Leno Banton building his own legacy
The Banton musical legacy seems secure for generations as Leno Banton, son of veteran deejay Burro Banton, continues to make his mark in the music industry.
“I didn’t really pursue music to be honest, it’s an inborn thing when I think about it. It’s the only thing I’ve ever been passionate about and since birth, it’s been a part of my life. So, it’s only natural for me to walk this journey,” Leno Banton reasoned.
Even though he is the son of a dancehall stalwart, it was not until a few years ago that he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father.
“I started music professionally in late 2015 when I recorded my first official track at Anchor Studios. I recorded other stuff before that, but it wasn’t necessarily anything serious,” Leno Banton shared. He revealed that his father did not want him to pursue music initially, based on his experiences in the music business.
“He wanted me to focus more on school. But over time, he’s heard my music and saw my capabilities so right now I’d say he has accepted my choice,” Leno Banton said.
The young Banton’s first single was a song titled Yardie, which was produced by Massive B.
ROOTED IN REGGAE AND DANCEHALL
“It’s a more reggae roots kind of track, capturing the vibe of being a yawd man essentially,” he explained. Leno Banton describes his music as “rooted in reggae/ dancehall but in a modern fashion”. He admitted that having a celebrity father has positively impacted his career.
“It brings eyes and ears to the craft naturally because people are going to want to hear what you can come up with,” he said. He further explained that despite his father’s popularity, his childhood was ‘normal’.
“To me it’s all normal because this is what I know. I just know people from all over respected him when I was younger. But as I got older, I got to understand his influence and reach in the reggae/ dancehall culture,” he said.
When asked if being Burro Banton’s son gives him an advantage in music, he opined: “I would say I’ve inherited a voice like no other and still developing it in my own way and as I said before, people want to hear what you can come up with. So in a sense, yeah. But at the end of the day, I still have to put in the work and be 10 times better than he was because people will always love to compare.”
His latest project is his Loverman EP, which caters to the ladies with tracks such as Brown Sugar and Wata Baby.