'I'm Igbo' - Jamaican dancehall icon, Buju Banton declares

Buju Banton stirred the hornet's nest recently after criticising Afrobeats for lacking impact and biting off dancehall without paying respect.

Jamaican dancehall star, Buju Banton, has traced his roots to the Igbo tribe in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria.

The singer revealed his Igbo heritage during his recent appearance on the popular Drink Champs podcast co-hosted by N.O.R.E and DJ EFN.

Discussing his cultural lineage, the dancehall icon revealed his tribe to the Morons who originated from the Igbo people.

Buju Banton, however, expressed deep concern over the current situation in his country where he claimed that indigenous Maroon lands are under threat.

The reggae legend accused the Jamaican government of allowing the influx of Chinese and other foreign nationals into their region, leading to the displacement of the Maroon community.

“Our Indigenous way of life and our land are being threatened by the current government of Jamaica which seeks to bring Chinese and other nationalities into the Cockpit region which is an Indigenous sacred region to usurp us the Maroons as the warriors.

“Maroons are some of the Indigenous warriors on my Island. We fought the British relentlessly. We are called Blackmaroons. My generation originated from Nigeria. I am an Igbo man according to my bloodline,” he said.

Recently, Banton stirred the hornet's nest after criticising Afrobeats for lacking impact and biting off dancehall without paying respect.

The dancehall artiste bared his mind on the Drinking Champs Podcast, where he said Afrobeats is enjoying international success but the music doesn't edify or reflect the struggles of the continent like the work of older African artists.

He named Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti, Malian legend Salif Keita, and Senegalese musician Youssou N'dour as African artists whose music had a sociopolitical impact.