Buju Banton will be one of the headliners at this year's Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay.

Summerfest Productions, organisers of Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest, have secured the appearance of Buju Banton, known as the Gargamel, to be one of the headline acts at this year's staging of the festival, scheduled to take place July 19 through 21 in Montego Bay, which the organisers have dubbed the Vibes City.

The Gargamel is expected to deliver a smashing performance and top his recent, and absolutely spine tingling, act at Madison Square Gardens in New York City where over 10,000 fans turned out. With well- known, thought-provoking songs like Murderer, Untold Stories, Destiny and Til Shiloh as well as his most popular dancehall hits like Batty Rider, Luv Mi Browning, Bogle, Deportee (Things Change) and Operation Ardent, the organisers say they are confident Buju will be a crowd-pleaser when he hits the Sumfest stage.

Uncompromising expression comes naturally to Buju Banton, the man who in recent times has become known as 'the Driver' from one of his latest tunes of the same name. A descendant of the Maroons and the youngest of 15 children, Buju Banton has shown true talent, gaining him insurmountable popularity over the years. It is no wonder then that this dancehall legend was able to break Bob Marley's record for the most number one singles in one year on the Jamaican charts in 1992.

Banton has displayed versatility over the years moving from hardcore dancehall to conscious reggae that incorporates social commentary and topical issues such as safe sex. He has been lauded for the lyrics of his song Willy Don't Be Silly that has become a safe sex anthem and remains progressive in dancehall circles. His Til Shiloh album in 1995 was cited by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the best albums of the 1990s.

It is with great enthusiasm, that loyal Buju fans await his return to the big stage in Jamaica in July. Buju Banton has seen and done it all and at the end of the day is still one of the most superb Jamaican artistes.

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