Buju Banton: Voice Of Jamaica (Mercury/All formats)

THE FURORE provoked by Buju Banton's virulently anti-gay lyric to 'Boom Bye Bye' last year has had lasting repercussions on music in general and raggamuffin reggae in particular. Like Elvis Costello and David Bowie before him — both roundly castigated for racist remarks and gestures — Buju has been forgiven for his lapse of judgement, and more cynical observers would say he's profited from the whole fracas by way of inking a major deal to bring what was once essentially underground to the attention of the general public. He is only 19, though.