Buju Banton’s son, Jahazeil Myrie, has revealed that before he fully dedicated his life to Christianity, he experienced what he described as homosexual thoughts. He said he overcame the struggle with his sexuality through faith and reflection on his father’s controversial Boom Bye Bye song.
Myrie made the disclosure during an appearance on the faith-centred podcast Sheena Power Talk, hosted by Sheena Lyn Hanson. During the interview, he expressed hope that he would not be too criticised for opening up about the difficult period in his life when he “almost turned fish”, which is the derogatory term Jamaicans use to refer to a homosexual man.
“I literally almost turn fish…you know say Satan manipulate your mind and your character,” he said. “Almost turned gay because the enemy had my mind a way.”
While he said he was confused about his sexuality, he clarified that he was struggling mentally and spiritually, not physically. He suggested he was experiencing emotional strain from being constantly rejected by women. While he stopped short of detailing specific experiences, he indicated he became vulnerable as the rejections left him questioning himself and made him consider being with other men. However, he did not lust after them.
He told listeners that a turning point came unexpectedly when he reflected on Boom Bye Bye, the 1992 track recorded by his father, Buju Banton. The song, which faced global criticism for its anti-gay lyrics, stirred his memory and prompted him to reassess his direction. He said the song made him attend church the following day.
Jahazeil Myrie has since embraced Christianity more publicly, particularly after being baptised in 2024. On the podcast, he explained that while baptism marked an important milestone, he came to realise that deeper personal work was necessary to fully address his struggles.
He added that genuine transformation required consistent spiritual effort and introspection. Myrie framed his experience as evidence of divine intervention, crediting God with helping him regain clarity. He also said his renewed faith has influenced his music career. The interview clip has since circulated widely online after Myrie shared excerpts on his Instagram account.
Though the song was able to help guide Myrie, Boom Bye Bye created an uproar globally for decades. This led to Buju Banton, born Mark Myrie, distancing himself from the track. He stopped performing the song in 2007. In 2019, he removed it from all streaming platforms.
At the time, the reggae veteran acknowledged the hurt the recording had caused over the years. He signalled that he was no longer aligned with that chapter of his catalogue and expressed a clear intention to leave it in the past as he moved ahead with his career.
