Buju Banton shared the trailer for his upcoming album Upside Down 2020.
After much promotion and hype surrounding Buju Banton’s long-awaited thirteenth studio album, the dancehall/reggae mogul has finally given fans a preview of the impending project. This record, which has been dubbed Upside Down 2020, marks Buju’s first album since his release from international incarceration.
Buju has a lofty benchmark as his last album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart. The highly anticipated follow up to 2010’s BeforeThe Dawn is slated to be released this month. The reggae icon took to Instagram to share a new video preview with a short tease of the visuals to come.
In the video, suspenseful music cascades over a stunning scene of the island’s hallmark greenery as Buju Banton is seen speeding on a motorcycle through a trail in the mountains. The album title appears in logo form with the word “Down” flipped on the long side as the year 2020 is right-aligned vertically. The preview prompts fans to preorder the album, which will be available on June 26th. “UPSIDE DOWN 2020 (JUNE 26TH)! Preorder This Friday,” Buju Banton wrote in the caption.
The 20-track album will feature collaborations from John Legend, Stephen Marley, Pharrell Williams, and Stefflon Don. Fans are excited about the new project from Buju Banton following his long stint in a United States penitentiary. Since his album announcement, Buju Banton has released several tracks from the project including “Steppa” which was also featured on his “Steppaz Riddim” compilation album earlier this year; as well as his 2019 hit “Trust” and his recently released collaborative effort with John Legend, “Memories.”
“As we approach this shift in time, in ages, in the consciousness of man, many things can be said but who is really listening?” Buju Banton wrote. “So much trouble in our world, yet are we aware? The battle lines have been drawn and it’s simple. Good vs. evil. I am not here to tell you the side you should be on, rather my offering of music is meant to guide, inspire, uplift, educate and eradicate negativity from the minds of the masses.”
Buju announced a change to the album name at the top of May when he decided to add “2020” to the title in light of this year’s unprecedented events. During a video announcement, Buju explained his point of view that “mankind is in a state of disarray” and him perceiving his “emergence as being upside-down.” Buju Banton’s new album will be available for preorder this Friday and will be live just two weeks later. Check out the full tracklist for Upside Down 2020.
Buju Banton – Upside Down 2020
1. “Lamb Of God”
2. “Yes Mi Friend” – feat. Stephen Marley
3. “Buried Alive”
4. “Blessed”
5. “Memories” – feat. John Legend
6. “Lovely State Of Mind”
7. “Appreciated”
8. “Trust”
9. “Cherry Pie” – feat. Pharrell Williams
10. “Beat The Bath”
11. “Good Time Girl”
12. “Call Me” – feat. Stefflon Don
13. “Moonlight Love”
14. “Cheated”
15. “Steppa”
16. “The World Is Changing”
17. “400 Years”
18. “Rising Up”
19. “Helping hand”
20. “Unity”
