Buju Banton captivated audiences with a masterful performance at Long Island’s UBS Arena. On Sunday night, July 14, the reggae icon dazzled fans with a 90-minute set that left it hard to believe howmuch time had passed since his last U.S. performance. This show was the second of two consecutive sold-out performances over the weekend, showcasing the vibrant cultural spirit of New York City through dynamic staging, entrancing musical arrangements, and an unmatched passion for love, music, and unity.
Known as Gargamel, Buju Banton took the stage with a profound sense of gratitude. These New York performances marked his first U.S. concerts since his 2011 incarceration for multiple convictions, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm related to drug trafficking, and using communication wires to facilitate drug trafficking. After serving seven years in a Georgia prison, he was released and deported to Jamaica in 2018. Earlier this year, he was granted a visa to return to the U.S., leading to a hero’s welcome with his “Long Walk to Freedom” concerts at the 18,500-capacity UBS Arena.
“They said to me, you will never come back to the United States of America,” dancehall and reggae maven Buju Banton told the sold-out crowd at Long Island’s UBS Arena on the steamy evening of July 14. “I said to them, let’s see what God will do.”.
Buju Banton’s last New York performance was at Madison Square Garden in 2008, making his return highly anticipated by the city’s large Caribbean community, which constitutes about 20 percent of its population.
The concerts, held just before Banton’s 51st birthday on July 15, saw the reggae legend deliver nearly two-hour sets each night with unmatched energy and vitality.
As Buju Banton electrified the audience with his expansive setlist, he paid homage to nearly every era of his four-decade career. Timeless anthems like “Champion” and “Wanna Be Loved” resonated throughout the arena, with the crowd eagerly shouting the lyrics back at him. Meanwhile, poignant tracks such as “Murderer” and “Psalm 23” showcased the vulnerability and raw emotion that have solidified Buju’s status as one of the most revered musical acts across genres.
The packed UBS Arena in Long Island felt like an authentic Brooklyn block party, with every generation represented and a palpable sense of unity. Flags from Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad & Tobago adorned the crowd, as over 18,000 fans celebrated the reggae legend with their hands raised in tribute.
Buju Banton shared the stage with some of his closest collaborators, including Gramps Morgan, Fat Joe, and Remy Ma, adding an extra layer of excitement to the evening. This collaboration highlighted the deep connection between reggae, dancehall, and hip-hop, particularly in New York City, which Buju referred to as one of the “meccas of reggae music” in a recent Billboard interview. The interview also announced his upcoming 14-date U.S. arena tour, “The Overcomer Tour,” marking his first-ever arena tour in support of his 2023 album, Born for Greatness. The tour will kick off in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on August 23.
The Jamaican reggae and dancehall star will continue his tour with stops in major cities including Tampa, Washington D.C., Boston, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The tour will culminate in New York City, with a final performance in Brooklyn on November 17, nearly three months after it begins.
See Buju Banton’s 2024 tour dates below, and get tickets here.
08/23 — Ft. Lauderdale, Florida @ Amerant Bank Arena
08/25 — Tampa, Florida @ Amalie Arena
08/27 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
08/30 — Boston, Massachusetts @ TD Garden
09/01 — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania @ Wells Fargo Center
09/06 — Hartford, Connecticut @ XL Center
09/08 — Atlanta, Georgia @ State Farm Arena
09/12 — Houston, Texas @ Toyota Center
09/13 — Dallas, Texas @ American Airlines Center
09/15 — Phoenix, Arizona @ Footprint Center
09/18 — Inglewood, California @ Intuit Dome
09/23 — San Jose, California @ SAP Center
09/29 — Chicago, Illinois @ All State Arena
11/17 — Brooklyn, New York @ Barclays Center
By Alize Utteryn 07/15/2024
