The Gargamel Buju Banton did not mince words as he chided Jamaican smartphone addicts during his performance on the Welcome To Jamrock Reggae Cruise 2019 last week.
Buju Banton scolded Jamaicans whom he said have become so caught up with their smartphones that they are failing to reach out a helping hand to others in times of distress, instead opting to record pain and suffering in order to circulate on social media. “Nowadays everyweh mi go inna Jamaica, a suh everybaddy stay,” he said, holding his hand in the air to demonste how the phones were being held. “Woman and all man; right now di man dem more dan di ooman dem.”
“Di amount a man weh stap me fi picture more dan di ooman dem! Fi real. It frighten mi sometime caw mi a wanda a wha a gwaan. But anyway, bus da one yah fi mi nuh,” he said as he launched into his newest hit “Trust.”
Ironically, most of the patrons had their phones out videoing Buju like there was no tomorrow, even as he delved into the first verse of “Trust.” Before Buju sang the second verse of the song, he again issued a warning about people failing to be good Samaritans to their fellow Jamaicans.
“Once upon a time inna Jamaica, if yuh pass a car accident, yuh jump outta yuh car an yuh first instinct is fi try help who inside. Now these new Jamaicans’ instinct is fi draw fi dem phone, a seh: ‘look how gar eye a drap out’. What a b*mboclaat wi come to!” Buju exclaimed.
His comments were not lost on his fans who viewed the three-minute clip of that performance on the Onstage YouTube channel. Among the observations were the fact that the audience was doing almost the very same thing that Buju was advising them against.
“Wow they just have their phones out like robots n not even enjoying the show,” one fan wrote, while another stated: “Nobody is watching the artist perform they are too busy videoing the show like they are the video man, this is so stupid put down your phone and enjoy the show.”
Some viewers also commented on the performance, which they claimed was superior to that of the upcoming Dancehall artistes and that other veterans in the music should make a resurgence.
“If Buju can come back so hard what about Shabba Ranks and others ??? Greatness has no limits Buju proves this point. Trust is a classic for many years to come,” one fan said.
