Gargamel Links With Dada Son To Release New Gramps Album In Europe

The Gargamel Music family has joined forces with Gramps Morgan‘s Dada Son imprint to distribute the critically acclaimed new Gramps solo album, Reggae Music Lives, in Europe. Gargamel Music will lend to the project its vast European distribution network, led by the good folks at Good To Go.

“Gramps is a superb artist,” says longtime friend and collaborator Buju Banton, who was recently voted one of Guinness Caribbean’s Top 50 Dancehall Icons Of All Time (Banton landed at #4). “There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this is the right thing to do as far as developing avenues to further establish the music in other parts of the world, hence displaying the the true spirit of brotherly love and the synergy of interdependence,” he adds. “Gramps, the world is yours.”

Reggae Music Lives begins it’s official European roll out as follows:

• Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Benelux – CD in stores Aug 10
• France, Italy – CD in stores Aug 13
• UK – CD in stores Sept 3

Gramps is currently promoting the new record while on tour in Europe with Morgan Heritage.

Zion Rootswear To Produce Official Buju Banton Merchandise

~ The Official Buju Banton Logo T-Shirt ~ Available @ Zion Rootswear

The Gargamel Music Family is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Zion Rootswear to produce and distribute official Buju Banton T-Shirts worldwide. Since opening its doors in 1999, Zion Rootswear has established itself as the premier merchandiser for an esteemed group of legendary artists that include the late, great Bob Marley, Elvis Presley, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Ziggy Marley, John Lennon, Willie Nelson and Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.

“Over the years we have really built a name for ourselves by being dedicated to honoring greats within the music world,” says Brian Conley, CEO of Zion Rootswear. “Obviously Bob Marley is our flagship Reggae artist, however, just like Bob, Buju Banton is a Reggae music heavyweight and stands next to Bob Marley on the top of the mountain when it comes to the most influential voices in the history of Jamaican music and culture.”

Conley adds, “Everyone here at Zion is proud to add Buju Banton to the talented roster of artists that we represent and we feel like our fans will be especially pleased to see this addition to our lineup of iconic musicians.”

Just in time for the holiday season, Zion Rootswear rolls out the Buju Banton merch line with the official Free Buju T-Shirts and the official Buju Banton Logo T-Shirt, both created by longtime Gargamel designer, Darhil Crooks. The shirts are on sale now at the Zion Rootswear website and they will also be available in select stores around the globe.

Buju Banton’s Before The Dawn Concert Live Webcast To Reach Fans Across The Globe

Fans around the globe who are unable to make the trek to Miami for the historic Before The Dawn Concert featuring Buju Banton & Friends will have the unique opportunity to watch the event online. Gargamel Music and Rockers Island have partnered with New York-based Webcast provider CMX Events to produce a High Definition (HD) Before The Dawn Concert Webcast. The pay per view program will stream live on the Internet from 5pm – 10pm EST on Sunday, January 16th and will be available for a period of 24 hours after the show.

Those fans who are making the trek to Miami but haven’t yet bought their tickets can still go online to BUJULIVE.com or head to the Bayfront Park Amphitheater box office on Sunday where tickets will be sold from 12 Noon. The Before The Dawn Concert features a blockbuster lineup of artists, including Stephen Marley, Shaggy, Gramps Morgan, Wayne Wonder, Freddie McGregor, Tarrus Riley, Dean Fraser, Nadine Sutherland, Everton Blender and several surprise guests! Gates open at 4pm. Show begins at 5pm sharp.

A limited amount of Official Free Buju T-Shirts will be available for sale at the park for a discounted price of $25. Get there early to get yours!

Buju Banton Nominated For His 5th Grammy Award For Best Reggae Album!

Before The Dawn Nominated For Grammy!

 

 

Gargamel Music, Inc. is proud to announce that Jamaican music icon Buju Banton has received his fifth Grammy nomination in the Best Reggae Album category for his prophetic new project, Before The Dawn. Recorded mostly at his own Gargamel Music studio in Kingston, the album boasts some of the most powerful songs written by Banton since his professional entry into the music business over twenty years ago.

Released in September to critical acclaim, Before The Dawn debuted at #2 on Billboard‘s Reggae Albums chart and #26 on the mag’s Heatseekers chart. Currently the album is perched at #1 on both the South Florida and the New York Top 20 Reggae Albums charts, #1 on Richie B’s Jamaica Music Countdown and #4 on CMJ’s World Music chart. Highlights include “Do Good,”“In The Air,” “Struggle Together” and the especially potent “Battered & Bruised.” The album’s unofficial anthem, “Innocent” strikes a highly personal chord that resonates deeply considering the artist’s ensuing legal battle.

Banton was previously acknowledged by the Recording Academy for his albums Rasta Got Soul (2009), Too Bad(2007), Friends for Life (2004) and Inna Heights (1999).

Irie Jam Radio Hosting Buju Banton Tribute Marathon All Day Today!

Irie Jam 93.5 FM in collaboration with Gargamel Music, Inc. presents “A Day for Buju Banton” tribute marathon. Listeners in New York can tune in to Irie Jam 93.5 FM today, Saturday, October 9, from 1pm-6pm. Fans outside the Tri-State area can log on to www.iriejamfm.com or www.wvipfm.com.

All day, the Irie Jam family will celebrate the stellar body of work that Jamaican music icon, Buju Banton has delivered to the masses throughout his illustrious 20+ year career. The entertainment industry has also come out in support with Stephen Marley, Gramps Morgan, Wayne Wonder, John Holt and Tarrus Riley all slated to participate in the program.

Buju Banton has been incarcerated since December 10, 2009. He was entrapped by a paid informant. After many postponements, his trial finally commenced on September 20, 2010. On September 27,  a mistrial was declared because the panel of jurors were split and unable to reach a unanimous verdict. The case will be retried in December 2010.

Meanwhile, Banton’s attorney, David Oscar Markus filed a motion for bond that was heard by Magistrate Judge Anthony E. Porcelli on Wednesday, October 6. Judge Porcelli is expected to render his decision next week.

We urge the public to  support Buju Banton’s  new album, a prophetic masterpiece, Before the Dawn by purchasing a copy today. In addition, we encourage everyone to participate in the Buju Banton Letter Writing Campaign to ensure the US government is keenly aware that the public is monitoring this case closely. Please send your letter today and encourage others to do the same !

THE BUJU BANTON DEFENSE FUND has also been reestablished. We are asking supporters to contribute $10 or more to assist in the next battle in Buju’s court proceedings, which will cost upwards of $200,000 USD.

Funds can be wired to:
Markus & Markus, PLLC
(Defense Fund for Buju Banton)

Citibank, N A
Coral Way Branch
1600 Coral Way
Miami, FL 33145
ABA # 266086554
Account # 9118130472

For international wires the Swift Code is CITIUS33.

Prophetic New Buju Banton Album Before The Dawn Available For Pre-Sale Now On iTunes & Amazon.com

Gargamel Music, Inc. is pleased to announce that reggae superstar, Buju Banton’s prophetic new album, Before The Dawn will drop in North America (and Japan) on Tuesday, September 28, 2010. The release date for the UK and France has been set for Monday, October 4, however, it will be available in the rest of Europe a few days earlier on Friday, October 1. Fans around the world may pre-order the album now on both iTunes and Amazon.com.

Recorded at Banton’s own Gargamel Music studio in Kingston, Jamaica, Before The Dawn literally pierces the soul with traditional roots on the track “Do Good,”classic rock on the tune “No Smoking At All,” and heartfelt reggae on the especially potent “Battered & Bruised.” The album’s unofficial anthem, “Innocent”strikes a highly personal chord that will resonate deeply with longtime fans.

Physical copies of the album contain a special note written from inside the Pinellas County Jail in Clearwater, Florida, where Buju Banton has been patiently awaiting trial for the past nine months. He will finally have his day in court when the trial, which has been riddled with delays, kicks off on Monday, September 20, in Tampa, Florida.

Buju Banton Trial Delayed Again… This Time ‘Til September 20th

Banton looks forward to his day in court.

Team Gargamel has learned that Buju Banton‘s day in court has been pushed back for the fifth time! Previously rescheduled to start on September 13th, the long-delayed trial has now been set to begin on Monday, September 20, 2010. The high-profile, highly controversial case will be tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney, James C. Preston, Jr. and presided over by The Honorable Judge James S. Moody, Jr. at the Sam M. Gibbons U.S. District Courthouse in Tampa, Florida.

Represented by esteemed South Florida Super Lawyer, David Oscar Markus, the Reggae icon is looking forward to finally having the opportunity to defend himself. It goes without saying that Banton is also amped up about the forthcoming release of his prophetic new album, Before The Dawn, which will drop just eight days later on Tuesday, September 28th in the United States and Japan. The release date for most of Europe is Monday, October 1st, however, for the UK and France the date will be Friday October 4th.

Buju Banton Trial Date Rescheduled For September 13th — New Album To Drop On September 28th

After months of senseless delays, Jamaican music star Buju Banton will finally have his day in court. The Honorable Judge James S. Moody, Jr. has reset the trial start date for Monday, September 13, 2010 at the Sam M. Gibbons US District Courthouse in Tampa, Florida. This is the fourth time the trial has been rescheduled so only time will tell if it will actually convene as planned.

In other Buju Banton news, Gargamel Music, Inc. is prepping the release of his ninth studio album, Before The Dawn, which is set to drop in North America on Tuesday, September 28, 2010. The 10 powerful tracks that comprise this very special project are some of the more prophetic songs written by Banton since his extraordinary entry into the music business over twenty years ago.

Recorded mostly at his Gargamel Music studio in Kingston, Jamaica, Before The Dawn literally pierces the soul with traditional roots, easy rock and especially heartfelt reggae. The album’s unofficial anthem “Innocent” strikes a highly personal chord that will resonate deeply with longtime Buju Banton fans.

Buju Banton “Optimistic Soul” Video In Rotation On MTV, VH1, Music Choice, Centric & More!

Buju On Set: "Optimistic Soul" Video Shoot

Reggae superstar Buju Banton‘s acclaimed new video for the uplifting roots single “Optimistic Soul” has officially been added into rotation on MTV Jams, VH1 Soul, Music Choice on Demand, Centric (formerly BETJ), Video Mix TV‘s Island Vibes show in North Carolina, Irie Vision in San Francisco, Mystic Vibes in Chicago and Pulse TV Network’s Latin Channel.

Over in Japan, the “Optimistic Soul” clip has been receiving steady airplay on MTV Japan, Space Shower TV and Music On TV… Finally, backayard in Jamaica, the video has been rocking on the popular Hype TV, RETV, TVJ and CVM.

The documentary video clip was shot and directed guerrilla style by hotshot Atlanta photographer, Zach Wolfe, during the last five days of Banton’s history-making Rasta Got Soul US Tour, which wrapped in Orlando, Florida last November.

“Optimistic Soul” is the third official single from Banton’s Grammy-nominated album, Rasta Got Soul, which has continued to maintain positioning on Billboard’s Top Reggae Albums Chart for 61 weeks.

Why Was Buju Banton Thrown Into Maximum Security For Giving Food To Fellow Inmate!?!?

Early Monday morning, the legal team representing Jamaican music icon, Buju Banton, was forced to file an emergency motion with the US District Court (Middle District) in Tampa, Florida on behalf of their client. Last Thursday, Banton (aka Mark Myrie), who has been incarcerated at Pinellas County Jail (PCJ) in nearby Clearwater since early January, was placed in maximum security for 30 days for giving away his food to a fellow inmate. After several futile attempts to negotiate directly with the jail (and the prosecutor, Assistant US Attorney, James Preston) to have Buju moved back to general population, Team Banton felt compelled to file the Emergency Motion for Bond or for Alternative Relief.

Lead defense attorney, David Oscar Markus, believes this excessive punishment is simply the latest in a long line of subtle yet exacting harassment endured by the Reggae star since his transfer to PCJ. Immediately upon his arrival at the jail, Banton, a devout Rasta who follows a strict ital diet, filled out the required paperwork to apply for vegetarian meals, but all of his requests were ignored. In addition to his visible weight loss, Banton has been inexplicably moved from floor to floor of the jail — 5 times at last count. And his cell is customarily tossed by guards (read: searched at random), among other things.

According to reports from former inmates who were interviewed for a PCJ resource site about (but unaffiliated with) the jail, South Division or “max,” is for non-sentenced (usually dangerous) felons. However, Central Division, the minimum security area where Banton was previously housed, at least has a “microwave and hot water” and is “very clean and neat compared to max.”

And here’s a Typical Meal Schedule & Sample Menu at Pinellas County Jail:

MEALS
Breakfast – 3:00am
Lunch – 10:00am
Dinner – 4:00pm

MENU
Shank & Cereal
Meat & Gravy
Macaroni & Ham Bits

COMMISSARY
Inmates may order from the commissary twice a week.

Below is an excerpt of the motion filed by Mr. Markus:

EMERGENCY MOTION FOR BOND OR FOR ALTERNATIVE RELIEF

Because Mr. Myrie had the audacity to share his food with a hungry inmate, he was sent out of general population and into the maximum security wing of the prison. When Mr. Myrie told the officer that he did not believe that he was doing anything wrong, he was told that he could contest her finding, but if he lost, he would be sent to the hole. Knowing how that would turn out, Mr. Myrie waived his opportunity to contest the hearing and was sent to maximum security for the next 30 days — the most critical 30 days of Mr. Myrie’s life as he prepares for trial.

Since being incarcerated in December 2009, Mr. Myrie has lost about 40 pounds and has not been provided with a diet in accordance with his religious views. Although he has been able to make appropriate meals in the kitchen with food he purchased from the commissary, he does not have the ability in his new maximum security wing. In addition, the living areas and kitchen are unsanitary, and the showers do not work. Because he is being treated inhumanely, we have no choice but to file this motion for bond.

The decision to then place Mr. Myrie in a maximum security wing weeks before his upcoming trial suggest that something else is going on. Counsel for Mr. Myrie was advised that he would remain in maximum security for at least 30 days, and that there was “nothing we can do about it.” In sum, Mr. Myrie is now in a maximum security wing for caring enough to offer food to another inmate who was hungry, and genuinely believing there was nothing wrong in doing so.

Transferring Mr. Myrie to maximum security is not only affecting him (Mr. Myrie’s mental and physical health has been rapidly deteriorating) but it is affecting undersigned’s counsel’s ability to prepare for trial. For example, this week when counsel attempted to visit Mr. Myrie, counsel was required to wait over two hours until he could see Mr. Myrie.

Many of the people that we spoke to at the facility tried to help us and agreed that this “violation” was extremely minor. We were told, however, that once the decision was made, it was not going to be overturned.

Team Banton was granted the emergency hearing and will appear in Tampa Federal Court on Friday, March 26th at 10am before Magistrate Judge Anthony E. Porcelli.

In the meantime… Bujumania!

Banton Fights The Power! Photo: Jonathan Mannion

FREE BUJU! RADIO/TV/WEB CAMPAIGN
Listeners request and selectors continue to play as much Buju Banton music as possible, especially the uplifting new single “Optimistic Soul,” which officially dropped online, March 23rd. Multimedia programmers should add the accompanying music video into rotation on local, national and international TV outlets and web sites. Plan a special Buju Banton Tribute program for the weekend of April 16th-18th (just before the trial start date of Monday, April 19th).

Swap your Facebook/Twitter profile pic to the official Free Buju! logo or your favorite photo of Buju Banton. Bombard the web with inspirational Buju Banton lyrics, quotes, interviews, videos and other memorabilia. Stay optimistic.

WRITE TO THE GENERAL
Continue writing letters of encouragement to Buju Banton:

Mark Anthony Myrie – Docket # 1387202

*SD-5F-POD03-01-002

Pinellas County Jail

14400 49th Street North

Clearwater, Florida 33762-2877

Please note *new housing info, which must be included in address to ensure delivery.

FAST & PRAY
The Gargamel Music Family will begin our collective fast on April 1st. Join us in solidarity!

~ GET DOWN WITH THE MOVEMENT ~
Official Free Buju! T-Shirts
We Support Buju Banton
Tampa Bay Supports Buju Banton
Buju Banton ♫It’s Not An Easy Road♫ Supporting Him In His Struggles
We Demand A Fair Trial For Buju Banton
Buju Banton On Facebook
Buju Banton On MySpace
Buju Banton On YouTube