Buju Banton will be sentenced in by Judge James S. Moody Jr., in a Tampa, Florida court. He was found guilty last February of 3 charges including conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms of cocaine, using a communication facility in the commission of a felony, and knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of and during the course of a drug-trafficking crime.

Banton was found not guilty on a 4th charge, attempting to possess 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.

All told, the charges could result in a sentencing of 30 years to life in prison.

The reggae singer, born Mark Anthony Myrie, is still in prison after being convicted. His defense attorneys have filed a motion for a new trial and an acquittal. The prosecuting attorneys are battling against it, claiming the motion is “without merit.”

Buju Banton recently won a 2011 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album for his 10th studio album, Before The Dawn.

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2. Buju Banton still waiting for drug trial verdict After earlier false reports that he had been acquitted, Jamaican...
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At the Gibbons federal court in Tampa, Florida federal court today, United States District Judge Tim Moody gave the announcement and declared December as the time for a new trial. The mistrial decision came after 4 long days of deliberation by a jury.

It seems that the 2-night drum vigil held by Rastafarian elders at Buju Banton’s Carlisle Avenue Gargamel Studios actually worked. Twice today the jurors told Judge Moody that they could not reach a decision, prompting the mistrial declaration.

This is a temporary reprieve: Banton remains charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5Kg of cocaine. If he is found guilty in December he’ll face a possible sentence of 20 years to life in prison. Both of Banton’s codefendants have already signed plea agreements in exchange for lesser charges.

David Markus, Buju Banton’s lawyer, has begun the process of requesting bail for Banton; we’ll know more about whether bail is awarded tomorrow.

The case has already been running for nearly a year after Banton was arrested in a sting operation last December and accused by an FBI informant of attempting to purchase cocaine with the goal of reselling it. He is also charged with aiding his codefendants in possessing a firearm during the course of cocaine distribution. The event was captured on a surveillance camera but Banton was not present for the actual purchase.

Buju Banton has maintained his innocence from the beginning of this ordeal, claiming that the government informant pressured him to make the purchase. Specifically, he explained that he only discussed cocaine to impress the informant, who he believed to be related to the music business. Banton’s lawyers have used this to build an entrapment defense for the singer.

Stephen Marley, son of Bob Marley, spoke as a character witness for Banton during the trial.

Buju Banton’s next album, Before the Dawn, containing 10 songs recorded in 2009, is scheduled to be released tomorrow.

This article is part of a continuing series about Buju Banton’s arrest, accusations, and trial. For more information about the trial, please see these related articles:

1. Buju Banton mistrial, new trial in December, September 27
2. Buju Banton still waiting for drug trial verdict, from September 24
3. Buju Banton cocaine defense lawyer claims entrapment, from January 27
4. Buju Banton drug arrest: dancehall reggae star buys cocaine from undercover cops, from December 15, 2009

In the meantime, here’s a Buju Banton music video, Power of Prayer by Gargamel himself.

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3. Buju Banton still waiting for drug trial verdict After earlier false reports that he had been acquitted, Jamaican...

Update: this article is part of a continuing series about Buju Banton’s arrest, accusations, and trial. For more information about the trial, please see these related articles:

1. Buju Banton mistrial, new trial in December, September 27
2. Buju Banton still waiting for drug trial verdict, from September 24
3. Buju Banton cocaine defense lawyer claims entrapment, from January 27
4. Buju Banton drug arrest: dancehall reggae star buys cocaine from undercover cops, from December 15, 2009

Banton, born Mark Myrie, is currently being tried for cocaine and firearm possession in Tampa, Florida. Although he hasn’t been charged with being present to purchase the cocaine when it was offered, an undercover informant has claimed that he did admit to trafficking drugs.

A 12-person jury has deliberated over Banton’s verdict for 2 straight days so far – meeting for 4 hours on the first day and 7 hours today. They’re currently expected to deliver a decision when the case resumes on Monday, September 27. The verdict was supposed to be delivered today but deliberation continues in the federal court case.

Buju Banton was arrested and accused of conspiring to purchase cocaine from an undercover government officer in Sarasota, Florida last December. He was arrested on December 10, 2009 for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, in addition to a less serious firearms charge.

“If I am guilty I will pay.”

– Bob Marley

In his defense, Banton claimed that his discussions of cocaine were all an attempt to impress the government agent Alexander Johnson, who he believed had connections in the music industry. Buju Banton also claims that he was entrapped and his attorney David Oscar Markus has explained that 1 informant who helped build the case against Buju has been paid USD $3.3 million over several years by US law enforcement in exchange for assisting them.

On the other hand, the government informant claims that Buju Banton had cocaine at a meeting previous to his arrest and admitted to being involved in drug trafficking at that time. The prosecutors in the case also claims to have videos of Buju Banton sampling cocaine and discussing the possibility of becoming a drug dealer. However, Buju was not present at the final bust when his 2 codefendants arrived to purchase cocaine in a police sting operation in Sarasota, Florida.

Both of Buju Banton’s codefendants, James Mack and Ian Thomas have pled guilty to their charges in plea bargains cooperating with the US government. However, Mack has already signed an affidavit stating that Buju Banton didn’t know about the money and a gun that were in Mack’s car – 2 critical pieces of evidence – at the time of the sting operation. The affidavit did state that Banton participated in negotiations to purchase the cocaine though.

If convicted, Buju Banton may face a life sentence in a US prison in addition to a USD $4 million fine. Prosecutors previously offered Banton a plea deal in exchange for a 2-year sentence. Banton refused the offer, claiming his innocence throughout the case. If the jury cannot reach a verdict, the trial will result in a hung jury, requiring a new trial.

“The road of life is rocky, and you may stumble, too – so while you point your fingers, someone else is judging you!”

– Bob Marley

Buju Banton is a 37-year-old Caribbean dancehall and reggae music singer. He is best known for his trademark husky voice as well as his controversial lyrics. He became famous in the early 90s for his dancehall music before focusing on roots reggae tunes marked by Rastafarian lyrics. His latest roots reggae album, Rasta Got Soul, was nominated for a Grammy Reggae Album of the Year.

In addition to his musical success, Buju Banton is also known for the controversy surrounding his early work’s homophobic content and the international protests that it has produced. Most recently, his reggae Grammy nomination was protested by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation via an online petition.

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2. Buju Banton mistrial, new trial in December Rastafarian reggae singer Buju Banton‘s trial ended in a mistrial...
3. Buju Banton cocaine defense lawyer claims entrapment Grammy-nominated dancehall superstar Buju Banton, recently arrested in a cocaine...

Billboard Magazine reports that Barber has begun a campaign targeting reggae artistes, bands, and reggae music producers regarding participation in the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the group that bestows the Reggae Grammy every year. Her objective is to increase the number of reggae-related voters in the Recording Academy in time for the 2011 Grammy nominations by at least 100 people from around the world.

Barber has gone on to tell Billboard that “the only people voting in the reggae category are those who are not in the know” and “the few who are actually voting do not represent our industry.” She explained that when a typical non-reggae member of the Recording Academy is handed a list of 40 – 60 qualifying albums, they tend to simply opt for familiar names. This process leads to the widely-criticized process that seems to favor well-known classic reggae artistes.

Currently, there is only 1 Jamaican voting on the Reggae Grammy award in the Recording Academy.

For starters, Barber will hold an industry conference in Jamaica from January 21-25 to explain the Grammy nomination process to Jamaican music executives. A key component of the conference will be a discussion of the Academy’s requirement that a Reggae Grammy nomination must be returned to the Academy’s Los Angeles offices within 2 weeks of the original postmark. This process makes it difficult for Jamaican and other international participants to vote in time, so many potential Caribbean participants never even explore the other requirements of gathering creative credits and paying a membership fee.

Barber has worked hard for several years to finally achieve her goal of allowing participants to vote electronically, via email. This year she has finally succeeded, so the postal problems will no longer be an issue for the 2011 Reggae Grammy nomination process. The form also includes a “referred by” option for new members. She promises to assist any new Academy members with the voting process if they list her as the referrer. Bill Freimuth, the VP, Awards of the Recording Academy says it’s likely that all Grammy voting will switch to an online process in the coming years.

Now she’s working to build participation and awareness within the reggae community, explaining that “winning a reggae Grammy offers a level of recognition that impacts sales, radio play and concert demands, essential elements in establishing a new generation of reggae stars. I wouldn’t be doing the genre, the artists or Jamaica justice if I didn’t embark on this campaign.”

Barber would know: she produced the 2005 Reggae Grammy-nominated Def Jamaica album. She’s also the former President of the Marley family’s Tuff Gong and Ghetto Youths labels. Her next step will be to work to add a Dancehall Grammy category.

The Best Reggae Album Grammy was first awarded in 1985 and is typically won by Jamaican reggae artists. The 52nd Grammy Awards will be held on Sunday at 8 p.m. This year’s nominees for the Best Reggae Album Grammy are Gregory Isaacs, Sean Paul, Stephen Marley, Julian Marley and Buju Banton.

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Update: this article is part of a continuing series about Buju Banton’s arrest, accusations, and trial. For more information about the trial, please see these related articles:

1. Buju Banton mistrial, new trial in December, September 27
2. Buju Banton still waiting for drug trial verdict, from September 24
3. Buju Banton cocaine defense lawyer claims entrapment, from January 27
4. Buju Banton drug arrest: dancehall reggae star buys cocaine from undercover cops, from December 15, 2009

They say a good offense is the best defense, and apparently David Oscar Markus, Buju Banton‘s lawyer, agrees. He turned up the heat on a anti-Banton conspiracy theory when he filed court documents yesterday, Tuesday, January 26, 2010 claiming that Banton only attempted to purchase the cocaine after being convinced to do it by a government-paid informant.

The move is a good one, since Buju Banton is reported to have sampled the drugs before making the purchase and (if you believe the US authorities) was caught red-handed. He was arrested in Tamarac, Florida back on December 10, 2009 and pleaded not guilty to the drug charge in a federal court in Tampa, Florida.

The US DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) has filed an affidavit claiming that they received a tip from a “confidential informant” regarding the drug deal. The informant wore a wire to record drug negotiations with Buju Banton. Later, at a meeting in an “undercover warehouse” the agents claim that Banton and 2 associates sampled a 20-Kg load of cocaine from an undercover law enforcement officer in Sarasota, Florida.

In order to win the entrapment defense in a US court of law, Banton’s lawyer Markus must prove that Buju wasn’t “predisposed” to purchase cocaine and wouldn’t have engaged in the criminal behavior if the government hadn’t induced him to do so.

To do that, Markus is arguing that the government’s secret informant courted Banton for months, making repeated attempts to interest him in a cocaine purchase.

In fact, some of the government’s secret recordings may help Banton’s case, as Markus has argued that some of them include Banton’s “repeated attempts to putt off” the secret informant’s efforts to interest him in a drug deal.

Buju Banton’s lawyer is attempting to have the government’s secret informant’s name is revealed. He’s also making inquiries into how much the informant was paid and whether he has a past criminal record. Perhaps he’s hoping to show that the informant had so much to gain from entrapping Banton that he overstepped the bounds of a legal undercover investigation.

Buju Banton pleaded not guilty in Tampa federal court to charges of conspiring to distribute cocaine and aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm during the course of the cocaine distribution. His trial is currently scheduled to start in March 2010 and he’s being held without bail at Pinellas County Jail.

If convicted, Banton could face a sentence of life in prison.

Buju Banton, born Mark Myrie, is a 36-year-old Caribbean singer renowned for his husky voice and controversial lyrics. After making waves for his dancehall work in the early 1990s, he has more recently transitioned to a roots reggae style celebrating a Rastafarian lifestyle. His most recent album Rasta Got Soul, is nominated for a Grammy Reggae Album of the Year. He also recently won a 2009 IRAWMA award for best crossover song with John Legend.

Buju Banton‘s career has been marked by controversy and international protests regarding his the homophobic content of his early works. Banton’s reggae Grammy nomination is being protested by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation via an online petition.

This story was first reported by the Tampa Bay, Florida newspaper the St. Petersburg Times.

Related posts:

1. Buju Banton drug arrest sentencing delayed Jamaican dancehall reggae singer Buju Banton has been convicted of...
2. Buju Banton mistrial, new trial in December Rastafarian reggae singer Buju Banton‘s trial ended in a mistrial...
3. Buju Banton still waiting for drug trial verdict After earlier false reports that he had been acquitted, Jamaican...

Update: this article is part of a continuing series about Buju Banton’s arrest, accusations, and trial. For more information about the trial, please see these related articles:

1. Buju Banton mistrial, new trial in December, September 27
2. Buju Banton still waiting for drug trial verdict, from September 24
3. Buju Banton cocaine defense lawyer claims entrapment, from January 27
4. Buju Banton drug arrest: dancehall reggae star buys cocaine from undercover cops, from December 15, 2009

The United States Drug Enforcement Agency was acting on a confidential tip from an informant who wore a wire during the drug negotiations. The DEA arrested Buju Banton and 2 accomplices for attempting to purchase cocaine from an undercover law enforcement officer. The specific charge is conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5Kg of cocaine.

The case began when Buju Banton, 36, contacted the informant last week about buying the cocaine in Sarasota, Florida. The DEA then monitored him arrive at the meeting in a silver Land Rover with a “Jah One” license plate the next day at La Tropicana de Havana restaurant in Sarasota, where Banton and 2 other men met with the informant.

Law enforcement officials then followed Buju Banton and the other men to a warehouse that was already surrounded with surveillance equipment and observe the completion of the deal, where one of Banton’s accomplices sliced open a cocaine brick with a knife, and according to the DEA’s affidavit Banton “instantly wiped the blade of that knife with his finger and placed that finger in his mouth in what appeared to be an attempt to taste the cocaine.”

2 more meetings followed at other restaurants in Sarasota and then the police moved in and arrested Buju Banton last Thursday in Miami, Florida.

Buju Banton, born Mark Anthony Myrie, is being held in a Miami detention center and will be prosecuted in Tampa, Florida. Banton’s bail hearing will be held on Wednesday, December 15, in a Miami federal court. Banton’s attorney and record lable haven’t yet commented on the case.

Banton, 36, has homes in both Jamaica and Florida. He was one of the leading Jamaican dancehall stars in the 90s. More recently, his music has focused on roots reggae and was most recently nominated for a Grammy award this year for his Rasta Got Soul roots reggae album. It is his 4th Grammy nomination.

In the past he has been criticized for his homophobic lyrics by organizations such as The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), which recently launched an online petition protesting his reggae Grammy nomination due to past songs that advocate violence against gay people, specifically his dancehall song Boom Bye Bye, which advocates throwing acid in the face of gay men. Last September Buju Banton‘s PR reps told the Miami Herald that Banton has stopped performing that song so he should not be held accountable for it any longer.

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2. Buju Banton mistrial, new trial in December Rastafarian reggae singer Buju Banton‘s trial ended in a mistrial...
3. Buju Banton still waiting for drug trial verdict After earlier false reports that he had been acquitted, Jamaican...

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the United States’ lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, called on community members and allies to contact the Recording Academy and sign an online petition protesting the recent Grammy nomination of reggae singer Buju Banton’s album Rasta Got Soul, and urging Recording Academy members to not support his nomination.

You can see the petition at http://www.glaad.org/bujubantonpetition.

Change.org is hosting a form for concerned parties to contact the Recording Academy.

Jarrett Barrios, President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), explains that:

Reggae singer Buju Banton’s anti-gay lyrics and the climate of hatred they create are a threat to the safety of gay and transgender people everywhere. In a climate of increased anti-gay violence in this country and Banton’s home country of Jamaica, it is deeply disappointing that the Recording Academy would choose to laud the work of a singer who has advocated violence against the gay community.

In a popular song released in 1988 entitled Boom Bye Bye, Banton repeats the anti-gay ‘f-word’ and says that “f—–s have to die” and he will “shoot them in the head” or “burn them.” The Associated Press has reported that the song Batty Rider from Banton’s 1993 record Mr. Mention glorifies the shooting of gay men.

In October 2009 Buju Banton was quoted in news reports as saying “This is a fight, and as I said in one of my songs ‘there is no end to the war between me and f—-t’ and it’s clear.”

“We call on the media to shine a spotlight on Banton’s history of anti-gay lyrics in coverage of this year’s Grammy Awards as well as the Recording Academy’s decision to honor him without taking steps to ensure his future career is not marked with promoting violence,” said Barrios.

GLAAD also successfully campaigned Clear Channel to withdraw its sponsorship of 2007 Reggae Carifest featuring Banton and Bounty Killer. The concert continued in a smaller venue without it’s sponsorship.

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2. Buju Banton still waiting for drug trial verdict After earlier false reports that he had been acquitted, Jamaican...
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One of these nominees will win the best reggae Grammy at the 52nd annual Grammy awards:

• Rasta Got Soul by Buju Banton on Gargamel Music, Inc.
• Brand New Me by Gregory Isaacs on Tad’s Record
• Awake by Julian Marley on Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic
• Mind Control — Acoustic by Stephen Marley on Ghetto Youths/Tuff Gong/Universal Republic
• Imperial Blaze by Sean Paul on VP/Atlantic

Sean Paul‘s Imperial Blaze won the 2009 MOBO award and includes the single So Fine.

Last year’s Grammy Award was won by Burning Spear. (Even though the awards are provided in 2010, this isn’t the 2010 Reggae Grammy – that will be next year.)

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Although there are rumors that Sean Kingston‘s Fire Burning on the Dancefloor is available as a free download from his website, I was not able to find the link, even after joining the site. If anyone knows where it is, please post a comment.

In the meantime, you can hear Sean Kingston‘s Fire Burning MP3 for free at imeem.

Fire Burning Sean Kingston Free Music

Sean Kingston‘s Fire Burning on the Dancefloor MP3 is available as a free download from these sites:
http://hotfile.com/dl/106639/d27de0b/Sean_Kingston_-_Fire_Burning_On_The_Dancefloor.mp3.html
http://www.supload.com/listen?s=LIwsVK#
http://www.mediafire.com/?dzqwvmozdyt
http://www.zshare.net/audio/586049033b7834aa/

If you enjoy these tracks, you should also check out Sean Kingston‘s Face Drop downloads and videos – Face Drop is the second single from the Tomorrow album.

Sean Kingston made waves as an international star with his debut self-titled album and was recently signed to Epic Records. Raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Sean Kingston was certified as a platinum album with over 1 million CDs sold before he had turned 18. He claims Whitney Houston, dancehall DJ Buju Banton, Dennis Brown, Rakim, and Miami rappers as his musical influences, resulting in a sound that blends pop, hip hop, Carribean dancehall, and reggae. Sean Kingston’s Beautiful Girls was the #1 hit single from the album, which also included top 10 hits Me Love and Take You There. With 3 hit singles under his belt, many believe Sean Kingston’s Tomorrow will bring more Carribean-flavored pop to his fans.

Sean Kingston Fire on the Dancefloor video

Sean Kingston Fire Burning on the Dancehall lyrics

In closing, enjoy these lyrics to Sean Kingston‘s first single from Tomorrow, his second album, to be released soon.

Kingston
Let’s Go
Hey, hey, hey
Red One
Hey Hey
Shawty got that super thing
Hotter than the sun of south in spain
Got me soon as I walked through the door
My pocket started tickle-ing
The way she dropped it low that thang
Got me wanna spend my money on her, her

Chorus:
She get it pop it lock it drop it,
That birthday cake,
Got a candle, need to blow that crazy flame away
Now take my red, black card and my jewelry
Shawty is cool like the fire,
Cool like fire

Somebody call 911
Shawty fire burning on the dance floor
Whoa
I gotta cool her down
She won’t bring the roof to ground on the dance floor
Whoa
She’s fire burning, fire burning on the dance floor
That little shawty’s fire burning on the dance floor
She’s fire burning fire burning on the dance floor
That little shawty’s fire burning on the dance floor
Fire burning fire burning

That body is a masterpiece
The order is one in every hundred years
But ain’t no doubt I’m taking it home
Little mama game is about to change
She’ll be on covers over the world

(chorus)

She got that fire in her dance that’ll make them fella’s run around
Hey
No exit from the dance floor so them boys want more
Hey
She got that fire in her dance that’ll make them fella’s run around
Hey get outta my way , everybody, sing it now
No exit from the dance floor so them boys want more

(chorus)

Somebody call 911

Thanks to Ali’s blog and Gallivantism for the Fire Burning download links. Sean Kingston’s official website is www.seankingston.com.

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