Grammy awardee Buju Banton yesterday dismissed the tag of superstar which Jim Preston, government prosecutor, used to describe him while he was on the stand in the United States Middle District Court, Florida Division, Tampa.
Buju, who was being cross-examined by Preston said, "I don't see myself as a superstar. Superstars are unreachable."
He said he was a "lesser luminant" who works for and on behalf of the people."
"Well, not superstar, a sensation," Preston responded. And to that Buju replied, "Sensation comes and goes."
Preston seemed to be enjoying the exchanges and so too was Buju. "You are a popular entertainer," the prosecutor said.
Buju gave a half-smile and then said, "I work earnestly hard and I am being rewarded."
Earlier in the day, David Oscar Markus, Buju's attorney, asked him how he felt about winning the Grammy for best reggae album on Sunday.
"That was one of my greatest accomplishments, not only as a recording artiste but also for those who work earnestly hard for the music industry," Buju responded.
very happy
He told the court that he is "very happy" about winning the Grammy.
Then when asked how he feels about "where you are sitting now" Buju replied, "I am very sad."
Meanwhile, Preston suggested to Buju that based on his achievements in music he needed not go into cocaine dealings. Buju dismissed him saying with a stern face, "Music is what I do. I have never done drugs."
Buju would however smile when the prosecutor showed him and the jury a display of his works which were printed on a poster, "That is what I do" and that is what he was doing until Mr. Nightmare Alexander Johnson came along."
The Jamaican entertainer said Johnson pretended he knew people in the music industry and he fell for it. He also said he told lies to Johnson about him being involved in the cocaine trade. He also dismissed a suggestion from Preston that he was willing to tell major lies to advance his personal agenda.
"In the music industry lies do not get you anywhere. Music gets you somewhere," Buju said.
He also told the jury that Johnson was the one who lied to him in order to entrap him.
"He told lies and I told lies, now does that paint me black and Mr. Alexander white?" Buju remarked.
