Buju Banton promises more than a concert as Roots and Rhymes Tour arrives at UBS Arena Saturday

Not one to shy away from speaking his mind, dancehall icon Buju Banton says fans attending his Roots and Rhymes Summer Tour 2026 concert at UBS Arena on Saturday, July 18, should expect far more than another night of live music.

The Jamaican superstar is returning to New York with one mission — to remind audiences why reggae music continues to inspire generations around the world.

Joining Buju on stage will be Stephen Marley, along with special guests Gramps Morgan, Lila Iké and Skillibeng — a lineup spanning reggae’s roots, contemporary dancehall and the music’s exciting future.

“This is something that’s very much needed in the reggae music community,” Buju said during an exclusive interview with Roadblock Radio, hosted by Garfield and simulcast across the New York tri-state area, South Florida, Connecticut and the recently added Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia (DMV) markets.

Rather than focusing solely on himself, Buju said the evening is designed to showcase reggae’s remarkable diversity.

“You have Gramps Morgan giving you a smoother ballad to reggae. Stephen Marley comes with a revolutionary sound with the reggae. Buju Banton comes with that dynamics to the reggae,” he said.

The Grammy-winning deejay believes the combination will create a musical experience unlike any other.

“When you come to this concert, Roots and Rhymes, you will be treated with a variation of musical cadence that your heart is just warm.”

For Buju, the concert comes at a defining moment in his career.

The following day, he will release Too Too Bad, his first studio album in several years. The 13-track project, he said, serves as both a tribute to reggae’s golden era and a reminder that authentic Jamaican music remains timeless. The album, he said, was deliberately crafted to appeal to every radio listener.

“There are tracks there for the ladies ... tracks there for upliftment ... and tracks there to show love in a different kind of way. It’s a total body of work.”

For longtime fans, he says the album recalls a period when Jamaica’s music was driven by creativity rather than technology.

“This album encapsulates that era ... when the music spoke to us ... we didn’t have all those fancy things — we had real turntables.”

His message is especially aimed at younger musicians and listeners.

“I personally believe that our music has not reached the apex in its natural form for us to throw anything away and adapt a new form,” he said.

Instead, he believes reggae should evolve without abandoning its identity.

“There’s a culture that does not need to be reinvented. It needs to be embraced ... creativity needs to be poured into it.”

Buju credits his own musical education to Jamaica’s legendary sound system culture, where artists were expected to perform on any rhythm at any time.

“I worked on sound systems like Rambo International and Sweet Love. It helped you to be extremely creative because you cannot go to every event with the same compositions.”

Those early experiences, he says, prepared him for an extraordinary career spanning more than three decades.

“The journey encompasses the achievement. There is no achievement without that journey. That journey has never been one of smoothness. It has always been tumultuous.”

Throughout those highs and lows, he says one constant has remained.

“The people have been the guiding force and strength that has helped us stay grounded because their love is immeasurable.”

But despite the new album, the international tour and decades of accolades — including a Grammy Award — Buju says his greatest ambition remains strengthening reggae’s future.

“We know from whence we come,” he reiterated, insisting that reggae’s message is as relevant today as ever.

“The message is one of togetherness. The message is one of joy,” he said.

Perhaps no quote better captures what he hopes fans will carry home after the final encore at UBS Arena.

“Reggae music is not something that’s fleeting. It’s here forever.”

For one summer night in New York, five of Jamaica’s most influential voices will come together on one stage, celebrating reggae’s rich legacy, vibrant present and promising future. If Buju Banton has his way, fans leaving UBS Arena won’t simply remember another concert — they’ll fulljoy and revel in the total experience.