Inna Heights 10th Anniversary Edition

Performer: Buju Banton
Artist: Beres Hammond; Red Rat; Toots Hibbert; Sly Dunbar; Dean Fraser; King Stitch; Ras Shiloh; Jahmali; Jah-Mali; Morgan Heritage
Distributor: Fontana Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Buju Banton, Beres Hammond (vocals); Michelle Jackson (spoken vocals); Steven Stanley (keyboards); Twiggy, Dorette Wisdom, Danny Browne, Pam Hall, Juliet Nelson, Jamali (background vocals); Frank Burt, Keith Green, C. Sharp, Steven Marsden, Sly Dunbar, Donald Dennis, O.D., Andrew Thomas, Dean Fraser, Mafia, Fluxy, Wycliffe Johnson, David Cole, Egbert, Robert Browne, Toots Hibbert, Red Rat. Producers: Mark "Buju Banton" Myrie, Donovan German, Danny Browne. Engineers include: Michael Cooper, Steven Stanley, Andre Tyrell. INNA HEIGHTS was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Reggae Album. Those who despair that reggae hasn't been the same since the passing of Bob Marley will rejoice when they listen to Buju Banton. Without sounding like an imitation, Banton seems to have derived the most of his stylistic inspiration from Marley. This is melodic reggae with an irresistible beat that's easily accessible to those who might not be hard-core reggae fans, without appearing watered-down or "commercialized." Banton uses '90s technology to carry on Marley's positive-song tradition--there's electronic percussion, but it blends in seamlessly. His voice is a bit similar to Marley's, but is somewhat raspier, and occasionally slips into a rap-influenced dancehall style. Banton even incorporates a bit of dub (echo, reverb and spacy special effects) into his songs, without losing the melodic flow ("My Woman Now"). INNA HEIGHTS will put some bounce into your day.

Rolling Stone (3/5/98, p.68) - 3.5 Stars (out of 5) - "...The gruff-voiced Banton blazes a wider--and far more colorful--social and stylistic path on INNA HEIGHTS....goes a long way toward further establishing Banton as a ghetto messenger of peace and social justice..." Blender (Magazine) (p.87) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[H]e doesn't so much vocalize as emote, radiating intensity with every syllable."

One of the most acclaimed Jamaican DJs of the '90s, Buju Banton was among those in the thriving ragga dancehall scene who turned their backs on the "slackness" to focus once again on "cultural" statements and "conscious" lyrics. He was huge in Jamaica, but when he was the voice of the moment in '92, he recorded the anti-gay "Boom Bye Bye," which sparked much controversy and momentarily stalled his career. He returned in '93 with "Murderer," a song instrumental in changing the focus of DJ lyrics away from celebrations of the gun.

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