Buju Banton Brings Reggae Fire to Atlantic City

I have stood in the crowds of nearly a hundred concerts. Hip hop, R&B, jazz, rock. But this September in Atlantic City, I walked into something new: my very first reggae show. Hard Rock Live at the Etess Arena was alive on September 12 when Buju Banton took the stage, with Jesse Royal opening. I went in as a clean slate, pulled by my best friend who has always loved reggae.

The Etess Arena felt transformed. The usual rows of seats were gone, replaced with a floor full of people standing shoulder to shoulder. Smoke curled through the air. The bass hit so heavy it felt like a second heartbeat. People danced freely, singing every word as if the songs were etched into them. I stood there realizing I had been sheltered from reggae all these years.

And then came the moment. Buju’s voice rose above the instruments, deep and resonant, and something shifted. His presence filled the arena, the band locking in behind him with a precision that was almost spiritual. The horns brighter, the drums sharper, the bassline carrying us like a tide. I looked around and saw it reflected in the crowd: joy, reverence, excitement glowing in their faces. That was when I knew this was the legend, the reason they came.

The smoke in that room carried more meaning than atmosphere. It was a reminder of how much has changed in Atlantic City. For decades, Black people were criminalized for the very same gatherings, for smoking, for dancing, for living free. Today, Atlantic City has twelve dispensaries open and two dozen more on the way. New Jersey has erased more than 362,000 marijuana cases from the books. The same plant that once brought persecution now creates opportunity.

I left the arena buzzing. That night I went home and watched One Love for the first time, and suddenly I was imagining a visit to Marley’s museum in Jamaica. Reggae had opened a door I never thought to step through.

After the show, the celebration spilled into Tropicana. My best friend, who had danced from the first song to the last, didn’t stop. She carried her joy straight into The Royce Social, where Velson Events hosted a free afterparty that kept the rhythm alive. What made it even more powerful I learned that night this wasn’t just a one-night gift. Velson runs regular Friday night events at The Royce, creating a home for Afro-Caribbean and Afrobeats music in Atlantic City week after week. Buju’s concert became part of that larger story, proof that the city is embracing a sound that connects us globally and locally at the same time.

This night was more than entertainment. It fit into Atlantic City’s story as a crossroads of culture. What I love about this city is the balance. We are not all country, not all rock, not all jazz, not all hip hop. We are diverse, and our venues embrace that diversity in a way many other cities do not. I have seen Asian and Indian artists, ballet, blues, R&B, hip hop, and now reggae on these casino stages. I am grateful that Hard Rock and neighboring casinos have not abandoned Black-led music. They continue to fund it, celebrate it, and bring it to us.

Atlantic City is not one sound. It is all sounds. And on this September night, Buju Banton proved that reggae belongs here too.

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