Mr Mention
Back in the early '90s, Buju Banton's rude-boy persona revolved around girls, guns, and ganja. He earned a bad rep in the states when fansfinallydeciphered the lyrics to his crossover tune, "Boom Bye Bye," and realized they were listening to a deadly, homophobic diatribe set to a pretty little melody.Today Buju's a mature cultural artist, andMr. Mention, released in 1993, reflects his shift toward that new consciousness. Ten of the album's 12 tracks were official club hits in their day. Many are still known to ram dancehall during old-school sets. In '93, "Love Me Brownin'" scored a huge hit with the ladies. Two superb duets, "Who Say," withBeres Hammond, and "Bonafide Love," featuringWayne Wonder, showcased Buju's sensitive side while "Batty Rider" and "Dickie" proved that he hadn't completely abandoned his slackness ways. Donovan Germaine and Dave Kelly's Penthouse Productions contributed the classic rhythms that spawned countless copycat versions.--Rebecca Levine