Bounty Killer Backs Nitty Kutchie’s ‘Defend Jamaica’ For National Festival Song Winner
Bounty Killer has thrown his full support behind his former Scare Dem Crew compatriot Nitty Kutchie’s National Festival Song entry titled Defend Jamaica, telling his fans to support the track as it deserves to be victorious when the announcement is made ahead of the Independence celebrations.
“What’s your Stance I stand with country… DEFENDING JAMAICA 🇯🇲. Watch nitty kutchie festival song a mash up the place…Up town Monday’s mash up,” Bounty noted on a post he shared of the song being played at the popular Kingston party, where patrons danced and waved the Jamaican national flag.
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The other entries in the competition are No Weh No Nice Like Yaad by Sacaj; Sixty by One1; Out of Many by 2018 winner Nazzle Man and Jamaica Nice Again by Inspiyah.
Completing the list are Rory Stamp with Bring Back the Love, Diamond Jubillee by Orkid; Jamaica Sweet Again by Dez I Boyd; Rock to Da Beat by Intrestt and I’m A Proud Jamaican by Magic Flute.
The first televised show for the competition aired last night on national television, with the other slated for July 28 at the Independence Village at the National Indoor Sports Centre, when the winner will be announced.
Nitty Kutchie, along with his friends Boom Dandimite, Harry Toddler and Elephant Man formed the Scare Dem Crew back in the 1990s. The quintet was closely aligned to Bounty Killer, who would take them on tours to ensure they gained exposure. Among their hits were Pure Gal and Many Many.
However, Nitty Kutchie considers Go Away, a 1992 collab with Bounty Killer and Angel Doolas which was produced by Lloyd “King Jammys” James on the Billie Jean riddim, as his most successful recording.
Born Andrew Reid in Westmoreland, Nitty Kutchie had moved with his family to Seaview Gardens in Kingston at age 13, back in the mid-1980’s when sound systems reigned supreme in the community, which is home to artistes such as Shabba Ranks and Dexta Daps.
Last week Culture and Entertainment Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange announced that the selection process for the 10 finalists for the 2022 Jamaica Festival Song Competition was now complete, and that she was pleased with the response to the re-opening of entries.
A month ago, the Minister broke the news that she had decided to forego the competition and produce a Jamaica 60 commemorative album for 2022, instead of hosting the annual Festival Song Competition, as the quality of submissions was unsatisfactory.
The selection panel which consisted of Reggae singers Alaine Laughton and Freddie McGregor, producers Gussie Clarke, and Cleveland “Clevie” Browne of Steelie and Clevie, had said that 120 of the 123 submissions were inferior.
However, days after Grange’s announcement, Prime Minister Andrew Holness had intervened, affirming that the competition must be held, as Jamaicans are very good at music and “there is no reason why we can’t find a festival song that will capture and project and promote optimism, positivity, togetherness and harmony”.
According to Grange, there is a $3 million prize for the winning song to be shared among the producer, the writer and the singer of the competition.
She also said that her Ministry, via the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission was arranging to put the finalists on global music streaming platforms.
According to the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, the National Festival Song Competition is the longest-running original song contest in the island. It was aimed at, from its inception, providing a platform for ‘aspiring artistes, songwriters, and producers to showcase their talents’, as well as ‘identify a new and original song that is reflective of the spirit of the Jamaican people’.
The song, Bam Bam, by Toots and the Maytals, has the distinction of being Jamaica’s first National Festival Song winner back in 1966. It was written by Toots and performed by himself and members of his band known only as the Maytals at the time.