Dancehall legend Buju Banton returned to the stage in New York Sunday night (July 14) with a bang delivering a masterclass performance.

The show was his second of two back-to-back sold-out performances over the weekend.

It has been 13 years since the Jamaican entertainer last performed in the United States, having been released in December 2018 after serving seven years of a 10-year sentence in federal prison on drug charges.

Decked out in a lily-white blazer and plants combo, the beloved ‘Gargamel’  later transformed into just a white short-sleeve button-up midway through the opening song, as he danced and belted his way through a 90-minute set at New York’s UBS Arena.

As he ripped through his sprawling setlist, Buju showed love to fans who have followed him through an illustrious four-decade career.

Timeless anthems like ‘Champion‘ and ‘Wanna Be Loved‘ reverberated across the arena with the packed venue shouting the lyrics back at him at every chance, while more evocative moments like ‘Murderer‘ and ‘Psalm 23‘ highlighted the vulnerability and raw emotion that have helped him become one of the most venerated musical acts across genres.

Buju shared the stage with some of his closest friends in the business, bringing out Gramps Morgan, Fat Joe and Remy Ma to surprise the crowd.

The moves also underscored the intrinsic connection between reggae, dancehall and hip-hop — particularly in New York City, which Buju referred to as one of the “meccas of reggae music” in Billboard’s exclusive interview where the deejay announced his upcoming 14-date US arena trek, the ‘Overcomer Tour’.