Buju Banton is alleging that the Jamaican and American governments collaborated to silence him. The Not An Easy Road artiste, told the hosts of popular US radio show

“There was Wikileaks report that came out from 2006 that said Buju Banton and a bunch of armed men assault a homosexual man in Jamaica and I got away scotch-free, which was the furthest thing from the truth.”

What really happened I had an altercation with a guy who put his mouth the wrong way and I had to put it back in place. I didn’t know his affiliation to any group of homosexuals and they start using that as an angle, my government sent a diplomatic attaché to the US Embassy and I was on the radar from 2006,” he said.

Banton was found guilty of illegal possession of a firearm and conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute. Evidence of Banton brokering a cocaine deal in Florida was provided by a Drug Enforcement Administration informant.

After serving seven years behind bars, Banton, who recently released his 11th album Upside Down 2020, said it was part of God’s plan.

“They even thought about neutralising me, and that wasn’t a part of God’s plan, so the Father removed me from them, and put me someplace else,” he said.

“All the great man you think of have to go through that persecution, even Christ,” he said. “They thought they were doing me bad but my God is the greatest planner.”

Banton also used the opportunity to rubbish rumours that he uses cocaine, calling them “character assassinations”.

“There are two ways to destroy a man, you go and attack his character first then you move in for the ultimate kill. Now with the destroying character, if you put him as a paedophile you destroy his character, he’s done for, easy kill,” he told the hosts.

“You put him as a coke head then he is done for cause his word won’t be taken to be of any weight, he might be a dope head speaking to you. So these character assassinations, they come before the ultimate kill shot.”

And as the very frank interviewed continued, the ‘Gargamel’ also addressed comments by National Security Minister, Dr Horace Chang, who upon Banton’s release from prison, said there would be no hero’s welcome for his return.

“Him have him opinion. I am not an icon, and I’m not a hero, I have never claimed to be one. But I don’t think he is one either, and I don’t think he will ever be one either, and I can assure him, that the name Buju Banton will be more remembered than his,” he said.