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American rapper Fat Joe has opened up on how pressure from him and others in the music industry led Nigerian singer BNXN to drop his former stage name, Buju.
Speaking during a podcast appearance alongside Jamaican reggae icon Buju Banton, Fat Joe said the decision was necessary to protect the legacy tied to the name.
“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.
Buju Banton, in his response, explained that his name carries deep personal meaning, stressing that it was given to him by his mother.
“Most people 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 said.
BNXN had initially built his career under the name Buju before eventually rebranding, a move widely linked to trademark concerns and growing international scrutiny.
The development reflects the increasing global attention on Afrobeats and the need for clear identity as Nigerian artists continue to expand their reach across international markets.
