Buju Banton Convicted on Drug Charges…I’m Baffled by John M Ellison IV

Apparently Grammy Award winning dancehall reggae artist Buju Banton has been found guilty on drug charges extending from December 2009.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday evening that it took Tampa, Florida jurors 11 hours to convict Banton, born Mark Myrie, on three counts. The charges read that the singer was found guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and using the wires to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. One charge of attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine was dropped.

The 37-year old Jamaican artist had a host of fans and fellow artists in court showing support for Buju during his trial. Affectionately known as “Gargamel,” Buju was arrested in December 2009 on charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine along with two others. The deejay was heard in taped conversations discussing the deal with undercover agents who then set up a sting to nab the entertainer.

Damaging video shown during the trial saw Banton allegedly tasting the cocaine for potency. In court, it was learned that an informant was given $135,000 dollars by one of Banton’s co-defendants in the case.
A few things that confuse me regarding this whole story…WHAT’S A RASTAFARIAN DOING GETTING HIMSELF INVOLVED WITH COCAINE FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE?! Call me naive but I’d assume if a reggae artist was involved with drugs let alone drug trafficking, I’d assume it would be marijuana. Did Banton not take heed to Wayne Smith’s dancehall classic “Under Mi Sleng Teng?”

Why would a HIGH PROFILE reggae artist delve into even selling cocaine? You’re BUJU BANTON! PEOPLE ARE GOING TO NOTICE YOU! Didn’t this kind of happen in the Boondocks with “Thugnificent” trying to sell crack? There’s also video of Banton allegedly tasting the cocaine too? …Is he trying to be the reggae Marion Barry or something?

In closing, all I can say is about Banton’s ordeal is that I’m not sure if this is some “conspiracy” against him or he’s just that special kind of DMX crazy. I seriously don’t know how to end this article…I’m just baffled.

Check out Buju Banton and his collaboration with Rancid

Buju Banton – Misty Days