Legendary Jamaican reggae musician Buju Banton has become the first Grammy-nominated artist from the island’s world-famous scene to mint an NFT on the OpenSea marketplace.
Better known to some as Mark A. Myrie, Banton has created a rare 1:1 digital asset, which is now available to buy. The buyer gets both a digital image of the icon and a physical canvas print, which he has signed.
According to Banton’s official statement: “The intention is to provide fans with a rare 1 of 1 digital Buju Banton asset/collectible, which can grow in value.” Messaging goes on to outline how the token creates an economic opportunity for NFT holders. “We have to keep up with the technological advancements of our times or get left behind,” the statement continues.
At the time of writing, the price for Banton’s NFT stood at 7 ETH, or around $30,700. The sale will close on 23rd May 2022. If nothing else, this shows confidence that demand will be high for the item over the coming months. One look at the artist’s track record is enough to prove why.
A Bit on Buju Banton, Jamaican Reggae Artist Extraordinaire
Banton is many things to many people, but to everyone he’s a living legend. Widely considered one of the all-time ambassadors of dancehall music, he is among the biggest selling reggae artists of all time.
In fact, in 1992 he released two albums, ‘Stamina Daddy’ and ‘Mr. Mention’. When it landed, the latter became the best-selling album in Jamaican history. The same year he also broke the record for the most number-one singles in Jamaica. Putting that achievement into the context it deserves, the previous record was held by non-other than Bob Marley & The Wailers. “Reggae music’s mission is to uplift, educate and eradicate negativity from the minds of the people globally,” Banton famously said. “I won’t let that change.”
Music and NFTs
While art is the creative industry that has embraced NFTs more than any other, music isn’t far behind. In the last week alone we’ve seen projects from the likes of renowned Indian songwriter Sonu Nigam, the Country Music Association, and ka$dami announced.
What’s more, musicians have been using this technology for a variety of different purposes during the great NFT boom of 2021. Some have sold tickets to in-real-life events as non-fungible tokens. Others have offered exclusive merchandise and music. Some have even created experiences to be sold with NFTs. For example, the chance for fans to meet and have dinner with their idols. All of which proves that far from being a specialist concept, non-fungibles are increasingly breaking free of the crypto world and proving they have tangible value beyond mere collectibles.
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