Post by kaya on Jan 29, 2005 22:58:07 GMT -5
Article:
The music video for the single, Magic City from Buju Banton's upcoming album, Rasta Got Soul, was shot in Port Royal and Ocho Rios last weekend under the direction of Troy Antonio from New York.
"Upon the finalisation of the album, we've chosen Magic City as the first single. And the music video for Magic City has just been completed over last weekend by a very experienced film crew which came all the way from New York City," a relaxed Buju Banton told Splash at his Carlysle Avenue recording studio earlier this week.
"That was extremely magical," proclaimed the elated Rastafarian entertainer. "We had two beautiful days of 24-hour shooting. They took the initiative to come to Jamaica; I did not pay them a fee as such. I just financed the bills and they did this for me just because of what I've done for them through my music, give thanks unto the Most I God."
In obvious reference to the travel restriction to the United States imposed on him because of his marijuana conviction last year, Buju Banton said, "it's been a lot of upheavals and I notice that everytime I raise my head to do something positive, there are certain people who jump into the way to distract the nation... but I say one thing to all the people of the earth, justice must prevail."
Shedding light on the Buju Banton's "Lift the Ban Campaign", vice president of Gargamel Music Inc, Traci McGregor said she was encouraged with the overwhelming response from the international community.
"We have over 5,000 signatures from all over the world at this point, we also have an online component to those petitions, through the word that was spread from Jamaica, we got responses from people all over the world, fans and supporters of Buju.
"And I'm talking people like doctors, college professors, people all the way over in Zimbabwe, Croatia in support, and he can go a lot of those places. They are like saying, this is a voice for all of us and we need this voice now, he needs to be heard everywhere."
Despite the restriction to travel to the US, Buju Banton has been busy on the road and the mood in the camp is that the ban to the US will be lifted as soon as the case goes to court.
"He travels extensively, he just got back from Europe and Africa, I know there are some dates in Japan coming up, I'm sure he is going back over to Europe and he hopes to go into America from where we get a lot of offers. He is very well sought after there.
The present situation is Buju still cannot travel to the US. He can travel to the UK, he can travel to Canada and as far as I know, everywhere else," McGregor said.
"To the US," the vice president points out, "he is in the process of appeal which here in Jamaica takes a long time. I read an article recently to the effect that they were trying to speed up the process and I found that encouraging."
Giving her take on the Magic City video slated to be released in March, McGregor is of the view that it reflects the growth and development of Buju Banton, and the album from which it is taken, Rasta Got Soul, could equal if not surpass his landmark set, Til Shiloh.
"I don't think that there is any video yet that has represented the fullness of his character, the songwriter, the lyricist, the performer, yuh know, he is one of the best of the best. And I think that will surely be represented in the video, as well as some of his more personal beliefs, his lifestyle of being a Rasta, you get a sense of who he is at the core. It is autobiographical in that it shows the lifestyle that he lives," she said.
"The album most people, especially in the States are harking back to, is Til Shiloh which was a landmark album for Buju and reggae music... this new album, this new single, really show who Buju is."
For the Rasta Got Soul album scheduled for a spring launch, they are shopping around for a distribution deal.
"Discussions are ongoing with several entities," McGregor said. "The thing about it, she added, "we're a record label now and it's different from how things have been dealt with before when you just signing an artiste to a record on a label.
And as a record label we need to ensure that we're partnering with the right people who are going to support us.
This is not an easy time for reggae music, so we're not trying to just link up with a distributor... that's why we're taking our time, we know what we have in the product and if that mean selling it over the internet, so be it."
Buju Banton's last album, Friends For Life came out about two years ago through VP Records.
Taken from Jamaica Observer
www.jamaicaobserver.com
The music video for the single, Magic City from Buju Banton's upcoming album, Rasta Got Soul, was shot in Port Royal and Ocho Rios last weekend under the direction of Troy Antonio from New York.
"Upon the finalisation of the album, we've chosen Magic City as the first single. And the music video for Magic City has just been completed over last weekend by a very experienced film crew which came all the way from New York City," a relaxed Buju Banton told Splash at his Carlysle Avenue recording studio earlier this week.
"That was extremely magical," proclaimed the elated Rastafarian entertainer. "We had two beautiful days of 24-hour shooting. They took the initiative to come to Jamaica; I did not pay them a fee as such. I just financed the bills and they did this for me just because of what I've done for them through my music, give thanks unto the Most I God."
In obvious reference to the travel restriction to the United States imposed on him because of his marijuana conviction last year, Buju Banton said, "it's been a lot of upheavals and I notice that everytime I raise my head to do something positive, there are certain people who jump into the way to distract the nation... but I say one thing to all the people of the earth, justice must prevail."
Shedding light on the Buju Banton's "Lift the Ban Campaign", vice president of Gargamel Music Inc, Traci McGregor said she was encouraged with the overwhelming response from the international community.
"We have over 5,000 signatures from all over the world at this point, we also have an online component to those petitions, through the word that was spread from Jamaica, we got responses from people all over the world, fans and supporters of Buju.
"And I'm talking people like doctors, college professors, people all the way over in Zimbabwe, Croatia in support, and he can go a lot of those places. They are like saying, this is a voice for all of us and we need this voice now, he needs to be heard everywhere."
Despite the restriction to travel to the US, Buju Banton has been busy on the road and the mood in the camp is that the ban to the US will be lifted as soon as the case goes to court.
"He travels extensively, he just got back from Europe and Africa, I know there are some dates in Japan coming up, I'm sure he is going back over to Europe and he hopes to go into America from where we get a lot of offers. He is very well sought after there.
The present situation is Buju still cannot travel to the US. He can travel to the UK, he can travel to Canada and as far as I know, everywhere else," McGregor said.
"To the US," the vice president points out, "he is in the process of appeal which here in Jamaica takes a long time. I read an article recently to the effect that they were trying to speed up the process and I found that encouraging."
Giving her take on the Magic City video slated to be released in March, McGregor is of the view that it reflects the growth and development of Buju Banton, and the album from which it is taken, Rasta Got Soul, could equal if not surpass his landmark set, Til Shiloh.
"I don't think that there is any video yet that has represented the fullness of his character, the songwriter, the lyricist, the performer, yuh know, he is one of the best of the best. And I think that will surely be represented in the video, as well as some of his more personal beliefs, his lifestyle of being a Rasta, you get a sense of who he is at the core. It is autobiographical in that it shows the lifestyle that he lives," she said.
"The album most people, especially in the States are harking back to, is Til Shiloh which was a landmark album for Buju and reggae music... this new album, this new single, really show who Buju is."
For the Rasta Got Soul album scheduled for a spring launch, they are shopping around for a distribution deal.
"Discussions are ongoing with several entities," McGregor said. "The thing about it, she added, "we're a record label now and it's different from how things have been dealt with before when you just signing an artiste to a record on a label.
And as a record label we need to ensure that we're partnering with the right people who are going to support us.
This is not an easy time for reggae music, so we're not trying to just link up with a distributor... that's why we're taking our time, we know what we have in the product and if that mean selling it over the internet, so be it."
Buju Banton's last album, Friends For Life came out about two years ago through VP Records.
Taken from Jamaica Observer
www.jamaicaobserver.com