Buju Banton’s Son and His Battle with His Sexuality

2026-03-03 - 14:07

Jahazeil Myrie, son of reggae icon Buju Banton, has opened up about what he described as a period of confusion regarding his sexuality, crediting his Christian faith, and notably his father’s controversial 1992 song Boom Bye Bye, with steering him back toward church. Jahazeil, who is also pursuing a music career, made the remarks during an appearance on Sheena Power Talk, a faith-based podcast hosted by Sheena Lyn Hanson. The episode was posted to YouTube on Sunday and has since generated widespread discussion online. “I Almost Turn Fish” During the interview, Jahazeil reflected candidly on his internal struggles. “Bwoy Father God, I hope they don’t judge me wrong...I literally almost turn fish,” he said, using a Jamaican slur referring to a gay man. “Because you know say Satan manipulate your mind and your character.” He went on to explain that hearing his father’s song triggered a turning point. “My father’s song dragged back my memory. Mi seh wait nuh, my father sing Boom Bye Bye? ...I got up the next day and walk go a church. This is it,” he said. When pressed by Hanson to clarify, Jahazeil stated that he had not acted physically on his thoughts. “Almost turned gay because the enemy had my mind a way,” he said. Asked whether he had been lusting after men, he responded, “I wouldn’t say lust still, but the idea of it.” Rejection, Confusion and “Inner Work” Jahazeil linked that period of uncertainty to rejection and disappointment in his relationships with women. “While me never fully understand what I was dealing with, I was facing rejection too. [I felt] like that door was closed at one point with women,” he said, adding that repeated emotional hurt contributed to the confusion he experienced. The young artiste has publicly embraced Christianity in recent years and was baptised in 2024. However, he emphasized during the podcast that baptism alone did not resolve his struggles. “Boy, I checked that it could have helped me, but I realised that you have to do the inner work,” he said. He added that his faith continues to guide both his music career and spiritual life, noting, “God always shows up every time I am about to give up.” The Legacy of Boom Bye Bye The song Jahazeil referenced, Boom Bye Bye, was recorded by Buju Banton in 1992 at age 19 and produced by Clifton “Specialist” Dillon. The track has long drawn condemnation internationally for lyrics advocating violence against gay men. In 2007, Buju Banton signed the Reggae Compassionate Act, pledging not to perform anti-gay material, and subsequently stopped performing the song. In 2019, Boom Bye Bye was removed from major streaming platforms. At the time, the Grammy-winning artiste acknowledged that the song had caused pain to listeners, fans, his family and himself. According to previous reports, Buju has also stated that the song was written during his teenage years and was directed at an individual in his community who allegedly molested boys, rather than at gay men broadly. Public Reaction and Broader Conversation Jahazeil’s comments have sparked varied reactions across social media. Some supporters have applauded his openness about mental and spiritual struggles, while others have raised concerns about the framing of sexuality as something linked to spiritual warfare. The discussion has also reignited debate around generational shifts in Jamaica’s cultural attitudes toward sexuality, faith and accountability within the dancehall and reggae community. As the conversation continues, Jahazeil maintains that his journey reflects personal growth rather than condemnation of others, a testimony, he suggests, of faith, introspection, and the ongoing process of self-understanding.