Buju for Sting?

Supreme Promotions mum on efforts to bring home deejay for event

Friday, December 03, 2010

COULD Supreme Promotions, organisers of Sting the world's largest one-night reggae festival be making moves to bring in embattled deejay Buju Banton for the December 26 event?

News of this development has been swirling in entertainment circles all week and was given an even further push following Wednesday's decision by US judge James Moody to grant the artiste the opportunity to perform at a concert in Miami on January 16.

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When contacted, director of Supreme Promotions, DiMario McDowell told Splash: "My lips are sealed on that matter. I have absolutely no comment."

The word on the street is that high-level channels are being pursued by Supreme Promotions in order to get Buju, who is currently facing criminal charges in Florida, to perform at the event.

McDowell, however, added that the full line-up of the 27th annual staging of show, scheduled for the Jamworld Complex in Portmore, St Catherine, would be known tonight (Friday) at the launch of the Sting promotional poster at Blaze Nightclub in Portmore.

And following Wednesday's decision by the judge comes more good news for the artiste born Mark Myrie.

His most recent album, Before The Dawn, has been nominated for a Grammy award in the category Best Reggae Album. This is Buju Banton's fifth Grammy nomination.

Before The Dawn was recorded mostly at his Gargamel Music Studio in Kingston. Released in September to critical acclaim, Before The Dawn debuted at No 2 on Billboard's Reggae Albums chart and No 26 on the mag's Heatseekers chart. Currently the album is perched at No 1 on both the South Florida and the New York Top 20 Reggae Albums charts, No 1 on Richie B's Jamaica Music Countdown and No 4 on CMJ's World Music chart.

The album's unofficial anthem, Innocent, is said to strike a highly personal chord considering the artiste's legal battles.

Banton previously received Grammy nominations for his albums Rasta Got Soul (2009), Too Bad (2007), Friends For Life (2004) and Inna Heights (1999).

The veteran-reggae artiste, who had been incarcerated at Pinellas County Jail for 11 months, has not performed live in over a year.