Buju Banton
Photo: Shawn Theodore/SMG via AP

Buju Banton has opened up on several topics for the first time since his return to Jamaica.

The Reggae superstar recently sat down with Winford Williams for his first interview since returning to the island. During the interview, he addressed several topics including his emotions upon arrival.

According to Buju, he was overjoyed to finally return home following a 10-year prison sentence. However, his first action after going through the initial greetings was to take some time to meditate.

The singer would also go on to talk about some of the physical changes he has made since returning. When he first arrived Buju was noticeably heavier than most fans might remember him.

“I have a whole heap a work fi do pon the stage enuh, yuh cyaa carry tha whole heap a weight and run up an dung fi hour and half,” Buju explained.

Buju also took the timeout to address several burning topics including the current state of Dancehall.

According to Buju, Dancehall has not moved forward as a genre since his decade long absence. He claims many of the genre’s biggest stars are still falling short in comparison to Vybz Kartel.

“Me personally feel say it nuh grow, me come outta wuk house and a Kartel mi come a see a run the place same way,” he said.

Buju would go on to admit that Vybz Kartel’s lyrical content was not his subject but says relevance is undeniable.

According to Buju, many artistes are ‘doing their thing,’ but they considerably lacking in comparison to the “Worl Boss.”

“Mi nah say man nah do dem ting, but the music shoulda out deh more! the man weh fi out deh him cyaa out deh cuz everybody know weh him deh,” Buju said.

Buju also commented on the deteriorating quality of stage performances by younger talents. He went on to lament that we are producing too many ‘studio artiste’ who can cant perform.

“Nobody not singing out their songs anymore, the song that I came to see you sing,” he lamented.

According to Buju, in order for the genre to move forward the current crop of stars need to work on these things.

Watch the entire interview below.