LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA)- American rapper Fat Joe has opened up about how he pushed Nigerian singer Daniel Benson, formerly known as Buju, to drop his old stage name over respect for Jamaican dancehall icon Buju Banton.
During a recent podcast appearance alongside Buju Banton, Fat Joe described the Nigerian artist as a “fake”, claiming that he and others actively confronted BNXN over his former stage name, Buju.
According to him, the move was driven by a desire to protect the legacy of the Jamaican icon.
“There is a fake guy in Africa using the Buju name, we dissed him on tv, shut him down, he changed his name. I told him there is only one Buju Banton,” he said.
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At the time, BNXN had been gaining popularity under the name Buju before eventually rebranding.
While the Nigerian singer later cited copyright concerns as the reason for the switch, Fat Joe’s comments suggest there was added pressure from industry voices.
Meanwhile, Buju Banton shared a personal story about his own name, stressing its deep meaning.
He explained that “Buju” was given to him by his mother, making it more than just a stage identity.
“Most people [artists] get their names from their friends or coin it. But my name came from my mom. Then I added Banton due to my admiration for Burr Banton,” he stated.
The conversation sheds new light on BNXN’s rebrand, which marked a turning point in his career and helped him establish a unique identity in the global music space.
