Best Bounty Killer Songs: 30 Essential Dancehall Tracks From The Warlord

Bounty Killer is undeniably one of the biggest names to emerge from Dancehall music. His pivotal moments in the early ’90s unveiled the rough-neck rude boy that still armors his persona today, some three decades later.  He’s the general of badman and clash tunes with an unapologetic sway to induce intimidation like no other.  With other facets of his music that slam corrupt authority, plea for the poor, give thanks to God, and pay tribute to his mother, Killer’s tracks have been tested, tried, hacked, and imitated numerous times throughout the years. But there is only one distinct sound and one unmatched talent that is Bounty Killer.

With his first album in 18 years, Kings of Kingston fast approaching, we’ve rounded up 30 essential tracks from the Warlord that give him his flowers for contributing some of the genre’s most renowned anthems.

Just want the tracks?  Find our playlist on Spotify.

1. Down In The Ghetto (1994)

In 1994, Bounty released his fifth studio album Down In The Ghetto, with a title track that found the deejay doing what he does best: telling a tale of ghetto life and sufferings of people in the trenches of the inner city. The Poor People Governor pins blame on the politicians for weaponizing the youths with guns before pitting them against each other.

2. Hey Baby (2001) – No Doubt

When American band No Doubt jetted to Kingston, Jamaica in 2001 to finesse their fifth studio album Rock Steady, producers Sly and Robbie recommended they remix their lead single Hey Baby with the large and in charge Warlord. The effort would later prove to be one of the smartest moves of Bounty’s career. Hey Baby was commercially successful, peaking at No. 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and snagged him a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. In 2002, Bounty would go on to accomplish what he says was one of the biggest triumphs of his career, performing at the Super Bowl with the band that year. Almost two decades later, on March 8, 2021, the track was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

3. Look (1999)

Featured on his tenth studio album, 5th Element, this was one of Bounty’s most poignant singles of his extensive music collection. The then 26-year-old deejay demonstrated that you’d really have to live a certain life to tell it, and vividly so he did in Look. The lyrics read like a thought-provoking poem all the way through that detailed his life as a ghetto youth growing up and having to assume the role of a gangster to survive. While he captivated you with his powerful narrative he’d shine a light on what was really going on in the streets of the Jamaican projects.

4. Can’t Believe Me Eye (1998)

Appalled by the audacities of the developing trends of the time, Bounty issued this epistle of condemnation of skin bleaching, skintight pants, and homosexuality. “Mi see it fi mi’self, water full up mi eye,” he sings.  The now controversial track cruised on Dave Kelly’s Bruk Out Riddim and spurred epic party vibes like other hits on the riddim such as Sean Paul’s Like Glue, Beenie Man’s Miss L.A.P, and T.O.K.’s Money 2 Burn.

5. BulletProof Skin (2006)

Known for his out-of-this-world toasting Bullet Proof Skin was a reflection of his quick on-the-trigger rhyming. The track issued a 30-second intro of the Warlord wheeling his vicious disses in complete revulsion towards the cross-dressers, and the “kingfish.” From his witty disses to his earth-quaking bars, Bounty would prove to be one of the most intimidating toasters of that time, and a hot commodity for sound clash dubplates.

6. Living Dangerously (1995) – Barrington Levy

Teaming up with Reggae crooner Barrington Levy in the mid-’90s at the peak of his career, Bounty dropped this ear worming party banger that chided the female heartbreakers who would blatantly flaunt their two-timing ways with no regard. The track gained major chart success and was featured on his album My Xperience in 1996, which was subsequently listed in the book The Rough Guide: Reggae: 100 Essential CDs in 1999. The album topped the Reggae charts for half the year and spent two months at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B albums chart.

7. Eagle And Di Hawk (1998)

Bouncing on Dave Kelly’s Showtime Riddim, the Eagle And Di Hawk was certainly one of the standout features on the beat, standing tall with Baby Cham’s Gallang Yah Gal, Spragga Benz’s We nuh Like, and Beenie Man’s Hypocrites. The track was a strong dispatch to those wanting to see him fall, “dem want see mi dead suh dem can get fi mourn mi,” he said, but with the ‘eagle and di hawk’ surrounding him, Bounty promises that he can never flail.

8. Fed Up (1996)

Another hit feature on Bounty’s My Xperience album was the track Fed Up and one of the most notorious releases from the Dancehall star. The track exemplified his role as commander and chief for poor people’s rights. It was a direct address to the leaders of the country, pressing them for answers and the solutions to end the struggles of the underprivileged, who he roars are “fed up!.”

9. Man Ah Bad Man (2001) – T.O.K.

Teaming up with the hottest Dancehall singjays in the early 2000s, Bounty and T.O.K.’s Alex, Bay-C, Craigy T, and Flexx dropped Man Ah Bad Man on the Juice Riddim to blend Killer’s thundering badman threats with the crew’s euphonious notes to create what became an instant hit song. The track would get heavy airplay and blew up the party and club scenes back then, which ultimately swirled the crew’s popularity to great heights.

10. Cellular Phone (1995)

Bounty’s Cellular Phone on the Peanie Peanie Riddim was a glamorization of his celebrity on amplified levels. Only the most prestigious owned cellphones in Jamaica circa ‘94 and of course only the wealthiest were chauffeured across town in the back of a limousine, and where you found the young talent flexing his gyallis appeal in the music video.

11. Smoke the Herb (1994)

Bounty went on to release another single on the Peanie Peanie Riddim of a completely different nature, Smoke The Herb to celebrate his “ganja diploma.” The track is an all-time favorite weed-smoking anthem with lots of conscious messages saddled with some informational healing benefits of the herb.

12. Another Level (2000) – Baby Cham

Bounty joined forces with Dancehall maestro Baby Cham for Another Level in Y2K, which was featured on Cham’s Wow …The Story double album referred to back then by the Miami New Times as “The most anticipated album in years from any Reggae artist.” The track delved heavily on issues around government corruption among other things, Killer bragging his irresistibility with the ladies and Cham flaunting his upper echelon status.

13. Copper Shot (1992)

Bounty’s break-out year in ‘92 was accredited to this single right here, Copper Shot. Dominating the beat, dubbed the 5 Star General Riddim, Killer gained major street-cred for relaying what was his reality and experience with a “copper shot.” During his hard-knock life growing up in the ghetto, Killer was shot at 16 years old, and in interviews that followed in the aftermath, Bounty would reveal he was a “wannabe gangster” and foolishly followed bad company and the wrong crew. The shot wasn’t intended for him but he got caught in the crossfire.

14. Benz & Bimma (1996)

Being compared to a “Benz and Bimma” was and still is a great compliment in Dancehall. In his tribute to fine-looking females, Bounty brought the dance-inducing banger, Benz & Bimma, which went across international waters. The song gave him massive mainstream appeal, chart success, and offered him several big-screen performances in the U.S. like Performing Live At B.E.T 1998.

15. Suspense (1995)

In the mid-’90s Bounty set out to increase control over his musical output by setting up his own Scare Dem Productions Company and Priceless Records label. During this time he released the single Suspense. It would be his counteraction diss track to Beenie Man in the heat of their feud at the time. Killer charged his nemesis for talking a big talk and unable to back his claim but when it was at his expense he promised it would be war – “Well, how your mouth’s so big? Well, stand the consequence!/ Riding west inna mi bulletproof vest/ say “dem a ride xss”, that is the wrong subject. Any guy a ride ass, a Black Rhino [bullet] dem get.”

16. Mystery (2002)

The ‘Dancehall poet’ hit us again in Mystery, flossing his ever sharp and finessed threats while affecting maximum vibes. It was tracks like these that would prompt several forwards in the Jamaican dance scenes, launching the ‘gun finger’ culture which to date is a staple act of respect for a ‘big tune’. The single was featured on Bounty’s Ghetto Dictionary: The Mystery album that earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album in 2002.

17. Worthless Bwoy (1996)

In another Dave Kelly production, Bounty jumped on the Haunted Riddim to release Worthless Bwoy – a scorn on the “ole liad” men that try to pin blame on their women for their shortcomings. The track illuminated the extent of lies and deceit men would take to protect their image and rep on the streets.

18. Lodge (1993)

From early on in his career, Bounty created a formidable image for himself. His track Lodge on the Sleng Teng Riddim embodied that iron-strong and ice-cold character to the tee. It would see him through his cutthroat performances at Sting and pose him as a daunting opponent for those daring to clash the Warlord.

19. Miss Ivy Last Son (1995)

Only the Warlord’s unhinged mind could flex deathly warnings on a Christmas jingle and that he did on Miss Ivy Last Son. After all, it was just what he needed to toast the season for those Boxing Day battles at Sting. Crooning his most spirited vocals, “Bwoy walk out right up straight een a mi M-16, head gone clean. And mi reload again and put in the double clip magazine, yuh mumma goin’ scream,” he cautioned tunefully.

20. Sufferer (2006) – Wayne Marshall

In one of his many collaborations with soul captain Wayne Marshall, Bounty’s Sufferer on the Diwali Riddim offered him huge success here and abroad. The slinky-sounding baseline credited to Jamaican producer Steven “Lenky” Marsden was recognized as arguably the most prominent and popular riddim of 2002 based on the number of top-ten hit songs it featured that charted in Jamaica and internationally. Along with Bounty’s Sufferer was Sean Paul’s mega-hit Get Busy, Wayne Wonder’s No Letting Go, Elephant Man’s Elephant Message and Brick & Lace’s Love Is Wicked. The track held chart positions locally and on the iTunes 100 reggae charts.

21. Gangster Love (2005)

Surfing some soulful flows on the Istanbul Riddim, Bounty delivered this “gangster love” song to open the doors to his love situationship with his beau and ‘the prettiest thing his eyes ever behold.’ It’s a hard spot for any girl to fall in love with a gangster.  Bounty says, “Say you leaving and the reason is clear because I am a gangster and she’s living in fear. In case that I don’t make it is the news you will hear.”

22. Sadda Dem (2003)

Bounty’s feature on the Good To Go Riddim was this renowned gyallis anthem Sadda Dem. Flexing his enticing rudeboy suave, Killer wasn’t partial to a type. “Could a fat could a slim yes mi sadda dem,” he said, but he would rather the high-class type, “Gimme di gal inna di Bima and di Prada dem.” The song would on to brag his in-demand status, “Gal risk dem life ova di borda dem …Me dem waan fi go sadda dem,” and his ability to satisfy like no other.

23. It’s a Party (1998) – Cocoa Brovaz

In a stately teaming with Brooklyn hip-hop group Cocoa Brovaz, the Five Star General dropped one of his most internationally successful tracks It’s A Party, which speaks for itself as an instant party starter. It was featured on his highly acclaimed Next Millennium album in ’98. Not many knew the song was his second attempt at creating a hit; the original was dubbed Ain’t Nobody to feature Chaka Khan, funny how things turned out. Bounty said he’s happy with the outcome and wouldn’t change a thing.

24. It’s Ok (2004)

In an apologetic missive smoothing over conscious Reggae acoustics of the Drop Leaf Riddim, the Warlord takes responsibility for messing up something good. The single demonstrated the artist’s more vulnerable side as he poured his heart out while crooning tender subdued heartfelt tones to express his sincerity.

25. Hip-Hopera (1996) – The Fugees

Another widely successful international hit for Bounty was this mega collab with American hip-hop group The Fugees. The music video saw the Dancehall star on an elevated level of esteem appearing with the American acts and owning his own. Hip Hopera gained mainstream acclaim charting on the Billboard Hot 100 and US R&B and Hip Hop charts. It was featured also on his album My Xperience, which peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.

26. Cry For Die For (1998)

Mixing and matching his flows on the Spanish-sounding baseline of the Scare Dem Muzic produced Tequilla Riddim; Killer’s Cry For Die For was another of his braggadocios narratives detailing his magnetic gyallis appeal.

27. Anytime (1999)

In his unrelenting quest to speak up for the poor and needy, Bounty delivered another cautionary release with Anytime. While uplifting his people in motivational prods, he promises his wrath against the government, “Tell them seh anytime the government policies a undermine, poor people plight that a sure sign, corruption, and war a guh reach it’s prime.” Anytime arrived on Dave Kelly’s Bruk Out Riddim and was featured in Killer’s 1999 album 5th Element under VP Records.

28. Maniac (1996) – Richie Stephens

Another notable release under Killer’s belt was this teaming with Reggae vocalist Richie Stephens. As the duo expressed their mind-blowing experience with these “maniac” dancing girls on the dance floor, they’d induce let-loose moods to get you on your feet. The track was a single on Stephens’ 1998 Winner album featured on the Maniac Riddim.

29. Magnet (1996) – Richie Stephens

The Dancehall duo did it again. The same year they dropped the magnetizing Magnet on the Quicksand Riddim, creating yet another massive hit for Killer and adding to what was sizing up to be a prolific successful musical collection from the artiste.

30. Book Book Book (1995)

Dedicated to all the “schoolers” from KC, Wolmers, Meadowbrook to St, Hughs and Queens High, Bounty did his due diligence in touching on all the aspects of learning they should aim to excel in while encouraging the youths to strive in becoming good students. “Book book book uno fi pressure uno book. If you illiterate and foolish you might turn a crook and yuh nah go get nuh work cause you thief like a puss, see a granny wid a purse ah it you wah fi jook. If ACID (Anti-Crime Investigation Dept.) ever hold yuh red-handed tonight you puke!” The track to date is one of the most enlightening and motivating ‘school anthems’ ever to be recorded by a Dancehall act. The single was featured on Killer’s Ghetto Gramma album that released back in 1997.