Buju Banton has officially entered his newest era. On Friday (April 17), the Jamaican reggae and dancehall icon shared two buzzy pieces of news: the announcement of his signing to VP Records and the arrival of his heart-eyed new “Butterflies” single.
“I have been working with VP Records for over 30 years, and I will say it again … they get it,” Banton, whose lengthy partnership with the storied indie Caribbean music label includes releases such as 2003’s Friends for Life, said in a statement. Label CEO Christopher Chin added, “Buju has always been a defining voice in reggae, and his return to VP Records reinforces our shared commitment to continue inspiring our culture that resonates across the globe.”
The Grammy winner celebrated the full-circle moment with the release of the Supa Dups-produced “Butterflies,” the first taste of his forthcoming LP, which also doubles as his first full-length VP Records release since 2006. Slated for a summer 2026 release, Gargamel’s forthcoming album promises to deliver “music that touches the soul to a point where it’s constantly playing your head … and you just wanna spread your wings and be a butterfly.”
Banton’s most recent album, 2023’s Born for Greatness, earned him his eighth career Grammy nomination. Featuring collaborations with Victoria Monét and Snoop Dogg, the album marked Banton’s second Roc Nation release, following 2020’s Upside Down 2020, which hit No. 2 on Reggae Albums and served as his first project since his December 2018 prison release.
This summer, Banton will also join forces with nine-time Grammy-winning reggae superstar Stephen Marley for a joint Roots and Rhymes Tour. Kicking off on June 17 at Marymoor Park in Redmond, Wash., the trek will visit major U.S. cities including New York, Chicago and Boston before concluding on July 25 at Lakewood Amphitheatre in Atlanta. Grammy-winner Gramps Morgan will appear as a special guest on select dates, while Splackavelli will deliver lively DJ sets. Fans can purchase tickets via both Banton’s and Marley’s official websites.
Two years ago, Banton returned to the U.S. for his first live shows in the country in more than 13 years. “After not being here for quite some time, I look forward to reigniting that passion and euphoria,” he told Billboard ahead of two back-to-back sold-out headlining shows at New York’s UBS Arena. In 2025, he won the Caribbean Music Award for reggae collaboration of the year alongside Damian Marley and Bugle for “Thank You Lord.”
Buju Banton has sent 12 projects to the top 10 of Reggae Albums, with four of them also reaching the all-genre Billboard 200. “Champion,” one of his defining crossover hits, spent nine weeks on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales in 1995, peaking at No. 52.
Check out the dates for Buju Banton and Stephen Marley’s upcoming tour and listen to “Butterflies” below.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.billboard.com ’
