If you would’ve randomly asked me a few weeks ago what my childhood soundtrack was, I probably would’ve thought you were trippin’. But after vibing out at the Long Walk to Freedom concert this past week; the answer to that question is a resounding…

Buju Banton!

I definitely knew that Buju’s discography was widely loved, played and respected in The Bahamas, but I had no clue how much his music was a huge part of my childhood. Singing along to the reggae legend’s music word for word while bussin’ a wine in the middle of the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium Saturday night was everything I didn’t know I needed.

I vividly remember my older cousins and uncles and aunts constantly playing his music. I was forbidden from singing or dancing to Buju’s music in front of my parents (my daddy especially, lol); thankfully they could not see my alter ego doing the boogle, the butterfly and yelling out every lyric that drifted through the house. I barely knew what any of them meant at the time and could hardly understand what he was even saying, but I did know the music was infectious, even for a musically rebellious sixth grader.

At school dances, on the school bus, during break times and after school volleyball practices; walking along Robinson Road headed home after school it was easy to hear a car blasting “walk like a champion.” Buju’s music was always present. Through the years his music was played at our family reunions, wedding receptions, birthday parties and any regular Sunday hanging out on the front porch. Buju’s music never left us, it never died, nor do I think it ever will. Saturday night was a pleasant reminder.

There are very few artists whose concert I could attend today and I’d know (or even care for) their entire portfolio, but it was such a great feeling reliving my childhood memories of falling in love with Buju’s music (even if I wasn’t allowed to :p) and taking a long walk down memory lane with friends I’d known for a while and others I met in the middle of yelling the words to “Destiny!”

Reggae artists Glen Washington and Gramps Morgan of the group Morgan Heritage were the perfect addition to the lineup. And I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing Davido is on stage!

Check out this video from my Buju Banton concert experience! Were you there??