On Friday (April 21), Buju Banton dropped off a new single titled “High Life,” which he co-produced alongside Jermaine Reid and features an appearance from Snoop Dogg. As expected, the song is centered around the kind of subject matter that was perfect for the stoners’ holiday weekend.
“Come fresh from the farm, nuh preserve nothing added, burn it inna your nostrils, yuh feel it inna yuh forehead, THC and di general married, here to heal di nation, foundation solid, one collie bud inna di morning just won’t do, no sah, mi seh blunt or paper, mek we roll up a few, a weh dem a go do fi stop di ganja man crew, one puff from di smoke and Babylon don’t see a who…”
Back in 2018, Banton was released from prison following a decade-long stint on federal drug charges. A couple of years later, he would mark his return to wax with Upside Down 2020, his first official release since partnering with Roc Nation. That project boasted additional appearances from Pharrell Williams, Stephen Marley, John Legend, and Stefflon Don. In more recent times, the Jamaican legend can be heard on songs like Koffee’s “Pressure (Remix),” Sean Paul’s “Crazy,” Tomi Thomas’ “Hurricane,” DJ Khaled‘s “THESE STREETS KNOW MY NAME,” and Kabaka Pyramid’s “Faded Away.”
In an interview with OkayAfrica, Banton opened up about reggae music and how it needs to progress and evolve.
“You know, with reggae music… we have to reexplore ourselves,” he said. “I think the frequencies that we have been operating from have been exhausted. The musical harmony is not there. Some of the things that have happened, they cannot happen anymore, and we know that this frequency needs to change. The music that I’ll be offering is coming from a place of peace, a place of love.”
Press play on “High Life” below.