Buju Banton To Release New Album in July ‘ Too Too Bad’

Jamaican reggae and dancehall icon Buju Banton has announced the release of his highly anticipated new album, Too Too Bad, scheduled to arrive on July 17.

The Grammy-winning artiste revealed the album title and release date in an Instagram post on Thursday, describing the project as a “Real Dancehall Ting,” signaling a return to the energetic sound that helped establish him as one of Jamaica’s most influential performers.

The title pays homage to Too Bad, Banton’s acclaimed 2006 album, which marked a notable shift back toward hardcore dancehall following the roots-reggae direction of projects such as ’Til Shiloh, Inna Heights, and Unchained Spirit. That album featured popular tracks including Driver A, Your Night Tonight, Waistline, and the title track Too Bad, further cementing his standing in the genre.

If the new project follows a similar path, Too Too Bad could represent another dancehall-focused chapter in Banton’s career after recent releases explored a broader blend of reggae, soul, R&B, and crossover influences.

The album’s lead single, Butterflies, was released in April. Produced by Supa Dups for Black Chiney Music and distributed through Gargamel Music and VP Records, the song is built on a reimagined version of the classic Real Rockriddim.

Over the course of his career, Banton has enjoyed remarkable commercial success, placing 12 projects in the Top 10 of Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart. Four of those releases, Voice of Jamaica, ’Til Shiloh, Unchained Spirit, and Friends for Life, also crossed over to the Billboard 200 chart.

His 2023 album Born For Greatness did not chart on Billboard’s Reggae Albums ranking, while Upside Down 2020peaked at No. 2. Banton’s only Grammy Award win came in 2011 when Before the Dawn captured the award for Best Reggae Album. Other nominated works include Rasta Got Soul, Too Bad, Friends for Life, Inna Heights, Upside Down 2020, and Born For Greatness.

Widely regarded as his signature body of work, ’Til Shiloh spent 104 weeks on Billboard’s Reggae Albums chart and reached No. 2 in 1995. The album earned Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2020, commemorating its 25th anniversary.

The release of Too Too Bad will coincide with Banton’s upcoming Roots and Rhymes Summer Tour, which he will headline alongside Stephen Marley. The North American tour begins on June 17 in Redmond, Washington, and concludes on July 25 in Atlanta, Georgia, with scheduled stops in cities including Oakland, Dallas, Chicago, Boston, Atlantic City, Charlotte, and New York.

Reggae singer Gramps Morgan is also expected to appear as a special guest on select tour dates.