Grammy Nominated Reggae Star Buju Banton Arrested For Attempting To Posses Cocaine

[picapp align=”center” wrap=”false” link=”term=buju+banton&iid=2752721″ src=”b/c/f/c/Premiere_Of_The_5e3c.jpg?adImageId=8309688&imageId=2752721″ width=”234″ height=”152″ /]

The life and times of Reggae superstar, Buju Banton just got a little bit more dramatic.

Two weeks ago, Buju Banton was celebrating his fourth Grammy nomination in the Best Reggae Album category, for his critically acclaimed Roots Reggae opus, Rasta Got Soul.

Since last Thursday, Buju Banton has been in federal custody in Miami, on attempting to posses cocaine charges.

What a difference a week makes.

Billboard.com reports…Produced by Banton, with contributions from longtime collaborators Donovan Germain, Stephen Marsden andWyclef Jean, Rasta Got Soul was recorded over a seven-year period and finally dropped April 21st 2009, the 43rd anniversary of Emperor Haile Selassie’s historic visit to Jamaica in 1966.

Since it’s release, the album has been receiving critical acclaim and praise from industry critics like Billboard,and the international media worldwide.

Sounds like a set-up to me, but I will let you be the judge.

Federal authorities say Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton attempted to buy cocaine from an undercover officer in Florida, which is known as a snitch on the streets.

Probably someone Buju trusted in the past. Rule number one…trust no one.

MSNBC.com reports that…a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit says Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, traveled to Sarasota last week to make the purchase along with two others. The DEA was tipped off by a confidential informant who agreed to wear a recording device during the drug negotiation session….

…you see, a trusted friend of Buju Banton’s got in to trouble, and flipped Buju in order to save his own neck….With friends like that, who needs enemies…

According to court documents, Banton and two others contacted a police informant last week about buying cocaine in Sarasota. Drug Enforcement Administration agents say Banton negotiated the purchase and was observed inspecting cocaine offered by the undercover officer. The informant also agreed to wear a wire, to entrap Buju Banton in the act of testing the cocaine.

The other men were arrested Thursday when they allegedly attempted to buy the drugs.

So , tack on to that attempted possession charge,…a charge for felony drug trafficking, probably because of the amount of cocaine that Buju ”alledgedly” had attempted to posses.

Many in the gay community have been protesting Buju Banton, for his anti-gay lyrics in an earlier album, and had been protesting his Grammy nomination.

If convicted on  cocaine charge, Banton could face 20-years in prison.

A bail hearing was set for Wednesday in Miami federal court.

[picapp align=”center” wrap=”false” link=”term=buju+banton&iid=2752720″ src=”c/4/f/c/Premiere_Of_The_e17c.jpg?adImageId=8309691&imageId=2752720″ width=”234″ height=”152″ /]

Follow this story here from my sources…

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34421804/ns/entertainment-celebrities/

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g22fxkrM8bnyJ6iWw7HcA-IycAZQD9CJC3S01