BY RICHARD JOHNSON—
Observer senior reporter—
Buju Banton shares a moment with Rihanna following his performance in Barbados on Saturday.
From all indications the Long Walk to Freedom tour by reggae artiste Buju Banton continued its history-making ways with the fourth stop in Barbados on Saturday.
Reports out of the sister Caribbean isle are calling the show ‘the biggest ever in Barbados’, as bumper crowds turned out at Kensington Oval, in the country’s capital Bridgetown, to witness the reggae/ dancehall star who was released from a US prison in December of last year, after serving a near 10-year sentence on drug trafficking charges.
This was confirmed by Buju Banton’s long-time mentor and producer Donovan Germain, who accompanied the artiste.
“This one was massive massive, another massive one,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
There was, however, no indication of the size of the crowd which streamed into the famous cricket ground is built to accommodate 28,000. The shows in Jamaica and Trinidad witnessed record audiences, reported to be in excess of 30,000, at each venue.
The event in Barbados brought out the country’s pop princess Rihanna, who flew home specially to attend. This fuelled further speculation that there is a collaboration with Buju Banton on her reggae album, which is set to be released some time this year. Rihanna is said to have missed the early performances of Jamaican artistes Spragga Benz, Wayne Wonder and Agent Sasco, but definitely arrived on time for the Buju experience.
The Buju Banton concert was the opener for the 2019 staging of the Barbados Reggae Festival, which will run until tomorrow. Sunday’s show, Magnum Xplosion Reggae Beach Party, featured dancehall acts Sizzla and Busy Signal. The event continues today with a Reggae Party Cruise, and the curtains will come down tomorrow with Vintage Reggae Show & Dance featuring George Nooks. Admiral Tibet, Barrington Levy and Mikey Spice.Sponsored Links$150,000 Life Insurance Coverage For As Low As $10/mo. Qualify NowNational FamilyHe Built A Mansion Out Of A School Bus, Even Matthew McConaughey Wanted To SeeNoteabley
Meanwhile, the Long Walk To Freedom tour continues this weekend in Suriname on May 4, Grenada on May 11, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands on June 15, and St Kitts on June 29. Buju Banton will also headline Reggae Sumfest in Montego Bay on July 20.
Following these Caribbean dates, Buju Banton will head to Europe. Among the stops are Cologne, Germany, for Summer Jam; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Zurich, Switzerland for Jamaica Splash; Porto, Portugal; Vertheuil, France for Reggae Sun Ska; and Geel, Belgium.
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