Buju Banton - File

His music filled the air, shock surfaced on faces and his name was a constant topic on everybody's lips yesterday, as news came that reggae artiste Buju Banton had been found guilty of three cocaine related charges.

The artiste, real name Mark Myrie, received the verdict from the 12-member jury yesterday in the Sam M Gibbons building in Tampa, which houses the United States Middle District Court, Florida Division.

detectable amount

Buju was found guilty on conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, aiding and abetting others in using a communication facility in the commission of a felony and knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of and during the course of a drug-trafficking crime. However, he was found not guilty for attempting to possess five kilograms or more of cocaine.

Since then, many entertainers and friends of the artiste have been reacting to the news.

His close friend and fellow entertainer, Spragga Benz, was rather shaken up by the news.

wiser and stronger

"Disappointed, really disappointed," he said. "Fi Buju, di most mi woulda seh is just gwaan hold the faith. There is a lesson to be learnt, wi just haffi learn dem. Come out wiser and stronger at the end of the day same way, cause from we have life, we still have hope. Him have wi support 100 per cent just the same, so whatever is to happen down the line we ago always be ready."

Dancehall artiste Lady Saw said she had just landed in the island when she got the bad news.

"I just land and somebody seh it to me at Customs. It cut deep. It just spoil yuh whole evening, yuh whole day. Words can't express how you feel as a Jamaican and as an artiste. I can't find the words to express how I feel, it's just a sad, sad day. Too emotional, mek you all cry," she told THE STAR.

Elephant Man said his hopes were built up by a broadcast message earlier in the day that Buju had been freed. Only to have them dashed later.

"To how the case was going we had hope seh Buju ago walk. Jah know, mi really feel bad. I was looking forward to hearing seh Buju deh a road. I wasn't planning to hear guilty of nothing at all. It hurt, mi caan feel good bout that," said Elephant Man, noting that Buju is a reggae icon.

As someone who was close to Buju during the early stages of her career, Macka Diamond was not expecting a guilty verdict either.

"Mi shock cause I had a whole heap of hopes for Buju," she said.

Industry insider Clyde McKenzie described the news as 'devastating'.

high regard

"Clearly not what we would have been expecting. I think most Jamaicans would have been hoping he would be declared not guilty. It is a very sad day. For me personally, it is somebody who I admired and had high regard for his talent and personality. It is a bad day for Jamaica's music, a major setback. This is one of our brightest stars ever. It fills me with great sadness," McKenzie told THE STAR.

The news caught D'Angel on the RE School Tour. She said it put a damper on the day for her and the other entertainers there. Nonetheless, "we will overcome, we just have to stay strong."

Although saddened by the news, Konshens said he knew the case could have gone either way.

"My mind did open fi hear anything cause as much as how we deh a di show inna Miami and see di big movement and support, me did feel seh it was almost impossible fi him win. Primarily, because of we reputation. Any artiste, Rastaman or any kinda entertainer who has ever been through Miami airport can tell you bout it. Sad, but Buju a warrior still," he said.

The views also poured in on the social networking website, Twitter. There were comments from several other entertainers like Cherine Anderson, Ce'Cile, Ishawna, Mr Vegas and Wayne Marshall.

"It's not an easy road. My prayers, strength and blessings go out to the family and especially the children of Buju at this time," Anderson said, while others described the day as a sad one.

A 'Buju Banton Leniency Group' was also formed on Facebook yesterday, with persons asking the judge to be lenient in the artiste's case.

Spragga Benz, Lady Saw