Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, Ninjaman Mural Removed From Merciless’ Grave
The much-talked-about mural that was painted on to Merciless’ burial site—depicting the Sting clash in 2000 in which he faced off against Bounty Killer, Beenie Man, and Ninjaman—has been removed, according to the late Dancehall deejay’s family.
The funeral of the 51-year-old Clarendon-born entertainer, (real name Leonard Bartley) sparked controversy last month, after Beenie and Bounty were criticized by Merciless’ manager Harvel ‘Gadafi’ Hart, selector Ricky Trooper and several others for being no-shows at the service.
In an IRIE FM interview this week, Merciless’ niece, known as British, revealed that it wasn’t the family’s decision to create the mural but rather the painter’s idea. In light of the subsequent controversy, the family thought it was best to erase the images.
“The painter who was painting the grave, he drew the pictures he chose. It wasn’t something that the family members knew about, that that was going to be a part of what he was going to paint. He painted pictures that he wanted to paint,” she said.
In response to the criticism, Bounty had initially cited the “disrespectful” mural as a reason for his absence from the funeral. According to Bounty, “people were celebrating” the deejay’s victory over him and Beenie Man at Sting, instead of celebrating his life.
Bounty Killer further defended his absence, during an interview on Grand Cayman’s Hot 104.1 FM a week ago, by declaring that he and the late veteran deejay were not friends and that he did not owe Merciless or his family anything other than condolences.
Bounty, who was very heated about the situation, further alleged that Merciless died due to a drug overdose.
However, an autopsy report deemed the cause of death to be “inconclusive.”
“A drugs kill Merciless,” Bounty said. “They just shy to say it. It was no heart attack or nuttn bredrin; a overdose kill di dawg. An wi nuh even waan elaborate pon di dead man nuttn, but dem [his critics], fi gweh.”
“Mi naw guh a no funeral; mi a bad man. Nuh bwoy caan ramp wid me. And Merciless wasn’t mi fren; him wasn’t mi colleague. Him was just a co-worker. Merciless nuh show mi no love, no respect. Mi nuh owe Merciless and him family nuttn more dan condolences,” Killer argued.
The music veteran was found dead on July 19 at a motel off Beechwood Avenue in St Andrew, after he complained that he wasn’t feeling well. He was laid to rest in a family plot in Clarendon on September 17.
Merciless’ 2000 Sting performance when he annihilated Ninjaman, Bounty Killer, and Beenie Man in a lyrical battle has gone down in the history books as one of the most memorable moments in Dancehall.
He was renowned for hits such as Len Out Mi Mercy, Mavis, Mama Cooking, Gal Gizzada, Ole Gallis, and God Alone.