An instant classic released out of order, Rasta Got Soul could have been Buju Banton's 2004 album if an arrest for ganja possession hadn't sent the singer into exile. While the great "Magic City" single previewed the album during this time, two years later the more contemporary effort, Too Bad, arrived and what was rumored to be an awesome album seemed lost forever. One listen to 2009's final product and it's obvious the rumors were true, but it also suggests that Banton was hedging his bets after some time off and launched Too Bad instead to make sure the fast-living Jamaican youths came back to the Gargamel fold. Rasta Got Soul is mature, almost a throwback effort with plenty of horns, plenty of references to the Rastafarian lifestyle, and songwriting on the level of 'Til Shiloh, his 1995 masterpiece.

Track Listing
1 Hurt Us No More
2 Magic City
3 I Rise
4 Rastafari
5 I Wonder
6 A Little Bit of Sorry
7 Affairs of the Heart
8 Lend a Hand
9 Optimistic Soul
10 Make You Mine
11 Mary
12 Bedtime Story
13 Sense of Purpose
14 Be on Your Way
15 Lights Out