Jamaican superstar Buju Banton earned Gold certification in Canada with Champion, his 1995 single. This is the first Gold single certification for Buju in his illustrious three decade career in the US, U. K. or Canada.
According to Music Canada, the organization responsible for certifying music in that country, Champion was issued Gold single certification on Thursday July 27, 2023.
When World Music Views informed Producer for the track, Donovan Germain of the music certification he was overcome with joy and said, “Nice, that’s good to hear man.”
Germain explained exclusively to World Music Views that the bet for Champion was presented to him by Leroy Sibbles with another song already recorded.
“Leroy Sibbles came with a song on a riddim that he created, and then Buju did Champion on the riddim
track. ” He said the song was first released as a single. “It was first part of a juggling and then on Til Shiloh.”
Buju, real name Mark Myrie upon hearing the news also said “Keep walking tall, just like the Champion you are,” as he preparesto relasedhis next album “Born For Greatness” in September.
Banton‘s Til Shiloh (1995) has surpassed 100 million streams on Spotify. The album was remastered and re-released on its 25th anniversary in 2020. It is his first album to reach that milestone.
Til Shiloh, The Gargamel’s fourth studio album originally released on Loose Canon Records, a division of Island Records, was co-produced by Donovan Germain who doubled as Executive Producer. Other producers on the project include Dave and Tony Kelly, Bobby Digital, Sylvester Gordon, as well as Steely and Clevie.
The classic album which is the singer’s only album to be certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA) for selling more than 500,000 units in the US also had musical input and collaborations from Sly Dunbar, Dean Frazer, Dalton Browne, Glen Browne and Handel Tucker.
With the advent of streaming, several reggae and dancehall artists have seen their catalogue singles become certified goldin the US, U.K. and Canada. Still Donovan Germain says he has not seen an improvement in his bottom line, “nuh money nuh deh pon streaming, a cents, couple cents. Haffi sell billions fi get any money off streaming,” he said.
Even so, last December Buju, 50, said he has been paying keen attention to the music industry and for the most part he is unimpressed with the longevity of the music that he has heard recently.
“Since I have been home I have heard so many songs but where are they now? I don’t even remember them and it wasn’t like that. Music is the only thing that is not supposed to die so when we come to a point where the music is dying you have to really evaluate what you are doing.”
