‘Born for Greatness’ singer Buju Banton says he is not yet ready to answer the question on whether or not he wants to become a political leader in Jamaica.
Following his photo op appearance at the People’s National Party’s Annual Conference on September 15 and Jamaica’s National Stadium, several people criticized Gargamel’s political affiliations and to those people he refers to them as hypocrites.
“The question should not be about my affiliation, the question should be about do I have a right as a citizen of this great nation to exercise my constitutional rights as a statutory payer as well to choose and decide on my own. Mi nuh like hypocrite and nuff a Dem a hypocrite” he fires back during an interview Onstage with Winford Williams.
Banton, whose daughter Jodian Myrie ran an unsuccessful bid for St. Andrew East Central on a JLP ticket in the 2020 general elections said, “Some people are Green some people are Orange but Dem nuh wah seh.” Referring to the party colors of the JLP and PNP parties respectively.
The Destiny singer continued, “I haffi rule I destiny so you don’t tell I what I supposed to do. I may not be your favorite person but you still don’t have the right to tell me what I am supposed to do as it concerns my constitutional right as a Jamaican.”
Buju drew reference to the United States political system where artists like Kanye West (now Ye) who visited him at his studio and donated to his foundation ran for President in the last Presidential Election. Ye also threw his support behind Donald Trump openly and along with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian used the affiliation with the office of consecutive Presidents to lobby for various causes affecting the black community.
“It’s hypocritical because you find that other entertainers do the same thing, but I don’t find them being lambasted. Yet the same hypocrites will go to America and assimilate into a Democrat or Republican system and still co-exist with other people. So don’t tell me that in my country we are not gonna move forward from this parochial mindset where we cannot choose or affiliate without backlash or resent, Openly too,” The ‘Upside Down’ singer laments.
He said he will not be pigeon holed and people saying he should stick to music are misguided.
“I do my part in music, but don’t tell me because I am a musician I must stick to music because you are a stupid idiot if you think that. We have always been pigeonholed but gone are those days,” the Stamina Daddy artist says.
Buju stayed clear of declaring his hand to enter representational politics by saying “I am not yet ready to answer that question.”
As for those saying as a Rasta Man he should not be involved in politics Buju said, “Who told you that, Hailie Sellasie I wasn’t for politics? Who told you that? Who was it that stood up in the League Of Nations fighting for our cause? Who told you that? Go and do your research man. You don’t pigeonhole I, no guy can.”
The foundations of the Rastafarian religion is based on the teachings of Marcus Garvey who formed Jamaica’s first political party The People’s Political Party (PPP) in September 1929.
Incidentally, Marcus Garvey, was at odds with Norman Manley, the founder of the PNP Party. The two almost came to blows when Manley described Garvey as ‘a positive disgrace’ and invited him outside for a fight which Garvey declined when he was Kingston counselor in the 1930s.
The Mansions Of Rastafari of which Buju is included deify His Imperial Majesty Emperor Hailie Selassie I of Ethiopia and regards HIM as the Messiah. Selassie is the most decorated leader globally and was responsible for organizing and establishing the Organization of African Unity (OAU) now (African Union) on May 25 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where 32 African states that had achieved independence at that time agreed to establish the Union. A further 21 members joined gradually, reaching a total of 53 by the time of the AU’s creation in 2002. His Imperial Majesty led Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974.
