Buju Banton Criticizes Afrobeats and Reggaeton, Praises Reggae and Dancehall

Buju Banton has caused a stir amongst music fans with critical comments made regarding his issues with Afrobeats and Reggaeton.

During a recent appearance on the Drink Champs podcast, the dancehall legend shared his thoughts about both genres, which included accusations of disrespect and theft of Jamaican culture. First speaking on Afrobeats, Banton spoke down on the genre, pointing to its alleged lack of songs addressing sociopolitical issues plaguing various regions in the continent when compared to reggae and dancehall.

“Tell me one Afrobeats song that can uplift us,” Buju challenged N.O.R.E. “Kenya is suffering; young men of Kenya are revolting. South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, you name it. But which of these Afrobeats songs can I relate to for a peace of mind, to tell me that I’m in the struggle, and we are gonna be better in the struggle. And even though it’s hard, we’re gonna overcome? Tell me.”

The 51-year-old then lashed out against Reggaeton artists, charging them with pillaging from reggae artists without proper acknowledgement. “Listen, a lot of culture vultures out there,” Buju added. “We have sat and we have watched Reggaeton taking Reggae music. You have f**ked with our music so hard and stolen our culture.”

While Banton insisted that he was not “knocking” any artist in particular, he continued to blast both genres, deeming each as soulless and lacking the meaning and tradition of reggae and dancehall.

“You don’t give us no respect motherf**kers, and you still expect us to kowtow and act like we take something from you?” he added. “This is the King’s music. Your music hall come and go, because it has nothing to do with soul; it has nothing to do with building energy.”

Banton’s statements quickly went viral, with fans of all four genres weighing in with their own opinions. Some Afrobeats fans vehemently denied Buju’s assertion, listing songs and artists that have “uplifted” the people while simultaneously growing in global popularity in recent years. Others seemingly agreed with Banton’s view of things, echoing his sentiments in social media posts of their own.

See Buju Banton’s Drink Champs interview below.