Free Buju Movement

BY BASIL WALTERS Observer staff reporter

Friday, February 26, 2010

A drive to garner financial support for Buju Banton's legal defence is centred on the sales of the official Free Buju T-shirts now on the market.

Designed by Doyle Crooks , who designed the majority of the merchandise for Buju's Gargamel line, the T-shirts have a set of numbers on the front which represent Buju's Prison number and printed in gold on the back is the statement 'Free Buju'. The number on the front is 86700-004.

"We opted not to use his image on this T-shirt because we felt that would be exposing his image in a way that wouldn't be appropriate in this particular type of situation," Banton's publicist Tracii McGregor told Splash.

"All the proceeds from the sale of the T-shirts will go towards Buju's legal defence. It's a way in which fans can show their support. Folks from all over the world have been buying the T-shirts from a couple of stores in New York, in Ohio and in Japan," she explained.

"We're not focused on demonstration; we are focusing on building a defence. Our goal is to show who Buju is as an artiste, as a human being and as a humanitarian person....which is why we're also now dropping the new single, Optimistic Soul, the video for which is now out also," said McGregor.

Expressing confidence in Buju's innocence, McGregor promised that all will soon be revealed and that Banton was in good spirits.

"He is doing great, doing a lot of reading and meditation. He is very confident that he is innocent and that he was set up. Buju is no drug dealer," she said.

The four-time Grammy nominee, whose given name is Mark Anthony Myrie, was arrested on federal drug charges on December 13, 2009, in Miami and has been in custody since.

In the meantime, Banton has grabbed three nominations in the 2010 International Reggae and World Music Awards (IRAWMA). The three categories are Recording Artiste Of The Year, Best Album for Rasta Got Soul, Best Crossover Song for hit collaboration with John Legend, Can't Be My Lover.

In other Buju Banton music news, the one-off single, Time And A Place (John John), on the Coming In From The Cold riddim has reached #1 on both the New York Top 30 Reggae Chart and South Florida Top 25 Reggae Chart. The album Rasta Got Soul is currently #2 on both the New York Top 20 Albums Chart and the South Florida Top 15 Albums Chart. The new Optimistic Soul single (plus bonus instrumental) will be released digitally on March 23.

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COMMENTS (14)

Mike Ramsey
2/28/2010

If there are opinions the Observer Editors don't like maybe they should make the readers aware, so we all can sing the same song, but just not publish readers opinion is hypocritical when you claim to be a free press.

Mike Ramsey
2/28/2010

Its amazing how the people at the Observer selectively decides whose comment to publish. I suspect they are a part of the conspiracy.

howie J
2/28/2010

Gordon, the fact that Buju will face a judge means that he will defend himself against the police or state. The case will not only prove Buju's guilt or innocence, but also those who were involved in his arrest. It is for this reason why cops the state gets sued at time, becasue of police corruption. Just rememebr that cops are humans and they have their biases.
An informant told police that Buju wanted to buy some drugs. What phone number did the informant used to contact the police? How long after buju told him that he want to buy some drugs did he get in touch with the police? Did he call 911 or did he have the police contact before he made the call?
How did Buju meet this informant? Was he a part of his entourage? I may not know the police private life, but I think I know my Jamaican. Which jamaican would inform the cops against Buju?
One of the reasons why crime persist in black neigbhorhoods is becasue blacks don't report crimes. A black person will only cooperate with the police aginst another black person if he make some kind of agreement with the police, in which case this informant would have infiltrated Buju's camp.
What was there to convince Buju that the informant could get the drugs? How did this drugs argument between Buju and the informant started?

secret mgmt
2/28/2010

Visit www.freebujubanton.com and leave letters of encouragement for buju. All other comments or write-ups will be reviewd before publishing on the site.
contact blade@freebujubanton.com

Richard Edwards
2/28/2010

I am not the arresting officers that arrested Buju, neither I am a part of the so-called conspiracy to set up Buju Banton. We all know that juctice in this country can be skewed based on the race of the person involved, that is an irrefutable fact, but another fact is simply this, for the most part it does not matter who you are in this country, if you commit a crime you will go through the court system just like everyone else, your celebrity status and money, might have some influence, but for the most part you will be tried for the crime. Not so in Jamaica, if you know someone in high laces, it does not matter how serious your crime is, you probably won't even go to trial, let alone do time. So, many of us are used to such a system in Jamaica, but keep in mind it is not universal phenomena. Personally, I know nothing about the case, but I know this, someone cannot set you up, particularly in a case like Buju's, without you having some willingness to get involved. Keep in mind also, our perception of someone or something has nothing to do with what the perons or thing really is. As a fellow Jamaican I wish Buju Banton all the best, as he faces, what is probably the most difficult times of his life. "It's not an easy road", as he quite rightly sang many years ago.
Richard Edwards. New York City
Betterlifeforjamaicans@yahoo.com

ONeil Hibbert
2/27/2010

My comment was so factual it could not even be printed.

Jerome Grant
2/27/2010

Why are some persons being so hypocritical? Buju should have been charged, along with many others including anyone from the US, UK, The Caribbean, Asia, Etc, with the hate crime law enacted recently by the federal government. For years he has, through his music, lobbied for the killings, etc of gays and lesbians. If he is guilty of a crime he shoudl definately pay the fine and just maybe then he will learn his lesson. All this publicity stunt is a waste of precious time---

STEPHANIE W
2/27/2010

I'm sorry but those in support of him are just conspiracy theorists. I like Buju's music. However, use your sense. I know nobody can't frame me if I don't go into the illegal or dangerous situation. Just because you like his music doesn't mean he doesn't make bad decisions. If in fact they have him on tape tasting the coke, he should get locked up. How many of us just end up around a bunch of coke and then taste it. Stop being nieve.
ALSO, to continue to blame the gay community for somehow being behind this is stupid. The U.S. gay community has plenty of more serious issues facing them than to try and setup Buju, They just don't want to hear him and will try to keep him out of clubs and concerts. Do you really think the U.S. government is in cahoots with the gay community? Seriously?!? Those who believe that obviously don't know our government. They could care less about the gay community let alone orchestrate some sort of bust in their defense.

2/26/2010

Here we go again, same like another story elsewhere in the Observer, we categorise pple in Jamaica and think some should get better treatment than others. I am so happy that America is here to let us know that is not so it go. One rule fi everybody whether you are a singer, busineness, politician or ordinary citizen. So you' all can sell all the t-shirts you want and raise all the money you want, the due diligence of the US will proceed unhindered. Jamaicans be warned, what works here dont work there that is why Jamaica so mash up.

Arthur Gordon
2/26/2010

Howie J. How do you know this? You seem to have an insight into the private lives of the police most of us don't. How may spy novels have you really read? So "Americans" are responsible for this. Uh huh. How many millions of them. So you watch CSR right? How old are you? What rubbish is this????

howie J
2/26/2010

Buju was nabbed by a bunch of Hollywood wannabes. He offended americans verbally and they hit back physically, verbally, mentally and economically.
The small joints he was smoking could not be enough to hit him where it hurts, so they had to set the stage for his downfall.
This is a plot that was written, staged and directed by the same people who were involved in his arrest.

Arthur Gordon
2/26/2010

So what is the claim? That Buju was set up or that there was some kind of policing error? Or is it that he is a superstar and cannot be held liable under the law? Be clear about this.

Di Truth
2/26/2010

This case a go embarrass the feds because dem affi let go Buju at the end a di fight. Yeah, mi talk it right!

2/26/2010

Free BuJU, but only if he is found to be not guilty by the courts. If he has committed a crime he must be treated like any other criminal.

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