Buju Banton

If u enjoy reggae..dancehall and roots it is all here in this Cd. Great mix of spiritual songs and dancehall like on ly Buju can do. This is a classic that everyone who likes raggae should have. This is my 2nd copy i played the first one to death.

This album definitely marks a turning point in Buju Banton's career, and his fanbase is usually divided into two camps when offering their assessment of it: those who mourn the loss of the pre-Rasta, rudebwoy Buju famous for tunes about busting his gun and laying pipe with the ladies (mostly drawn from the ranks of the old school, die-hard, dancehall massive who were bumping his tunes in the early days), and those who just discovered Buju at this point in his career (mostly non-Jamaicans looking for a new Bob Marley to listen to as they smoke weed in their suburban bedrooms or college dorms) for whom his earlier music is mostly inaccessible (by which I mean that even if they manage to track down classics like "Dutty Sinting" or "Boom Bye Bye" they not only have trouble deciphering the lingua, but are usually roundly disgusted by the lyrical content when they do).

My sensibilities are more in sync with those fans in the former category, but unlike some of my more dogmatic brethren, I do enjoy watching Mr. Myrie evolve and grow as a person and an artiste. Granted, some of his post-Til Shiloh discs have "crossover" written all over them, but I think that on this one, he got it right.

There are very few missteps here. The album opens with a sparse, prayer-like invocation of Ras Tafari, pledging devotion to the Emperor until his kingdom comes again, and merges so quickly and effortlessly into the rich, Nyabinghi chant-inspired "'Til I'm Laid to Rest", that the listener is swept into Buju's world as by a strong river current. From there, Buju rarely lets you go, carrying you with him through conscious tunes (such as "Murderer", "Untold Stories", "Not an Easy Road", and "Rampage"), love songs (such as "Wanna Be Loved", and "Only Man") and straight-ahead slackness tunes ("Hush Baby Hush" and "Champion").

This album is very personal. It is not a crass attempt to curry favour among the foreigners, as some would have it. Buju is going through a spiritual and emotional journey on this record, and he effectively carries the listener with him throughout. Like most great artistes (Bob Marley, John Lennon, Sam Cooke...) Buju emerges on this disc as a man of contradictions, but a deep and engaging character nonetheless. This is, in my opinion, Buju's first stab at a concept album, and in my assessment, he hits his mark and hits it hard. Forward ahead, Gargamel! Til Shiloh!

This is an awesome dancehall/modern reggae album. I love how Buju half-toasts and half-sings most of the songs. About 10 of the songs are absolutely brilliant, while the other 7 are just mediocore. Plus, be warned that Buju's voice takes a little getting-used-to if this is the first time you've heard him. Once the album becomes familiar, though, it will be hard NOT to listen to it. The best songs are "Untold Stories," "Not An Easy Road," "Murderer," "'Til I'm Laid To Rest," and "Wanna Be Loved."

On a side note, other reviewers have stated that Buju is in trouble for beating up a homosexual. This album doesn't reflect that. Don't be afraid to buy this album just because you think it is going to bash homosexuals. It doesn't. I don't even see how someone can sing these songs and actually hate anyone. If he does, he truly doesn't practice what he preaches.

This album can easily satisfy any reggae lover and unexpectedly grab hold onto non-reggae listeners into its clutches. Buju is masterful on the mic with his rough sounding style and the production is perfect. It's one of the Best reggae album I own that is constantly on rotation when I'm in the mood for this genre. Buju open the album with the brief a cappella psalm, "Shiloh," which is inspirational and extraordinary to hear. On the next two tracks he explodes with sound and feeling with first "Til I'm Laid to Rest," a melody that is intertwines with an homage to Africa and his faith in the Promised Land. He secondly roles in with one of the most powerful and rawest track "Murderer." It's emotionally written in the repercussion of his friend's killings in which Buju struggles with his grief and fierce desire for vengeance. "Champion" and "It's all Over," proves Buju is still a rudebwoy on these tracks that's just phenomenal. "Untold Stories," is one pretty haunting song that reflects on the world around him that's pleasant to the ears.

It's "Not an Easy Road," shows Banton vulnerable side and continues on opening his soul to the world with "Wanna Be Loved," and also exposes his loneliness on "What Ya Gonna Do" joined by Wayne Wonder that I can't get enough of because there great to mellow out to. On "Complaint" Buju is praising Jah and spreading the heathens before him. "Chuck It So" takes a similar attitude, which he takes on a Big Man, with the 2 Friends Crew softening his vicious assault. Buju turned a 1960 classic "Stay," with "Hush Baby Hush," by slightly adding a lighter note to this event. The last track "Champion [remix]" is a pleasant addition because it reminds me of my club years, the DJ's use to play this number religiously and had a lot of people moving.

`Til Shiloh' is a rare and gentler side to Buju that will have you constantly hitting the repeat button. It's a necessity for any reggae fan and with that I also recommend the album `Inna Heights.'

Of course this cd is good it's Buju Banton! This is actually my second copy b/c my last one was scratched all to crap. Buju Banton has dominated reggae for quite some time now, maybe since the Marley's, for sure since the late 90's. "Murderer" is by far the best of the many great songs on the album and one of his best songs ever and of course "Champion" and even more so the remix of "Champion" is probably the second best track on there. I do enjoy his album "Voice of Jamaica" better just b/c every single beat, lyric, and tune is just the ultimate rythmatic reggae sounds ever, which he did the same in this album. But if you enjoyed any of his other albums you will not be disappointed with this one, "Til' Shiloh" is a must have for any reggae and/or Buju Banton fan.

Buju Banton by far is one of the best artist in the reggae world. i don't think there is anyone who comes close to his style and delivers his message. this cd has all of the things about him, the dance hall and the messages. a must buy!!!!!

BUJU is like NO OTHER. many have tried but ALL have failed. he is undoubtedly THE BEST.. anyone who KNOWS reggea KNOWS it can't exist without BUJU.... his SEXY RAUNCHY voice just makes it all worth while..he WILL ALWAYS BE #1.......

This CD is one of his greatest. I'm glad he released this one because it sure got nice and worn out in my car. The first song, he comes out hard. I wish he would have sung more of these songs at his concert that I attended in the fall. He still wants to wear out his Til Shiloh cuts which indeed are classics but he is so talented that everything he comes out with is a classic. But this Too Bad CD is nothing to fall asleep on. Get it if you don't have it already.

a very balanced album. There's a song for different kinds of moods, I like most 'til it bend,me & ounu and try offa yah, these are great for weekend parties. There are also great songs for quiet moods; songs like lonely night and Don & Dupes which I play over and over 'cause its briliant.

He's so funny, what he does. Too bad for his critics, I guess. Too bad for "uppity Rastas". Too bad for those who don't realize when people change. Too bad for people who wish to hide the past. Too bad for the imitators who fail and get VEX. Too bad for those who haven't seen this man perform! Too bad for deaf people - they cannot enjoy this - for there is nary a song on this cd which isn't too TOO bad.

This CD is great and features the late Notorious B.I.G.'s first song, "Party and Bullshit". This is a CD everyone who collects CDs should have.

buju banton has the ability to sing both roots reggae songs, (ie. untold stories), and dancehall tunes, (ie. love sponge). i must admit i am more a fan of the roots reggae style it holds more meaning to me. i do however like several of the dancehall guys such as buju's stuff, barrington levy, sizzla and some of beenie man's stuff too. basically if you like alittle of both, then buju gets it done and doesn't spoil the reggae with any of that hip-hop dancehall like sean paul.

look, whoever says that Buju Banton is a disgrace to reggae they got something wrong with them. okay, maybe he's not the best, but he is pretty damn good and has a totally individual vocal style. i am a rasta (at least i try) and i have a reggae band and i know that he is good. personally i like the songs 'murderer' and 'untold stories' and 'Buju movin'. they have a good feel to them

look, whoever says that Buju Banton is a disgrace to reggae they got something wrong with them. okay, maybe he's not the best, but he is pretty damn good and has a totally individual vocal style. i am a rasta (at least i try) and i have a reggae band and i know that he is good.

Great lyrics in the dancehall reggae tunes. All of his best songs and greatest hits on one CD. If you're a fan of Buju Banton or just reggae music in general...buy it!!!!

This CD takes you through Buju's evolution as an artist. From the first track, you can envision 'BUJU MOVIN', through the 'Hills and Valleys' of his career and maturing to be who he has ultimately become, one of the greatest reggae artists of our time. He has successfully become a more concious and spiritual artist without alienating his core dancehall fans. Most of his hip-hop cross-over prone peers are left scratching their heads saying "How he a do dat?" 'Untold Stories' still stands out as the class of this album. Very basic instruments, guitar and congo drums, make you focus on his political laments, very "Bob Marleyesque" I wish more songs from 'Til Shiloh' where included in this but I can live with this. This is an excellent compilation and should serve to satisfy people who want to hear Buju for the first time but are unsure of what album to buy.

Another great Buju cd. Must be included in any reggae or dancehall collection. One of Jamaica's great sons of music!

Buju is by far one of the best reggae artist there is. Needless to say he is my favorite and anything he touches is great, his positive messages in his music keeps him on top. Destiny,Circumstances,Love Sponge and Murderer are just a few of his best and my favorites. pick up his Ultimate Collection CD, you won't be disappointed.

Inna Heights has been one of my favorite cds since it came out. I listen to pretty much everything, and while the 11 other CDs I keep in the visor slots have changed time and time again over the years, this one has remained a constant.

I should also mention that I purchased this CD five times within the first two years it came out because my friends kept stealing it or borrowing it and "forgetting" to give it back. Was a great choice to listen to in my discman while running track. Now the whole album is on my husband's ipod.

And its really for everyone. While I LOVE Dancehall/ Reggae, even non-fans choose to listen to this CD in my car. These passengers include my mother and my kids.

First off, I'll always give a Buju cd a five star rating. Second,I'll give my own opinion:
Hills and Valleys can't go wrong - just a good message
Destiny is a private song to think about yourself
Cry No More proves that Buju has many sisters
LOVE DEM BAD make I love being a woman (a true)
Love Sponge is a song to sing to anyone who rock you right
This cd is good, too many songs on it, but good

Buju Banton is my favorite reggae artist. What I like about his music is the message that he's sending out. The positivity. And the beats that are produced. However, Inna Heights is not my favorite, Til Shiloh is. Inna heights is still a good album though. Hills and valleys, cry no more, and love sponge are my favorites on this album.

Good CD. I recommend this product. Buju Banton is a great artist anyway, but the CD is recommendable.

This album showcases Buju in his early years before he adopted his Rastafarian faith and became more spirtual. You won't find any conscious roots type songs on here, instead this is just straight up dancehall. My favorite tracks are "Batty Rider," Have Fi Get Yu Tonight," "Love How Di Gal Dem Flex," "Hotness," the infectious "Bogle," "Good Looking Gal," "Gone A Lead," the wicked, bass-heavy "Good Good," the controversial "Boom Bye Bye," "Stamina Daddy," the fast, uptempo "Mine Behind the Wine," the smooth R&B-influenced "Wicked Dickie" (the female singer provides nice vocals), and the last track "Bonafide Love." Although there really isn't a bad song on here, there are a couple of tracks that I feel didn't quite fit the rest of the album such as "Why Should I," and "Miss Joan" (not a bad song, but the chorus is sort of annoying). Conspicuous by their absence are "Man Fi Dead," and "Love Me Browning" (would have been better if these REPLACED the aforementioned tracks). Overall however, it is a excellent compilation from Buju B.

The best of his early time . All good songs and exciting tracks.love it...

All of his early hits. I like about 8 of these tracks still. I couldn't care less about the content of the lyrics since I can't understand what he's saying anyway.

If you like homophobic murder music, you'll love this! Banton advocates killing gays and lesbians in a number of songs, and is wanted for questioning in the attack of six gay men. [...]

His song Boom Bye Bye talks about shooting gay men with Uzis as well as pouring acid on their heads. "Burn him up badly, like you would burn an old tyre wheel"

This a wonderful CD. It was delivered in a timely manner and was in tip top condition. I was very pleased with the seller. Thank You.

how can something thats no good have a best of? hmmm i guess its good to fuel the hate this music comes from... Reggae is about love... Jah be praised and let waste like this sink like a stone... No talent, no riddim just crap

I first heard of Buju Banton through the Hellcat records compilation "Give 'em The Boot 2". namely, the "Misty Days" song where he worked with Rancid.

That song is amazing.

anyway, i picked up this CD...and it was completely different from anything i previously owned.

which was nice, a good switch. It's Unique and Wonderful. and Reggae-Riffic.

This album is the perfect blend of dancehall and conscious reggae. Buju took me on an emotional journey on this album. I'm a huge fan of Buju Banton because I grew up on his music. He's grown so much in his years in the business and this album is reggae gold. If your thinking about buying this album, you won't be disappointed. You can listen to the whole thing through and through. Big up to Buju.

This album can easily satisfy any reggae lover and unexpectedly grab hold onto non-reggae listeners into its clutches. Buju is masterful on the mic with his rough sounding style and the production is perfect. It's one of the Best reggae album I own that is constantly on rotation when I'm in the mood for this genre. Buju open the album with the brief a cappella psalm, "Shiloh," which is inspirational and extraordinary to hear. On the next two tracks he explodes with sound and feeling with first "Til I'm Laid to Rest," a melody that is intertwines with an homage to Africa and his faith in the Promised Land. He secondly roles in with one of the most powerful and rawest track "Murderer." It's emotionally written in the repercussion of his friend's killings in which Buju struggles with his grief and fierce desire for vengeance. "Champion" and "It's all Over," proves Buju is still a rudebwoy on these tracks that's just phenomenal. "Untold Stories," is one pretty haunting song that reflects on the world around him that's pleasant to the ears.

It's "Not an Easy Road," shows Banton vulnerable side and continues on opening his soul to the world with "Wanna Be Loved," and also exposes his loneliness on "What Ya Gonna Do" joined by Wayne Wonder that I can't get enough of because there great to mellow out to. On "Complaint" Buju is praising Jah and spreading the heathens before him. "Chuck It So" takes a similar attitude, which he takes on a Big Man, with the 2 Friends Crew softening his vicious assault. Buju turned a 1960 classic "Stay," with "Hush Baby Hush," by slightly adding a lighter note to this event. The last track "Champion [remix]" is a pleasant addition because it reminds me of my club years, the DJ's use to play this number religiously and had a lot of people moving.

`Til Shiloh' is a rare and gentler side to Buju that will have you constantly hitting the repeat button. It's a necessity for any reggae fan and with that I also recommend the album `Inna Heights.'

This is the best reggae CD ever. If you don't have this in your collection, you are truly missing out. Don't be a fool and not have this one in your repetoire. It is a must have. This artist is pretty much one of the best reggae artist. If you attend his concert, you'll see how talented he is as well as owning so many #1 (in my book) hits. Wanna be loved is my fav.

"Til Shiloh," is definitely Buju Banton's best album ever. 'Til Shiloh serves up a variety of different flavors of reggae, ranging from "Til I'm Laid to Rest, Murderer,It's not an Easy Road, Untold Stories (the Marley-like song), and of course Complaint with the late great Garnett Silk. 'Til Shiloh is certainly Buju's greatest musical accomplishment in his entire career. Other great Buju albums are Mr. Mention, Voice of Jamaica, and the Greatest Hits.

I just want to say that this is the BEST CD from Buju Banton. He is an excellent peformer and artist (saw him in concert at DC this summer 2001). My favorite songs on the CD are "Wanna Be Loved", "Murderer", and many many more. Actually ALL of them are my favorite tracks. I you haven't bought this item, then definitely go and get it. It's worth it.

This album is needed for anyone who likes reggae. It has such classic songs that we Jamaicans listen to. Great messages and rhthyms and great guest artists also.

"Voice of Jamaica" marks Buju Banton's first attempt to crossover to an American/International audience. The slim, gruff-voiced deejay is still cast in the role of the street-savvy rudebwoy on this album. His neatly trimmed fade and clean shaven face stand in sharp contrast to the full beard and flowing dreadlocks that would become emblematic of the deejay in his later career. As with his previous offerings ("Stamina Daddy" and "Mr. Mention") Buju is still on about girls and guns. But what separates "Voice of Jamaica" from Buju's earlier body of work is slick, hip hop infused, Yankee-friendly production and a burgeoning sense of social consciousness.

"Stamina Daddy" was pure, gleeful slackness, a collection of pounding dancehall bangers. "Mr. Mention" contained more of the same, along with a bevy of love songs and the sole conscious tune on the album, "How the World a Run". "Voice of Jamaica", by contrast, begins to showcase Buju's developing maturity with a spate of conscious tunes such as "Deportees (Things Change)" (which blasts Jamaicans who go abroad to find their fortune and abandon their needy relatives back home), "Operation Ardent" (which takes the police force to task for its harrassment of innocent partygoers), "Willy (Don't Be Silly)" (which promotes the value of safe sex), and "Tribal War" and "Wicked Act" (both of which tackle the subjects of bloodshed and violence).

Still, "Voice of Jamaica" has no shortage of love songs and odes to women in general, such as "Searching" (for love - self explanatory), "Commitment" (about a man torn between two women), "Red Rose" (an homage to a beauty with a fondess for ornamental flowers), "Make My Day" (in which Buju promises a young lady, "I'll be your friend to the end like Chucky!" - From "Child's Play"? Yikes! Run, girl! Run!), and my personal favourite "Good Body" (Buju's description of an absolutely gorgeous girl is so convincing on this track that I was willing and to ready to propose to the sister, and I'd never even laid eyes on her!).

Guest stars abound on this disc, including the deliberately cartoonish Busta Rhymes (who taps into his Jamaican roots to chat a little patois on "Wicked Act"), dancehall veterans Tony Rebel and Terry Ganzie (who join Buju in his condemnation of gang violence on "Tribal War"), Brian and Tony Gold (who add their lilting harmonies to "Make My Day" and a couple of other tunes), and, most importantly, the phenomenal Beres Hammond who returns to collaborate with Buju on the instant classic "A Little More Time".

Very few artistes consistently crank out "perfect five" albums in my book, but Buju Banton is one of the most complex and talented deejays ever to grace the microphone in terms of lyrical content, flow, and delivery, and on this album he shines once again. As a music afficionado with an appreciation for both dancehall and hip hop and the combination of the two to various degrees (from KRS-1, to Shinehead, to Born Jamericans) I feel perfectly comfortable giving this solid crossover album five stars. I can, however, understand why hardcore dancehall fans would regard Buju's adventure into uncharted territory with some trepidation, although I hope they would avoid hypocrisy and hold Sean Paul, Beenie Man, Jr. Gong and others to the same standard.