Buju drops new song, working on full album

Fans of Buju Banton will be delighted to hear that a brand new Buju - not a collab - is about to drop, and it's called 'Steppa'.

The Grammy-winning artiste has also revealed that he is working on a full album.

The new single, which Banton has been promoting on social media since Tuesday, shows the Gargamel unleashing his dancehall side, with a rhythm that sounds like pure '90s dancehall. The artwork for the single depicts a pair of dirty Converse with the name of the song, Buju's name and other writings scrawled over it. There is also a sticker which warns "Parental Advisory, Explicit content".

Steppa will be officially released on Friday, but it is now available on pre-order.

In an interview with Ebro of Apple Music, Beats 1, Buju explained the meaning of the term 'steppa'. Declaring that he did not want any confusion, he emphasised that there is difference between a 'steppa' and a 'shotta'

"Let me clear up any misconception. a steppa is different from a shotta. Shottas are guys who go around and rob the people. They are not steppa, they are tekkas and shottas. Now a steppa, we step because we want progress. We are stepping for the better, not the worse," he said.

He gave a premiere of sorts during the Ebro interview when he deejayed part of a verse from the song.

Of the album, he said that it will be "something different, to educate, uplift and stimulate".

He told Ebro: "Most people who listen to reggae music have a different level of knowledge, we call it common sense. This album is going to be riddled with life experience, my experience."

Buju Banton, since his release from prison, has been featured on DJ Khaled's Father of Asahd album in a collaboration with Sizzla, Mavado and 070 Shake, titled Holy Mountain. He has embarked of a Long Walk To Freedom tour since the historic first show on March 16 at the National Stadium in Jamaica, and has since been thrilling fans in the Caribbean and parts of Europe.

Buju Banton is one of the big-ticket draws for this year's Reggae Sumfest. His highly anticipated performance is scheduled for this Saturday night at the Catherine Hall Complex in Montego Bay.