking a slight shift away from dancehall towards roots reggae for Banton. “'Til Shiloh” successfully blended conscious lyrics with a hard-hitting dancehall vibe. The album included earlier singles such as "Murderer" and "Untold Stories."

“Inna Heights,” released in 1997, substantially increased Banton's international audience as Buju explored his singing ability and recorded a number of roots-tinged tracks, including the hugely popular "Destiny" and "Hills and Valleys."

In 1998, Buju met the punk band Rancid and recorded three tracks with them: "Misty Days", "Hooligans" and "Life Won't Wait." The latter became the title track of Rancid's 1998 album, “Life Won't Wait.”

Subsequently, Buju signed with Anti- Records, and released “Unchained Spirit” in 2000. Several singles followed in the start of the new decade, mostly without the trademark spitfire delivery typical of dancehall, but displaying Banton's talent for a mellower more introspective approach. In March 2003 he released “Friends for Life,” which featured more sharply political songs, including "Mr. Nine," an anti-gun song. "Paid Not Played" is included and shows his gradual return to the themes more popular in dancehall. The album also featured some hip hop influence with the inclusion of Fat Joe.

2006 saw the release of the critically acclaimed "Too Bad," his first dancehall orientated album in over a decade.

He received a Grammy nomination in the Best Reggae Album category, for his critically acclaimed roots reggae opus, “Rasta Got Soul.” The album was produced by Banton, with contributions from longtime collaborators Donovan Germain, Stephen Marsden and Wyclef Jean. “Rasta Got Soul” was recorded over a seven year period and finally released in April 2009. Album highlights include "Magic City," "I Rise," "A Little Bit Of Sorry," "Rastafari," "Sense Of Purpose" featuring Bunny Rugs of Third World and "Bedtime Story" featuring Wyclef Jean.

In 2010 he released the album “Before the Dawn” which went on to win the Best Reggae Album category at the 53rd annual Grammy Awards

After a trial involving drug conspiracy and firearms charges in Tampa, Florida, Buju was found guilty on February 22, 2011 on three of the four charges and awaits sentencing.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Buju Banton and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK Buju Banton

FAQs on booking Buju Banton

  • How do I book Buju Banton to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Buju Banton for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Buju Banton, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Buju Banton or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for Buju Banton

    Speaking fees for Buju Banton, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Buju Banton are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Buju Banton, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does Buju Banton speak about?

    Buju Banton is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include .

  • Where does Buju Banton travel from?

    Buju Banton generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is Buju Banton’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Buju Banton for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Buju Banton for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Buju Banton or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Buju Banton is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Buju Banton for your event is available upon request. Buju Banton generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Bell Biv Devoe, Beres Hammond, Tems, Eric Bellinger and Bryson Tiller. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Buju Banton for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK Buju Banton

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Need Quick Answers?

We are happy to help! Call us to speak with a booking agent about your event or specific speaker request.

Sarah Miller
phone   1.800.698.2536
Our celebrity booking agents can:

  • Gauge interest and check availability for speaking engagements, appearances or corporate events

  • Provide you with the speaking fee to book Buju Banton or other celebrity appearance fees

  • Give you personal recommendations for the best keynote speakers or celebrities

  • Assist you with any questions you have throughout the talent booking process

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP