Teino Evans, Staff Reporter

Burru Banton, who deejayed on Killamanjaro. - File

After surviving more than 20 years in the business, dancehall veteran Burru Banton says he is still Badda Dan Dem.

Donovan Anthony Spaulding, aka Burru Banton, says his new single has been ripping up the airwaves, but despite all his effort and success, the love towards him is still lacking in Jamaica.

"I don't get the most love fi a man weh really start di ting, di original Burru Banton. But right now, mi a di biggest ting a like Japan an Europe, a deh suh my ting deh right now. Jamaica, mi deh yah long time an mi really neva fight fi it yet, all mi ask fah is a likkle love," Banton said.

According to Banton, he has been in the business for so long and yet he can still stand tall beside any of today's hottest artistes, hence, the reason for singing his latest single.

"When mi seh Badda Dan Dem, I don't really mean that I'm a violent somebody, but a jus like mi woulda seh, Asafa Powell badda dan dah nex athlete deh, it jus mean betta dan. A me start di business from 1975, an a Burru can stan up beside a Capleton, Bounty Killa, Mavado, Beenie an still sound as good as one a these young kids. Dat mean sey mi badda dan dem. It happen regula, wey me do show wey Bounty, Beenie an dem man deh, deh pon di show an mi tek di show, mi mek gunshot fire like rice grain," Banton said.

Banton says he has set the trend for many other artistes in the business who have now adapted his name.

"Yuh si how much people come all tek di name (Banton) an guh all bout di world? A one Banton, everybody else is a offspring, nuh care who him be. A my ting, a me come wid it. But dem still mek me big, cause when dem guh out an a sey Banton, an people get fi find out a wey it a come from, mi get a greatness from it. When mi si somebody waan fi tek my style, it mean sey mi did great, 'cause mi nuh hear nobody sey dem waan name Baby U-Roy, or Teeny Man offa Beenie Man, or likkle Killa from Bounty," Burru said.

He continued, "No disrespect to any artiste though, an originally, U-Roy a di king fi di deejay world, all who out deh a fight sey dem a di king an dem ting deh, U-Roy a di teacha."

Banton, who recently completed a tour of Europe, is set to release his new album in August but until then, he is still enjoying the success of his latest single.

"Badda Dan Dem deh a number one a England an Belgium, an it a do good roun' all a dem place deh an like Japan. Jus offa dub plate alone, di 'mount a people weh come check mi. Right now outa road dem call me 'missa new tune', 'cause people a seh, at my age, mi shouldn't have tune wey a run di place," Banton said.

This Saturday, Banton will be performing in St. Elizabeth and on July 31, he has a show at Jamworld where he and Peter Metro will deejay on the Metro Media Sound.

"About five different Sound a guh play, but a deh suh wi a guh prove which deejay a di baddest from dem time deh come till now," Banton warned.