Why There’s Been No New Bounty Killer Album For Almost Two Decades

Having released more than eight albums since his big break in the 1990s, Bounty Killer is arguably one of the most prolific dancehall recording artists of all time.

In fact, following the release of his first album Roots, Reality and Culture in 1994, Bounty Killer, whose real name is Rodney Price, kept pushing out albums every year up to the release of Ghetto Dictionary: The Mystery in 2002.

However, for almost two decades after that album’s release and Grammy nomination for Best Reggae Album, there has been no talk of another album from the Warlord. That is, of course, until last August.

Bounty first announced, during an interview with radio disc jockey Nikki Z last August, that his “real, hardcore Dancehall” album was in the works via Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley’s Ghetto Youths International label.

We now know the name of the album, King of Kingston, and that it will be released soon, though we do not yet have a release date. We’ve also seen the artwork for the upcoming album, as Bounty Killer unveiled it recently.

But for someone who has churned out album after album over the years, why the almost two-decade hiatus?

The Not Another Word singer provided some insight on the matter while speaking to American rapper and actor Fat Joe on #TheFatJoeShow on Instagram Live on Wednesday night.

“Well, I am working on this new album. It’s 18 years since I last released an album, you know,” Bounty said when Fat Joe asked about his album, which he has been sharing titbits on via social media.

“The last album I released was the same one that Khaled did the intro, Ghetto Dictionary [in 2002],” Bounty said, referencing DJ Khaled, who will also be producing a song off the album King of Kingston.

Bounty Killer was also featured on DJ Khaled’s latest album, Khaled Khaled, on the track Where You Come From, alongside Buju Banton, Barrington Levy and Capleton.

On Wednesday night, Bounty Killer went on to tell Fat Joe that Ghetto Dictionary had great success, including the Grammy nomination.

But then, something happened.

“They [the United States authorities] cancelled my visa 10 years ago, so that killed the whole vibes of me touring and making appearance overseas, so I kinda did lost the vibes of music,” Bounty said. “So I was just here, holding my vibes with my family and just chilling.”

According to Billboard, Bounty Killer was among five Jamaican Dancehall artists who had their U.S. Visas cancelled in 2010. An e-mail advisory was sent to airlines travelling to the US not to board the artists, at the time, as their visas were in the process of being revoked.  Bounty claimed last year that racism was the reason the visa was revoked.

His long-time dancehall rival Beenie Man also had his US visa cancelled at the same time. The two have since mended fences and even recorded Legendary together in 2014. Over the years, public appeals have been made for them to be reissued their US visas, with one of the most recent calls coming from Dancehall legend Shaggy, following their Verzuz battle in May 2020.

However, no such luck yet.

So, why did he decide to work on an album after all these years?

Bounty Killer told Fat Joe that it was Bob Marley’s son, Junior Gong, that got him to start working on another album.

“So it’s Damian ‘Junior Gong’ Marley, Rohan Marley’s little brother, he is the one who really said I should do an album and he would executive produce it. So he is the one who encouraged me doing the album, and he would executive produce it, so that’s why am working on the album now,” Bounty Killer said.

He also shared that King of Kingston will be a double album.

“One like a Reggae album and one like a Dancehall ragga style – two sides,” Killer said.

We patiently await the release.