Jamaican singer Buju Banton has criticized the new genre of African music in his recent comments about Afrobeats and Reggaeton music.
During an appearance on the show *Drink Champs*, broadcast on Saturday, August 10, Buju Banton expressed concerns about the Afrobeats genre.
He criticized it for lacking inspiration and not uplifting its listeners. “Tell me one Afrobeats song that can uplift us,” he said. “Kenya is suffering; young men in Kenya are revolting. South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan—everywhere is struggling. But which of these Afrobeats songs can relate to me for a peace of mind, to tell me that we are in the struggle, and even though it’s hard, we will overcome? Tell me.”
Buju Banton also criticized the Reggaeton genre, accusing its artists of exploiting reggae culture. “Listen, a lot of culture vultures out there, we have sat and we have watched Reggaeton f*ck with our music so hard and stolen our culture,” he said. “I am not knocking anybody but you don’t give us no respect, and you still expect us to act like we take something from you? This is the King’s music. Your music will come and go because it has nothing to do with soul and building energy. Our music is time marker.”
The discussion on *Drink Champs* was hosted by N.O.R.E and DJ EFN. N.O.R.E was involved in popularizing Reggaeton with his collaboration on the track “Oye Mi Canto.”
Buju Banton is a renowned figure in Jamaican music, known for his collaborations across various genres, including hip-hop and Latin music.
His comments come amid a notable rise in Afrobeats, which has seen artists like Burna Boy and Tems achieving significant success. Afrobeats has outpaced Dancehall and reggae in popularity in the US and the UK.
Recent hits include Burna Boy’s global tours and Tems’ winning the Grammys, NACCAP, and BET awards. Also, Wizkid is one of the most awarded artists with Grammys and multiple international awards.
In contrast, some Jamaican artists have faced challenges. For example, Buju Banton’s recent albums have seen modest sales compared to Afrobeats hits. “Upside Down 2020” sold 2,900 units in its first week, while “Born For Greatness” sold 2,600 units.
