20 Years Later, Still Mr. Mention

Banton And Friends All Set To Blaze Miami’s Bayfront Park

The waiting is (almost) over. The gates have just opend at Miami’s Bayfront Park for today’s long-awaited Buju Banton concert. The skies are blue, and Miami’s Mix 96 has turned into the BBC (Buju Broadcasting Corporation) rinsing all the classics from Buju’s latest—”Jah knows I’m innocent” from his Grammy-nominated album “Before The Dawn”—all the way back to baldhead Buju from the “Stamina Daddy” and “Mr. Mention” era. The station’s been swamped with calls from fans who have flown in from all over the world to see Buju’s first live performance since late 2009, when he was first taken into custody. As Buju prepares to step on the big stage today and thank thousands of his fans for their love and support, his future still hangs in the balance. But that day in court will have to wait. Today is all about his triumphant return to the stage, and the joy of seeing a legendary artist doing what he does best. But it really doesnt matter what songs he performs… today’s sure to be history in the making. In case you can’t be in Miami, you can check out the live stream on BujuLive.com. And just in case you’ve forgotten how the Gargamel does his thing, catch this:

Much has changed since then, from the hairstyle to the wardrobe to the riddim tracks. The lyrics have evolved in all aspects, and Buju’s picked up a lot more fans and plenty of critics along the way. But one thing remains the same: Them no stop call up the Banton name. (Check the big tune at 3:05). No wonder they call him Mr. Mention.